At 10 years old, this boy’s symptoms began as arm and back pain until one day he woke up and his eyes felt heavy and he could not focus. They discovered bleeding behind his eyes. He was rushed to the ER with severe increased fluid on is brain causing his eyes to bulge and extreme pain. After numerous tests, MRIs, CTs and spinal taps he was diagnosed with idiopathic intracranial hypertension, rarely seen in children. Over then next several years, he would try numerous medications and a shunt to drain fluid from his brain to his abdomen. Living with temporary blindness and severe pain, and resulting in permanent damage to his optic nerves, recurrent headaches, fatigue, and vision loss this now 15 year old is finally starting to get life back on track. This resilient teen stayed positive, cracking jokes no matter how scary things got. He loves water and all of the creatures that live in it, taking roads trips to discovered hidden gems throughout the province and spending time with his family.
Alberta Dreams cannot wait for him to explore underwater life at the aquarium and all the exciting things Toronto has to offer this fall.