Mason was born in August 2018.  Within a few weeks, his mom, Brianna, knew that something was wrong, and she struggled to get the doctors to listen.  Mason would throw up a lot and would stop breathing, but the doctors kept telling her that it was acid reflux.  Brianna finally took Mason to the ER, and he was sent to Charleston to MUSC, which was about 3 hours from their home.  It was determined that Mason had Biliary Atresia and Heterotaxy Polysplenia and  that he would require a liver transplant.  Doctors didn’t hold out much hope that Mason would survive, and the family was told on numerous occasions to make funeral arrangements. 

Contrary to what the doctors said, Mason had other plans.  He was determined to be here; and despite the constant pain that he endured, he always had a smile on his face.  He did things his way, on his terms.  Mason and his parents spent the majority of his first year in Charleston at MUSC, away from their two other boys.  As soon as they would have the opportunity to go home, something would happen and they would have to pack up and go back to MUSC.  Mason had multiple procedures and surgeries during the first year.  He struggled to gain weight.

Finally, on March 25, 2019, Mason was put on the National Transplant List.  His doctors wanted to find the perfect liver for Mason, and on August 3rd, 2019, a call was received that would change their lives.  Mason received his new liver on August 4th, just a few days shy of his first birthday.  He had gotten his miracle.

Just like Mason has done all along, a month after transplant surgery, a CT scan showed that the top of his liver and his intestines were bleeding.  The transplant surgeon decided that he needed to open him back up all the way to see what was going on.  It is best to tell you what happend through Brianna’s own words to feel the power:

“Y’all I cannot make this up!  We just got out of the conference room with the transplant surgeon, and he is not even able to believe what happened.  He got into Mason; and he is full of scar tissue really bad, which is expected, but it is so much he would have damaged and been unable to reverse the mistake of cutting into it more, so he tried to look and didn’t see any blood!  It was as if he didn’t just lose all that blood out of no where!  He said it’s very strange but sometimes you just have to accept what happened and let it be a mystery and hope it doesn’t do it again.  He said his liver and everything looks so perfect that none of this makes sense but let me just say GOD is doing something with Mason and even Dr. Nadig said you have liver transplants, then you have really complicated liver transplants and then you have Mason.  Most surgeons wouldn’t have even touched Mason with all of his issues, but he said Mason has his own category, but he proves so much to doctors.”

She went on in another post, ” I’m still shaking and have goosebumps all over and my throat is so tight I can hardly breathe right now.  I’m just blown away!  The CT scan SHOWED bleeding at the top of his liver!  And now everything is gone!!!!  How?  I just cannot believe what just happened!  Mason’s vitals were going, blood pressure, oxygen, pulse were dropping so fast!  And for a mystery, it’s crazy, but I SAW the scan.  I just now saw the new scan and the blood is completely gone!  I feel like I’m losing my mind honestly at this point.  I just cannot grasp ANY of it.  THANK YOU LORD for touching our baby boy.”

Once he was released from the hospital, he didn’t have to remain in Charleston for several months, as had been previously communitcated to the family.  He was able to return home where he is just blossoming and meeting many milestones.

Mason is a miracle, and he is destined to be here.  He has touched so many hearts, and I know that he will touch your heart, too.  Although he has received his liver transplant, he will need ongoing support for transplant-related expenses. Please help by making a donation to the Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA) in honor of Mason P.

The Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA) helps children and young adults who need a life-saving transplant by providing fundraising assistance and family support. COTA is the nation’s only fundraising organization solely dedicated to raising life-saving dollars in honor of transplant-needy children and young adults. 100% of each contribution made to COTA in honor of our patients helps meet transplant-related expenses. COTA’s services are free to our families, and gifts to COTA are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.