November 19, 2004

Giving thanks for the small miracles along the way

Samuel Welton can eat, crawl and wrestle with his brother

By Bea Baechle
Editor

Many of us have been raised to be thankful for what we have rather than focus on what we don’t have. The Welton family of Evergreen lives by those words, day to day, but this Thanksgiving marks an anniversary that truly illustrates the wisdom of that belief.

Mark Welton holds his son Samuel while brother Robert hams it up for the camera with his mom Teresa.

One year ago, on the day before Thanksgiving, their son Samuel returned home—after more than a year of being shuffled around from hospitals to medical centers. Doctors and neurologists at Good Samaritan Hospital, Regional Medical Center of San Jose, Lucille Packard Children’s Hospital and Santa Clara Valley Medical Center had tested Samuel for all types of viruses, metabolic diseases and genetic disorders.

To this day, the tests have never determined a conclusive diagnosis or cause of Samuel’s condition, which began with sudden complaints about severe headaches, joint pain and involuntary muscle twitching from a gifted, 4-year-old child. His condition worsened to the point where he was restrained in a hospital bed and could no longer speak. The descriptive diagnosis of his condition is encephalopathy, or a disease of the brain structure.

Although deeply loved by his family, the 5-year-old boy arrived home last year for the holidays strapped in a wheelchair—severely, physically impaired. He could not eat, swallow, walk or talk, and he required medicine and a feeding pouch filled around the clock. He still suffered from the erratic, uncontrollable movements of his arms and legs that originally sent the Weltons seeking medical attention.

“When he first came home, we were overwhelmed; we just didn’t know the care involved until we brought him home,” said Samuel’s mom, Teresa Welton, recalling the continuous feeding through an IV.

Fast forward to 2004
Stop by the Welton home this Thanksgiving and you’re likely to see a very different Samuel. The strong six-year-old can be fed puréed food and supplemental drinks, eliminating the need for an IV. “I made some pumpkin muffins recently, and he ate two of them,” said Teresa, noting his ability to chew.

He still takes some medication to control seizures and his blood pressure, plus a small dose of Ritalin, but his parents are gradually taking him off most of the medications and opting for natural mineral supplements, flax seed, acidophilus, etc.

The erratic movement of his arms and legs has virtually disappeared, and just weeks ago, he began crawling—a great relief for his parents and nurses, weary of carrying the growing boy up the steps in the house.

For younger brother Robert, who attends kindergarten at Evergreen Elementary School, the best part of Samuel’s progress is being able to come home from school and wrestle with Samuel.

“Robert used to wait for his daddy to come home and wrestle, but now when he [Robert] comes home, he takes his jacket off, takes his shoes off and runs to his brother to wrestle.”

The Weltons attribute much of his progress to the dedicated local chiropractors, Peter Fysh and Jonathon Mainieri, who did cranium and back adjustments that helped Samuel rest, sleep and loosen his body, previously stiff and contorted from the erratic muscle movements and the restraints that were required in the hospital.

The family, which suspects that his vaccinations may have triggered the problems, is still seeking answers that the doctors couldn’t provide. “Obviously, something toxic affected him,” said Mark, Samuel’s dad. “I’m not saying I’m against vaccinations, but most chiropractors won’t vaccinate their kids, and half of the nurses at Valley Medical believed it was a reaction to vaccinations. It’s just hard to prove it.”

“I’m just grateful I had two doctors who gave me hope,” said Teresa.

Long road ahead
California Children’s Services offers occupational therapy, “and they see a lot of potential in Samuel, because each time we go, they see something new; they’re really excited with these positive changes,” said Teresa. CCS is working with him to help him keep his balance and teach him how to walk again.

Yet Mark is concerned about his safety. “If he does start walking and doesn’t mentally get better, it could be dangerous. I don’t want him walking out the door and getting lost,” said Mark, who does see the progress. “Mentally, he seems to be getting better; he’s trying to talk us and he plays hide and seek with his brother.”

Younger brother Robert (right) loves to wrestle with Samuel, who just started crawling a few weeks ago.

Samuel attends a special school in the mornings and early afternoon where they are teaching him sign language. “Since he can’t talk, we have to find other ways to communicate with him, and sign language is probably the best way to communicate with him. That’s the goal,” said Teresa.

“Samuel gets frustrated because he still can’t communicate verbally, so a speech therapist at his school is evaluating him, too,” she added.

“It’s one step at a time. Nobody knew what Samuel would be able to do,” said Teresa. “There were never any answers, and the neurologists said that the chances of Samuel doing the things we expected were not likely. Now he’s doing things that nobody ever dreamed of.”

Erica Smith, a health care aid who has been coming to the Welton home once a week for the past two months, sees incredible progress in a very short time. “Samuel’s definitely changed. Before, he’d sit in the chair and couldn’t get around that well, now he’s all over the place.”

His mom has always had faith in Samuel. “I knew that he was in there; he just could not get out. He is now coming out,” said Teresa. “Samuel has been a miracle child since day one; being able to survive as a premature baby and now regaining some of the things I never thought I’d see him do.

“A lot of people at our church and throughout the community have said a lot of prayers for him, and I truly believe in prayers, I really do, and if it’s a big multitude [of prayers], God will answer in His way,” continued Teresa.

“Everything he’s doing are little miracle steps,” she added. “I sometimes cry because I’m overjoyed. It’s been a blessing in disguise.”