Patients of Courage: The Untold Stories

Cruz

Cruz is a happy, healthy 10 year-old, who enjoys swimming, playing with remote control vehicles, and practicing non-contact martial arts.

However, Cruz was born with Pfeiffer’s Syndrome, a condition that prevents the bones of the skull and face from growing in a normal way. Throughout his entire life, surgeons have worked to reconstruct his bones as they develop – and prevent the dental problems, poor vision, and hearing loss that Pfeiffer’s Syndrome can cause.

“His transformation from a little baby with an obvious syndrome to a normal looking boy would not have been possible without the skills and experience of his plastic surgeon,” says Cruz’s mother, Jennifer.

At just three weeks old, Cruz had to undergo a tracheotomy, a surgical procedure performed on the neck to open a direct airway through an incision in the windpipe, because his bones and tissue that normally protect the natural airway were underdeveloped. Throughout his first year, his ASPS Member Surgeon began to reconstruct his eye sockets, skull, and nasal cavity.

“His ability to tolerate the surgeries and continue smiling was apparent early on,” recalls Cruz’s mother.

At age two-and-a-half, Cruz endured yet another major surgery – a second attempt at reconstructing his eye sockets – followed by two separate surgeries over the next four years to rebuild his forehead.

According to Cruz’s mother, “Each time Cruz was admitted to the hospital, it amazed me how many nurses and physicians would come to visit him, sometimes bringing a balloon or a stuffed animal, sometimes just a smile, but the whole message I got was that they came in admiration and awe of this little boy who was undergoing so much.”

Between ages four and eight, Cruz’s mid-facial growth was not balanced with the growth of his jaw, requiring his most trying procedure to date—the application of a bulky external brace called a RED (Rigid External Distraction) device that gradually lengthens the jaw and soft tissue by allowing additional bone growth to occur.

Today, through hard work, Cruz has made up for time lost due to his surgeries, rejoining other 10-year-olds in fifth grade and excelling at reading. In addition to expressing interest in taking guitar lessons, Cruz recently asked his mother how he can reach out to help other children who are dealing with medical problems.

“If anyone can advise and reassure, it’s Cruz,” says his mom. “He has never lacked confidence, but he knows life is better now. He has a new walk and no longer dreads rude stares. He’s done it all with such strength and courage—it makes me proud to call him my son.”