Danielle & Kel Roberts are the PHF State Chapter Directors of Alabama

HARTSELLE, AL (WAFF) –

Young mother of two Danielle Roberts told us, “I was 16 weeks pregnant when they told us she had hydrocephalus.”

Her husband Kel Roberts said they were shocked to learn the daughter Danielle was carrying had water on her brain.

“There was so much damage and so little brain that was left that she really wouldn’t have a chance, and we were asked to make a choice at that point whether or not to ‘carry on,” he said.

And carry on they did. Kel said there was a lot of prayer and support.

“If we back track to the very beginning, there was not a whole lot of hope for anything. We’re three years more than what they really gave us,” he said.

Reagan is now a sweet, coy three year old with a shunt. Her mom described how it works.

“This part goes in the brain and it drains the pressurized fluids. Once that fills up, it will drain out and it drains out into about her abdomen,” said Danielle.

She says the body absorbs the fluid. This is basically the same technology available in the 70’s.

There are some developmental delays with Reagan.

“The biggest delay that she’s got would be mobility,” said Danielle.

Reagan’s grandmother has a nickname for this precious bundle. She calls her ‘Amazing Grace,’ and it’s easy to see why.

He dad says she’s making great progress.

“She is not limited in any way. She gets around on her own. She is more than capable and more than willing and strong enough to do and be what ever she wants to be,” said Kel.

She recently suffered a seizure, so her parents took her to her neurologist. Current test results show remarkable improvements. “She is super intelligent. I mean it just blows us away every day. And we treat every day as a miracle”, adds Kel.

To learn more about hydrocephalus:

Active.com
Hydrocephalus kids blog
AL Pediatric Hydrocephalus Foundation
National Institute of Health

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