AUSTIN, Texas – On March 17, 2016, assistant baseball coach Clint Mokry and his wife, Haley, welcomed their first-born child, Madison. Madison was born with Pierre Robin Sequence, which has been, and will be, a financially difficult for the Mokrys.
Pierre Robin Sequence is a set of abnormalities that affect the face and can impact an infant's ability to breathe, especially while sleeping. Madison needed surgery to implant a device to help her breathe almost immediately. She will have the device for another six-to-eight weeks. Once it is removed, she will begin the road to recovery and undergo another surgery to repair her cleft palette when she is between eight and 10 months old.
Concordia Texas baseball players, their families and the other coaches have banded together to support the Mokrys by holding a fundraiser on Saturday, April 23.
Between the doubleheader that day, the Tornados will host a Golf Ball Drop, with the grand prize being a king size Tempur-Pedic Mattress, and other great prizes. The remaining proceeds will be used to help offset Maddie's medical expenses. Fans do not need to be present to win.
Fineline Sportswear and owner Scott O'Glee has graciously donated t-shirts that will be sold starting this weekend. Fans may visit http://stores.inksoft.com/maddie_mokry to purchase golf balls and/or t-shirts for the event on April 23rd or simply to make a cash donation. T-shirts purchased online can be picked up at Tornado Field anytime during the doubleheader on April 23. The first game begins at 1 p.m.
About Maddie's Medical Journey:
On March 17, 2016 at 4:13pm The Mokry's welcomed the most beautiful little angel into the world! Madison 'Maddie' Rivers Mokry made her appearance weighing in at 8lbs and 22in long. Sweet miss Maddie stole her mommy and daddy's heart right from the beginning.
It wasn't too soon after the nurses performed Maddie's newborn exam that Haley and Clint were informed Maddie was born with a cleft palette, a common birth condition where there is an opening in the top of the baby's mouth that failed to grow together. This condition is not noticeable from the outside and can be corrected with surgery around 10-12 months of life.
After an appointment with a cranial and facial specialist to go over Maddie cleft palate, it was determined she suffered from Pierre-Robin Sequence, which is a set of abnormalities affecting the face, consisting of a small lower jaw, a tongue that is placed further back than normal, and an opening in the roof of the mouth (a cleft palate). Because of this condition the doctors were concerned about her tongue falling back in her throat and blocking her air passage, especially while sleeping. Therefore, it was decided that she was to complete a sleep study at Dell Children's Hospital where she was observed over night to determine the extent of her breathing issues.
The devastating news came when Maddie's results stated that she scored a 97 on her sleep study, where a 10 is considered a severe breathing problem. Due to the severity of Maddie's breathing condition, she was immediately admitted the next day do reconstructive surgery to repair her jaw and bring it forward, so her tongue can drop into place and open up her airway. This surgery required Maddie to stay in the hospital for two weeks for the procedure and monitoring. Thankfully, Haley and Clint were able to get a room at the Ronald McDonald House so that they may easily visit Maddie during her stay at the hospital. The Mokrys got word that Maddie would be released from the hospital on Apr. 15.
After Maddie had been released to go home, she still has the device implanted in her chin. After six to eight weeks, Maddie will return to the hospital to undergo another surgery to remove the device. Once it is removed, she will then begin the healing process until her cleft palette surgery which will occur near the end of the year.
During this time, Haley and Clint have asked for your support and prayers for Miss Maddie.
