Emerald G. Parsons: Greene Publishing, Inc.
Cody and Cierra Ledford, of Pinetta, are experiencing the pains that every parent prays to never have to face; the pain of your child/baby in the hospital, and the pain of feeling helpless.
Saturday, Oct. 21 began as any other day. Cody and Cierra woke up and got their two children, Brindle, age 2 ½ , and the 11-month-old Wacey, dressed and ready for a day out with the family. The family of four headed out to Hickory Grove Founder’s Day to enjoy their time together.
Not long after leaving Founder’s Day, around 2:30 p.m., the family was involved in an accident that has left Wacey in ICU as a trauma patient, at Shands Hospital, in Gainesville.
Wacey suffered two fractures on his skull and has severe swelling on his brain. He was placed in a medically induced coma for 72 hours, in order to help give the brain time to rest and heal. He also has swollen tendons in his neck and is currently in a neck brace. A drain line was placed in Wacey’s skull, to keep the pressure from building up too much and he is currently having to be fed by a feeding tube.
As of press time, the MRI showed a slight improvement from the initial CT Scan, taken on Saturday; however, the doctors have all expressed that the first 72 hours are the most crucial because of the possible damage to the brain. As of right now, these young parents sit and wait for any news from the doctors.
Due to the rising medical bills, friends and family have set up a special designated bank account at the Madison County Community Bank (MCCB), in order to help raise funds for Wacey and his family. Anyone wishing to donate at the MCCB, may drop their cash or check off at the bank and designate it for Wacey Ledford.
Cody, who works for LM Hydraulics, in Valdosta, has not been able to return to work since the accident, and Cierra is a full-time stay-at-home mother, to the two children.
Wacey is also the grandson of Robert and Gayle Ledford, of Madison and Carol Kuhn Collins, of Kissimmee, and the late Levi Kuhn, of Kissimmee.
Cody and Cierra would like to extend their deepest and sincere gratitude to everyone in the community for the outpouring of love and support during this trial in their lives; and they would like to ask everyone to pray for their son … pray for his healing.