By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
A set of Barton County parents received the news no parent wants to hear this weekend. Trey Cullens-Zeiters, age three, was found unresponsive at his mother's home in Ellinwood. The good news is Trey is now off a ventilator at Kansas City's Children's Mercy Hospital. The bad news is the battle is far from over. Trey's stepmother, Christina Cullens-Zeiters, said Trey was diagnosed with arteriovenous malformations (AVM).
"His veins, in development, they got tangled into a knot so it restricts blood flow," she said. "It's considered a stroke, but because he's under three, he had an aneurysm."
Trey, who will turn four on Christmas Eve, was at his mother's house on Sunday, July 23, when he was found unresponsive just before 11 a.m. His father, Cheyenne Cullens-Zeiters, rushed to pick him up and get him to the University of Kansas Health System - Great Bend Campus. He was intercepted by law enforcement and EMS near Doonan's.
Trey was rushed by ambulance to the hospital in Great Bend where he remained unresponsive and was placed on a ventilator. Staff attempted to insert an IV into the toddler but his veins had collapsed. He was flown to Kansas City around 5 p.m.
"He was under pressure on his brain for a minimum of eight hours before he got a drain tube here in Kansas City," Cheyenne said.
Doctors in Kansas City were able to relieve Trey's immediate medical concerns and, as of Wednesday morning, he was doing well. He is currently undergoing physical therapy but is still experiencing weakness on his right side. There is the chance Trey will experience another aneurysm in the near or distant future.
The family is insured but costs are already beginning to mount. The hospital provides a free stay at a nearby Ronald McDonald house but only for one family. Cheyenne and Christina gave that room to Trey's mother while they are spending $1,000 a week for a hotel room. Both will be unable to work until Trey returns home.
"As of what we were told, we won't be going home for up to 4-5 weeks," Cheyenne said. "He will be in the hospital for 4-5 weeks minimum if he stays in good health. He still has to have surgery but they're trying to find us a specialist."
Trey's aunt, Shamya Risner, has set up A GoFundMe account for the family. A current goal of $4,000 has been set to take care of the family's immediate needs while in Kansas City. CLICK HERE to view the GoFundMe page.