The back pack that 2-year-old Nolan Sensintaffer carries weighs approximately half of his body weight but for now it is his life line.
“He can only eat ice chips by mouth and the rest of his nutrition goes in through a vein,” said Nolan’s mother, Heather.
The back pack helps provide Total Parental Nutrition or TPN to the toddler because his body can’t absorb nutrition.
Nolan's journey began when he was only 6 weeks old when he started experiencing difficulties eating. Nolan’s parents, Heather and Cody, tried numerous suggested special diets and specialty formulas but nothing worked. Nolan stopped eating all together and was hospitalized for the first time.
Nolan saw several specialists in Oklahoma, but ultimately found the help for his needs at the transplant center in Omaha, Nebraska.
Nolan is now on the waiting list to receive a small intestinal and pancreas transplant.
“We are on stand by all of the time,” said Heather, “We basically have a couple of hours once we receive the call and then our flight will come in and we are off to Omaha, Nebraska.”
Following the transplants the family will have to stay in Omaha for 6-8 months while Nolan recovers. The journey has been a lot for the family to endure both emotionally and financially but the community stepped in to help.
On November 4th, a fundraiser was held at the Five Oaks Lodge in Jenks to benefit Nolan.
“We are just in awe of the community,” said Heather, “We are so blessed.”
Heather and Cody tell FOX23 that they are thankful for the communities support. They say they hope the transplants will mean that their son will soon get to lead a life free of emergency rooms and surgery.
“This is the toughest and happiest little guy in the world,” said Cody.
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