Six weeks after he was critically injured when a tree limb landed on his head, a Barrow County toddler survived another round of surgery Monday.
Tripp Halstead, 2, spent several hours in surgery as doctors re-attached a portion of his skull they were forced to remove Oct. 29 to relieve swelling on his brain, his family said through Facebook posts. Doctors also relocated the toddler's feeding tube and inserted Botox into his muscles to help him relax.
“He looks amazing! His color is good, he is not swollen, he has no tubes on his face and he is resting nicely,” Stacy Halstead, Tripp’s mother, posted shortly after 5 p.m. “But they say this ‘good look’ will be gone by tomorrow.”
Doctors have told Tripp’s parents he will likely be swollen, bruised and in pain during the upcoming days. Tripp will spend about three days in intensive care, his mother said.
Tripp was playing outside his Winder daycare on Oct. 29 when heavy winds caused a tree limb to fall and hit him. He underwent emergency surgery, with doctors advising the family that the toddler may not survive his injuries.
The family has credited Tripp’s will to survive, along with an outpouring of community support, for the toddler’s continued recovery.
About the Author
