Hello. My name is Parker and I was born on November 2, 2006. Shortly after I was born, I turned purple and couldn’t breathe. I was rushed to the NICU. After a while, a doctor came to tell my mommy that an ambulance was on its way from Toronto to take me to Sick Kids Hospital. And, that is how it all began . . . this journey I’m on. The next day, my family learned that I had paralyzed vocal cords that had a nasty little habit of flopping shut over my airway, making it impossible for me to breathe. After an exhausting few weeks of tests to find out why I had paralyzed vocal cords, the doctors came up short. My official diagnosis was “Idiopathic Bi-lateral Vocal Cord Paralysis.” For those that don’t want to reach for their dictionaries, that means that both of my vocal cords didn’t work and there was no known reason for it. My mommy and daddy were anxious to get me home so they decided the best option was to give me a tracheostomy. A few months later, we learned that my vocal cords were functioning again. Maybe not fully, but enough that my doctors were confident that I could have my trach taken out. Unfortunately, I was on the wrong side of the statistics again. The trach itself had weakened my trachea and I was going to need to have it reconstructed. That is why you are here. Thanks for taking this part of the journey with me.
My mom’s friend Gerri Weatherbee took this picture of me. You can see more of Gerri’s work at www.gerriphotography.com
Parker's Place 
Hi Parker! What a handsome young man you are! I loved the video of your cartwell. Well done! I hope your surgery goes well and you can do your cartwells real soon. My biblestudy will send up extra prayers for you!
Parker, you are such a cutie! We are praying soooo very hard for you in Mississippi. I know your family is very anxious to hear your beautiful voice! Praying your surgery is uneventful, your recovery is speedy, and mom and dad are able to get some rest at the hospital!
Anxiously awaiting the wonderful news of success!!!!
Sara Beth
Hi, Parker, I bet you are funny and fiesty like your mom. 🙂 I will pray for you to have full healing and a speedy recovery! Sorry you have to go through all of this, Little Buddy! Love to you and your family (mommy, especially). xxxoooo Julie
My son was also born with paralyzed vocal cords (unknown reason). He has a tracheostomy. He just turned 6 months old and we are noticing lots of changes. We are wondering I the changes are just him getting older, or possibly healing vocal cords. Were there any signs your son’s cords had healed? We are noticing that our son is making more noise (soft noises and cries), suddenly bottles with ease, and rarely needs to be suctioned.