[Benjamin]

Boy with Rare Skin Condition Can Sleep with Eyes Closed for The First Time in 7 Years


This little boy from Nevada is pictured here before a life-changing surgery that allowed him to blink and sleep with his eyes closed—for the first time in his 7 years of life.

Can you even try to imagine what that must have been like?

Carter Bresee was born with lamellar ichthyosis (LI) a rare genetic skin disorder in which the body creates skin cells that do not separate from each other at the surface of the skin the way they should. In addition, the body does not shed the skin fast enough, causing brown scales to form.

Fox News has followed his condition for years, leading to Carter developing a bit of a supporter base in Nevada, many of whom contributed through a GoFundMe to his medical bills in May, when he had the chance for a life-changing eyelid skin graft.

It also resulted in Carter’s eyelids turning outward, preventing him from closing his eyes.

“He cannot blink, he sleeps with his eyes open and is often experiencing lots of pain and discomfort because of this,” Shai, Carter’s mom, wrote on that GoFundMe, which raised $46,000 towards the $8,000 cost of an oculoplastic surgery that would help the boy close his eyes.

“I didn’t realize what a sense of community we really had,” she admitted to Fox 5, after seeing how much money the two had received. “It’s really crazy to feel so included.”

Last month in San Diego, the surgery was carried out successfully, and Carter slept. Oh boy did he sleep.

“He slept until noon today. He got the best night’s sleep,” Shai said in a video interview after the boy’s first night of being able to sleep with his eyes closed.

She added that he was a “champ” throughout the sometimes painful surgery, remaining calm and asking for medicine if it got too severe.

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/boy-...me-in-7-years/