Physical Wellness

After Brief Homecoming from 5-Month Stay in Hospital, Toddler Tripp Halstead Returns to Hospital

By Makini Brice | Update Date: Apr 01, 2013 01:52 PM EDT

Tripp Halstead, the Atlanta-area toddler, gained a nationwide following after an unfortunate accident in October left him battling for his life. It seemed like the saga was mostly over though, when, this weekend, the two-year-old returned home after a five-month stay in the hospital.

"This is going to take some getting used to," Tripp's mother, Stacy Halstead, wrote on Friday night, when he was returned home. "He has meds around the clock so we are trying to make them work for our schedule. So as extremely happy as I am to be home, I am completely exhausted. Physically and emotionally. Today was a huge day."

However, reports have recently surfaced that the homecoming was short-lived; the toddler has recently returned to the hospital. According to Access North Georgia, information about Tripp's return to the hospital have been slow to come. His father said that, after a rough night last night, his parents thought it best to take him to the hospital once again. MyFox Atlanta reports that it is not clear what is wrong with the toddler, but his mother says that she assumed that there was something wrong with his shunt, an object intended to relieve pressure on Tripp's brain after the accident. He has received X-rays, blood work and most recently an ultrasound, his Facebook page states.

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Tripp's saga began at the end of October, shortly before Halloween. While at his day care center, a tree limb fell on the toddler's head, prompting a traumatic brain injury. Since that fateful day, the toddler has undergone countless surgeries. In February, he developed bacterial meningitis. Since March 1, he has undergone four surgeries and three procedures.

Since October, the family has been overwhelmed by a flood of support for the toddler. The Facebook page has 397,000 likes. A fundraiser was held on Saturday, with $5 from every ticket going to the Halstead family. Larry the Cable Guy, who voiced the role of Tow Mater in the movie Cars, Tweeted to the family; Owen Wilson, the voice of Lightning McQueen in the movie, left the family a voicemail. 

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