Cheyenne Floyd, the newest member of the Teen Mom OG cast, shared an emotional message on Instagram Thursday after daughter Ryder was hospitalized. Hundreds of fans sent their thoughts and prayers to Floyd, who revealed that Ryder has been hospitalized three times in the past two and a half years. Ryder has struggled with very long-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (VLCAD) deficiency, a condition that keeps the body from turning certain fats into energy.
“I hope you aren’t alone at the hospital and I pray Ryder gets better,” one fan wrote.
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“Will she grow out of it or is it a life long condition? BTW you’re a great MOM!” another wrote.
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Many fans thanked Floyd for openly discussing Ryder’s treatment openly with fans, raising awareness of her daughter’s condition.
“You are helping so many people with your openness about Rys condition! You’re the best mommy to that sweet baby!” one fan chimed in.
“I know it’s sensitive to share certain information with the work but I’m so happy you do! Having been to the hospital myself with my daughter it’s great to hear your advice,” another fan wrote. “You were blessed with a platform for a reason & are definitely bringing awareness to Ryder’s condition!”
“Advice for All parents! Please sleep when your baby is sleep. We have to rest our bodies and mind too so we can keep our strength for them. I was always bad at listening to probably some of best sleep advice someone could give me,” Floyd, 27, wrote on Instagram alongside a photo of Ryder in a hospital bed, asleep under a Frozen blanket. “From the day I brought Ryder home from the hospital, I loved watching her sleep, observing the sounds she would make, memorizing the way she would hold her arms or how she would pout her lips.”
Floyd wrote that when she discovered Ryder had VLCAD, she forced herself to sleep, even though she really wanted to stay awake to watch Ryder.
“Her condition has taught me so much! Educationally and medically I’ve gotten a crash course but it’s also taught me how to tap into my mom super powers,” Floyd continued. “I’ve learned how to be an advocate for my child, how to care for her, and how to speak up for her when needed. It’s been 2.5 years and now three hospitalizations. Ryder is my heart and I would never change anything about her. I don’t think I’ll ever stop watching her sleep… We will be here the next few days making sure she gets the proper fluids and doesn’t relapse again. We appreciate all the prayers and kind words. God is so good and we are always covered in blessings.”
According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, VLCAD symptoms usually appear during infancy or early childhood. The signs can include low blood sugary, lethargy and muscle weakness. Some individuals with the condition can also face complications like liver abnormalities and life-threatening heart problems.
Floyd shares Ryder with Cory Wharton, whom Floyd met on The Challenge: Rivals III in 2016. Floyd joined Teen Mom OG along with Bristol Palin after Farrah Abraham left. Although Palin only lasted one season, Floyd continued to participate.
Photo credit: Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for MTV
