How tragic... never take things for granted

[KaGee]

We all have hopes and dreams unfulfilled. We all have troubles. And you always feel like nobody in the world has it worse than you. Until you read...<br /><br />

Local Family Has Daughter Born Without a Face<br /><br />By Jeannie Blaylock<br />First Coast News<br /><br />JACKSONVILLE, FL -- When most parents have a baby, they spend months dreaming about what their bundle of joy will look like. Will she look like mom? Will he have dad's eyes? But for one local Navy family, the birth of their daughter didn't give them the answers to those questions. Their daughter was born without a face.<br /><br />When Tammy was pregnant, she knew something was wrong. At worst, they thought maybe their baby had a cleft lip.<br /><br />So Tammy, and her husband Tom, went to the hospital happy, until the birth.<br /><br />"The nurse is like, 'We got her stable, we need to rush her upstairs,'" explains Tom, as he recalls every minute of that day. "And the nurse asked, 'Do you want your wife to see her now?'"<br /><br />Tom says he thought to himself, "Before she gets the shock I did, let me take a picture so she's prepared."<br /><br />Tammy hadn't seen her new baby yet, because she almost bled to death during delivery. Tammy would be okay, meanwhile, dad went to take pictures of his new daughter.<br /><br />But no matter what, these new parents had a wish. "That if there was something wrong, she wouldn't be alone. We wanted to make sure she felt loved," said Tom, as he began to cry. "She squeezed my hand."<br /><br />Little Juliana is missing 30 - 40 percent of the bones in her face.<br /><br />"She has no upper jaw, no cheek bones, no eye sockets, and she's missing the corner of her ear," explains Tom.<br /><br />Her birth defect is called Treacher Collins Syndrome. Doctors say it's the worst case they've ever seen.<br /><br />So, how do you get people to see past all the defects, and find her heart? For mom, it just hurts.<br /><br />"I just wish people would ask questions. Don't just stare," says Tammy. "I guess the most hurtful thing came not long ago, a little girl said she was disgusting."<br /><br />Juliana has to eat through her stomach, and she has a trach to breathe. Already, less than two years into her life, she's had 14 surgeries. Doctors say she could need at least 30 more.<br /><br />Every time she goes to the hospital, doctors make a mold of her head, and then reconstruct her skull to figure out the next step.<br /><br />It's a life-long process that's draining for Tammy and Tom. Even still, they're thankful and full of love for their sweet child.<br /><br />"God never gives you more than you can handle. I figure she has a lot to show everyone... to show the world," says Tom.<br /><br /> [/i][/b]

We have our first grandbaby due in in April and all we care about is a healthy mother and child.<br />God bless this family.

 

[spratt]

Re: How tragic... never take things for granted

I guess I will never forget the first moments after the birth of my first son. Unfortunately, I had been a product of the 70's, and was involved in things that shame me now, such as drugs, etc...however, I had given my life to God before I got married, and unbeknownst to me, when He forgave me my sins, he also apparently washed all traces of those filthy things from my system. As I looked Steven over, I counted toes, fingers, looked at eyes, nose, ears, arms, legs, and everything was as perfect as any parent could hope for...with tears streaming down my face, I had to repeat over and over, "Thank you Lord, thank you Lord, thank you Lord..." that was 24 years ago, nealy 25, and I have never forgotten that first moment of utter joy at seeing adn experiencing that new life in my arms...<br /><br />I can not fathom the pain suffered under the previous mentioned circumstances.

 

[spratt]

Re: How tragic... never take things for granted

KaGee, my first Granddaughter was born 3 1/2 years ago, and that thrill of seeing a perfect baby was still there...however, we had some minor concerns as she was not crying as the Dr hoped, and seemed to not be breathing as deeply as expected...she had jaundice, and was in the hopsital for several days with a spectrum light and eye guards on...then went home with a little jacket with a light in it...looked like a little lightening bug...but today she is the joy of my heart, and her sister is as precious at 1 1/2 as any little girl one could hope for...as is their 1 year old cousin!! God has truly blessed my family!!!

 

[KaGee]

Re: How tragic... never take things for granted

Yes he has, he's blessed us all in one way or another. We sometimes have to take our blinders off to see it.

 

[NYMINUTE]

Re: How tragic... never take things for granted

With the potential of a child being born with less than the required tools of survival both physically and mentally, it throttles me to read time after time about those who have harmed, and killed their children. In alsmost every single case the parent has found a lawyer to create a defense at costs that could be used to help those kid's born with defects. Heart wrenching story. Truly a tragedy.

 

[ehenry]

Re: How tragic... never take things for granted

I know the heart ache that these parents are going through. We lost our daughter, Kayla Rinne, 7 years ago to anencephaly. She was perfect in every way with the exception of her brain. It did not develop. I pray everyday that she knew somehow that she was loved, held and sung to as she left us to be with God. My boy Kyle, 10 at the time, held her hand as sang "Jesus Loves Me" as I held her. <br /><br />I believe that if anything at all good came from the loss of my child it allowed my mother to have closure with the loss of her own child, my twin. She was not allowed to see or hold either one of us after we were born. I think my daughter allowed my mother to ease her heart for her loss.

 

[KaGee]

Re: How tragic... never take things for granted

EF, I can't imagine what they or you have to endure. <br /><br />A child is a precious sight in the eye's of God. The Bible says they are His gift to us. Rest assured that she knows and understands all that you did for her.

 

[ehenry]

Re: How tragic... never take things for granted

I pray that she does. I know I have a hole in my heart and a special angel watching over us.

 

[spratt]

Re: How tragic... never take things for granted

I have lost relatives in natural and non0natural deaths. Parents have passed, and friends who were dearer and closer than my own siblings also. But I have never had to suffer the loss of a child. I truly hope and pray that I do not have to, that I am able to go before they do. I cannot begin to understand the pain of losing a child, whether through still birth, later in years, murder, war time duties, vehicle accident, or any sickness that may be named or unnamed...I am sorry, ef, that you have to endure that pain and heartache. And, if children mean that much to us, how can we even begin to understand how much God loves them, and us!!!<br /><br />And NY, you hit the nail on the head...it really rankles me to read, hear, or (God knows I never have to) see a child mistreated or abused until thier little life leaves them. <br /><br />I had enough pain to see the children being treated for cancer when I took my Pastor, dearer than a Dad to me, for his treatments in Seattle.

 

[LadyFish]

Re: How tragic... never take things for granted

I feel so humbled when I realize how much love, attention, and care go into the raising of a child with a disability.<br /><br />These people take the responsibility of parenting seriously and never quit. These people deserve Sainthood for the amount of love and devotion in their hearts.<br /><br />Many of us do take for granted the health of our children when they are born. It only takes one story like this to remind me how lucky I am.<br /><br />efhenry, I remember you telling us this and again, my deepest condolences. Obviously, God had other plans for your baby girl...because she was so special. Indeed she was extremely blessed to die in the arms of someone who loved her.......we should all be that blessed.<br /><br />We all need to thank our lucky stars for the blessing we have everyday.

 

[ehenry]

Re: How tragic... never take things for granted

Thankyou Ms Ladyfish....love her I did, love her I still do and always will.

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Re: How tragic... never take things for granted

When my first daughter was born she was supposed to be a he. Sonogram showed the little man growing. This was the first birthing that I had ever really been around so it was all so new to me. When she first hit the air I was thinking heres my son and then I seen he was a she. It didn't matter one bit to me. I was happy she was here. A few years later my niece was born. As soon as she came out they started working on her. We was all wondering what is happening and nobody would say anything, I mean nothing at all. After about three hours they finally told us something. They told us she was gonna die. My heart just about quit. I never knew true love till then. Emily was someone I never had a chance to know, yet I was willing to do anything for her. They said that a flight team was ready from Dallas to get her. They were concerned with the money. Damn was I mad. Her mother, my SIL, was on medicaid. The dad was not married to her yet his job insured his future children. Neither wanted to accept responsibility for the transport so the hospital wouldn't send the chopper. I tried to offer the deed to my house as collaterall but the finaince office wouldn't accept it. Finally they agreed to call for the chopper. Problem was is the weather in Dallas was bad and the chopper couldn't leave. They sent the flight crew in an ambulance to get her. Emily died three times in Palestine but they were able to bring her back again and again. Emily made it to Childrens in Dallas without much more trouble. There the doctors told us to prepare for the death, it was inevitable. She was completely unresponsive and supported by machines. On the third day she "woke up". She just came to and acted like any other baby. The doctors then said it would be months before she could come home. Wrong again. Emily came home exactly one week after being born. She has had absolutely no trouble and grows,talks, and acts like any other child. I value life more than I ever have after that experiance. It made me talk to complete strangers and ask them to pray for her. I went to Walmart (theres always lots of people there) and was just walking up to people asking for their prayers. Emily had a job to do, and I think she done it. I have been closer to God than ever after that experiance. That was her job.

 

[KaGee]

Re: How tragic... never take things for granted

All I can say KB is WOW!<br /><br />That little girl has a mission! And people flipantly go and abort these babies... Thanks for sharing Ken.