Tom holds his daughter, Juliana
Tammy
Juliana is missing 30-40% of the bones in her face.
Posted on 12/12/2004 3:55:37 PM PST by AM2000
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.
When Tammy was pregnant, she knew something was wrong. At worst, they thought maybe their baby had a cleft lip.
So Tammy, and her husband Tom, went to the hospital happy, until the birth.
"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?'"
Tom says he thought to himself, "Before she gets the shock I did, let me take a picture so she's prepared."
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.
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."
Little Juliana is missing 30 - 40 percent of the bones in her face.
"She has no upper jaw, no cheek bones, no eye sockets, and she's missing the corner of her ear," explains Tom.
Her birth defect is called Treacher Collins Syndrome. Doctors say it's the worst case they've ever seen.
So, how do you get people to see past all the defects, and find her heart? For mom, it just hurts.
"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."
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.
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.
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.
"God never gives you more than you can handle. I figure she has a lot to show everyone... to show the world," says Tom.
If you are interested in helping the Wetmore family, a savings account is set up for donations at the Vystar Credit Union in Middleburg.
Donations can be made at ANY Vystar Credit Union to Juliana Wetmore at member number 2102465.
Direct donations can be sent to:
Juliana Wetmore
3018 Hickory Glenn Dr.
Orange Park, FL 32065
Tammy
Juliana is missing 30-40% of the bones in her face.
Oh my God. The poor little girl. It doesn't mention a nose, how does she breathe?
Wow. God bless the parents for loving her and not shunning her. Can anything be done about Treacher Collins Syndrome?
Tripe!
But, oh, this fallen world.....how I look forward to the new one - no longer marred and filled with sin and its effects.
Bless these parents and their daughter! May God guide the surgeons as they construct this child's face.
Trach tube.
We can pray for the parents. The dad certainly appears to be a saint.
I just heard about this. So sad. My aunt has a cleft lip. She is about 80 now. So I am partial to people like this with facial deformities, because they remind me of my aunt.
Just like I am partial to people who have had a stroke and have paralysis, since my grandma had a stroke and was paralyzed on one side. Other people seem to avoid them or shun them because they aren't perfect. I am drawn to them.
People with those defects/affirmities are special to me because they remind me of special people in my family. God bless them all. I hope surgery is able to help that little girl to have enough of a face so that she can eat and breath, and maybe see, someday. She looks like she was perfect, the rest of her body.
and she has a trach to breath
I know a family in which the baby was born essentially without a chin. They've been doing surgeries that somehow extend the lower jaw and bone somehow grows there. Eventually she will catch up and be normally formed somewhere around 5 or 6 years old.
Every life is precious. God bless this girl and her family.
Tripe?
More about this condition (examples of less severe cases, before-and-after photos):
http://www.kidsplastsurg.com/treachercollins.html
http://www.erlanger.org/craniofacial/book/treacher/treach1.htm
Here's the web site of one young woman with the condition who is an Internal Medicine and Pediatrics resident at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas.
http://www.treachercollins.org/main.html
All things happen for a reason. God bless this faithful family.
Donations can be made at ANY Vystar Credit Union to Juliana Wetmore at member number 2102465.
Direct donations can be sent to:
Juliana Wetmore
3018 Hickory Glenn Dr.
Orange Park, FL 32065
Catholic Ping - please freepmail me if you want on/off this list
Prayers for this family.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.