Pregnancy may be a very challenging period for a woman.
Women must deal with the physical effects of carrying a baby in their stomachs, and they always worry that something might happen to the infant.
But most of the time, it works out beautifully. The one that worries and fears is traded for relief as soon as you are allowed to keep your healthy, newborn child.
However, Jennie Wilklow never had to enjoy that opportunity of relaxation—quite the opposite.
Jennie’s pregnancy was pretty normal. They were glad to wait for kids, and all the tests indicated that the baby looked fine.
But the worries started to pile up when Jennie had to go in for an emergency cesarean section in week 34. The surgery and giving birth went well, but it soon became clear that something was amiss with Jennie’s kid.
“When they took her out, I heard her scream, and they said, ‘She is so beautiful.'” These are the things every mother loves to hear, so I smiled and relaxed, Jennie.
But a few seconds later, the mood in the room had changed. The baby’s face changed.
When they witnessed what was happening to the newly saved daughter, many nurses and doctors quickly panicked.
“They did everything they could to help her, but her skin turned to stone in seconds.” It started to crack once the skin hardened. It made cuts all over her body. I spotted their scared faces behind the hills and asked whether everything was okay.
After the doctor told Jennie that they had things under control, they gave her medicine that made her sleepy.
A doctor informed Jennie about her condition when she woke up a few hours later. It turned out that her baby girl, Anna, had a disease called harlequin ichthyosis.
When she understood how severe it was, she looked at her husband.
“My husband’s silence terrified me; he was only shocked after the doctor departed. “This is bad,” he kept saying.
The illness Harlequin ichthyosis is a genetic disorder that makes the skin grow around 14 times quicker than normal. It makes the whole body red, including the eyes, mouth, nose, and ears.
Most babies with harlequin ichthyosis die within a few days after being born.
But those who live can hope for a regular life. Sadly, though, they are also more likely to have problems and delays in their development, especially when it comes to motor abilities.
“I spent the next two days findingout more about her health. I realized that her quality of life would be severely impacted. I let myself think these thoughts because it was only then, when I was at my most bewildered and alone, that I could. “I thought it might be better if she died then and there,” Jennie adds.
But Jennie gave birth to a difficult little girl who was strong.
Anna lived thanks to the help of doctors and her family.
The parents eventually brought her home, and they did their best to take care of Anna.
In the first few days, Jennie talks about the fight:
“I put petroleum jelly on her every two hours and bathed her for several hours a day.” For a long time, I had imagined what my dear daughter would wear. It was what I fought for the most, despite its seemingly insignificant appearance.
Anna offered her mother a completely new way of looking at life, even when it was challenging:
“I started to see that if I set limits on what she could do, she would stay in development. That’s why I choose to set the bar high. I wanted her to achieve her goals, and I had the same goals.
Since then, Jennie has made an Instagram account to show the ups and downs of her and her daughter’s lives.
“I now know that I got her because I love my daughter so much.” “Anna was meant for me, and I was meant for her. Together, we’ll show the world how beautiful it can be.”
What do you think about the story of Anna and Jennie? I believe they indicate that love, differences, and warmth can exist in a world that is otherwise quite frigid!
Not everything we think or dream about comes true, but we can understand that everyone is different and that some people don’t look like everyone else. We’ve made significant progress.
That Jennie is so open and willing to share her and Anna’s past is crucial.