OKLAHOMA COUNTY, Okla. (KFOR)- About two years in the past, a Midwest City household was given the news their new child would have a spinal defect and that she might by no means have the ability to stroll, however now their daughter is operating, climbing, and swinging.
“We thought on diagnosis day three years ago that our world was going to be flipped upside down,” mentioned Megan Kershaw.
Her husband, Robert, advised KFOR medical doctors knowledgeable them their daughter could be born with spina bifida.
Spina bifida is a spinal deformity that develops whereas in utero the place the spinal twine doesn’t kind correctly.
“That can cause damage to the nerves, lower extremity weakness, and sometimes core weakness,” mentioned an Oklahoma Children’s Hospital OU Health Physical Therapist Assistant, Daryn Wauters.
Robert mentioned they had been advised six in 10 infants identified with spina bifida are aborted.
“It was pretty tough to hear that right out of the gate,” added Robert. “It was pretty scary.”
Their now two-year-old daughter, Millie and Megan underwent a surgical procedure earlier than Millie was born to assist restore her backbone whereas nonetheless in utero.
“It was the most terrifying experience of my life,” mentioned Megan.
Once Millie was born, her household advised KFOR they had been decided to get her on her ft and strolling.
Millie went by means of bodily remedy for one 12 months with a unique facility earlier than transferring to the Oklahoma Children’s Hospital OU Health.
Wauters is part of Millie’s bodily remedy group.
She has now spent a few 12 months with a bodily remedy group there.
“She’s just been progressing so well that we graduated out of physical therapy. So now she’s just, you know, walking and playing like a normal kid,” mentioned Megan.
When Megan and Robert first noticed Millie stroll, they mentioned they had been all so excited that even some tears had been shed.
“We feel really blessed that, you know, she does get to walk,” mentioned Megan.
Millie’s bodily remedy group is simply as excited.
“That’s why I do my job. I always say that I have one of the best jobs in the world because I get to meet some of the most amazing kids and families and support them and help their kids reach, you know, the highest level of function that they can and that’s really rewarding,” mentioned Wauters. “It just makes my heart so happy. I fall in love with these kids and their families. And so when they reach those goals and I see their parents excited about that and for their child, being a mom myself, I know that they’re excited to see that and that just makes me happy.”
Robert remembers when Millie broke out of her first pair of braces, saying it reminded him of the film Forrest Gump.
“I think that the next thing is for her to run out of these [Millie’s current braces], just like she did her first pair of braces. It was kind of cool, kind of like in the movie Forrest Gump, when he runs, the braces break off. I kind of picture that is kind of what she did,” defined Robert.
Before formally graduating from bodily remedy, Wauters mentioned there are a couple of extra milestones to hit.
“We’re just perfecting her balance and walking. She’s walking, running, but still kind of going over different, you know, surfaces. We’re just trying to perfect that so she can run and keep up with her siblings and her peers,” mentioned Wauters.
Megan advised KFOR when Millie is 5 or 6, she’ll endure one other surgical procedure however this time for her legs.
The surgical procedure is aimed toward serving to straighten Millie’s legs.
In the meantime, Megan and Robert mentioned they’ll proceed dwelling their regular lives whereas loving their three youngsters unconditionally.
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