After this mother gave birth to a baby, she could not figure out what was happening as the room fell into complete ᴅᴇᴀᴅ, anxious silence. She was beyond terrified at what words would break the quiet atmosphere.
In the year 2018, Eliza Jamkochian Bahneman 36, and her husband Erik, 41 were overwhelmed with happiness when they got the news that they were going to become parents.
“‘We’re pregnant!’ These are the words everyone likes to hear when planning for a family. It took my husband and me about nine months to get pregnant. I was starting to feel anxious and nervous. It’s crazy how many emotions one can feel when planning to have children.” Said Eliza.
On Love What Matters, Eliza shared that she spent the beautiful days of her pregnancy with a few friends and her sister-in-law. At that time they all were expecting babies one after another so they enjoyed this precious journey together.
“It was amazing to have someone you can share your pregnancy pros and cons with.”
The baby girl did, of course, eventually choose to leave the safe space of her mother’s womb, a month earlier than anticipated. In October 2018, Isabella, or “Bella,” was officially born.
“After 12 hours of labor, Bella entered our world. She arrived sunny side up, weighing five and a half pounds. Upon her arrival, I noticed a tiny folded ear. I was told babies look weird as soon as they come out, so I didn’t think anything of it.”
However, what was meant to be an exuberant moment quickly faded. Bahneman noticed a dark silence as whispers washed over the room, leaving her disconcerted. Looking back at the moment, she expressed:
“’Why isn’t anyone congratulating me? Why is my husband so confused and scared? Why can’t my mom look at me? Why did my doctor step out? Why are all these other through hospitalinto my room?’ My room was silent. No one said a word. The silence tore me apart; it broke me, shattered my heart.”
“I broke down, shaking, scared, confused, and lost. Writing this moment breaks me. With a heavy heart, I revisit these memories and remember my daughter’s arrival was not celebrated.” She told LWM.
After that, Bella was taken to the NICU, and after many tests and evaluations, the newborn was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder called Treacher Collins – the condition that causes the facial bones not to develop properly.
Due to this, baby Isabella was born with many issues, such as loss of hearing and a small airway. So began the rocky road consisting of surgeries and having to rush to the hospital due to emergencies.
Bella had to attend many forms of therapy included music classes for her loss of hearing, speech as well as occupational therapy.
Two years on and it seemed that Isabella was still growing strong. However, the baby was now also facing adverse social reactions due to her condition, with people judging her based on how she looked. However, the mother said:
“We are all born with differences and some are more visible than others. The world would not be so colorful if everyone was the same.”
Isabella’s mother wants to keep raising awareness and educating the public on the Treacher Collins disorder. She wants to inspire others to be kind to those who have this condition. After all, this is all anyone should do when they meet someone unique yet beautiful.
