My Story

The day I was born the doctor and nurses noticed there was something different about the way I look. The next day my foster parents picked me up. They took me to all the different kinds of doctors I had to go to. I had to see the Orthopedic, Plastic Surgeon, Genetic, Pulmonary. It was the Pulmonologist who made the initial diagnosis of Poland Syndrome. Then she wanted to take pictures because she had never seen a case of Poland Syndrome before. I had to wait until I turned one before the would start separating my fingers. I also had to start seeing the ENT, for reoccurring ear infection and had my 1st sleep study when I was about 6 months old. Since then, I have had 2 sets of tubes, tonsils removed and adenoids removed twice and 3 other sleep studies. I have had 3 hand surgeries and 2 skin grafts. Have to go back in 2020 to see when next hand surgery will need to be. Before the age of 5 I had already had 5 surgeries. I was nervous that when I started school kids would make fun of me, but most kids don't say anything. Some have questions about my hand difference but it mostly adults that do. When I was almost 3 my foster family got to adopt me.