Baby Loses An Eye From A Kiss
Michelle Saaiman wrote:
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"Awareness post.
I've been contemplating whether to share our devastating experience over the past 7 months. I usually don't post such personal 'situations', especially relating to my children. However, I do feel it necessary to make people understand WHY YOU SHOULD NOT KISS SOMEONE'S BABY. This is something that I've read a thousand times, but we've never really been too bothered about it - I mean, what's the worst that can happen, right? Wrong. I was so wrong.
About 7 months ago, my baby (then 1y 4m) developed what looked like an eye infection. Our GP prescribed antibiotic drops, and off we went. Two days later, we noticed that there was something seriously wrong with the eye. It looked like something was growing inside his eyeball (which was not there the day before). Furthermore, we realised that he had no feeling in his eye, as he literally put his finger in his eye, scratching his eyeball, without even flinching. This is not normal. Something was seriously wrong. I immediately consulted my GP again, and I could see she was extremely concerned. She arranged for us to see an ophthalmologist immediately. I left her office and drove directly to the ophthalmologist. My child was diagnosed with Herpes Virus in his left eye. Yes, Herpes Virus - like the one that causes feverblisters on lips. I've never heard of something so ridiculous. I mean, really, a feverblister growing on his cornea!!!??? I won't go into too much detail about all the treatment and trauma, but after thousands of dollars of medication, two trips to the teater, hospitalisation, biopsy, specialists visits (even a pediatrician from America that assisted), and an amazing pharmacist who had to 'make' special medicine for our baby's condition, we eventually managed to get the virus in remission.
The scariest part is that this virus, if left untreated, can migrate to the brain. Many other complications can also ensue. As Herpes Virus cannot really be 'cured', just 'managed', it tends to flair up every now and again, which is unfortunately what happened to our baby.
Due to the damage caused to the eye, he developed a hole (open wound) in his eye, a 'cornea defect', and our baby's defect was 4mm in size. It's the most traumatic experience to look at your baby, and literally see a 4mm open wound in his eye, which is so clearly visible.
It's been confirmed by several doctors that the Herpes Virus could only have been transferred by someone who had an active feverblister, kissing mour baby on (or close) to the eye, or on his hand whereafter he touched his eye.
Our baby lost most of his vision and sensation in his left eye. Due to the open wound, the eye was/is infected constantly. Also, if we can't get the wound to heal, he will (not can, but WILL) be losing the eye in totality.
Fast forward to January of this year, and we are on a plane to South Africa to consult a pediatric ophthalmologist.
Today our baby underwent the first of three surgeries, in an attempt to save his eye.
The second surgery involves harvesting nerves from his leg, and implanting it into the eye.
If that procedure is successful, he will eventually (and hopefully) be eligible for a cornea transplant, provided that a suitable donor is secured.
Our baby's eyelids are stitched closed, to protect the eye, but I can only imagine how uncomfortable that must be for him. Whether any vision can ever be restored, is unknown at this stage, but we have made peace with the fact that he could very well be (permanently) blind in his left eye. Our main priority at this stage is just to save the eye itself and to prevent further infections.
The moral of the story- don't let anyone kiss your baby. Such a silly virus caused so much trauma and damage, its just not worth it!"
#gisthub Baby Loses An Eye From A Kiss
Michelle Saaiman wrote:
---
"Awareness post.
I've been contemplating whether to share our devastating experience over the past 7 months. I usually don't post such personal 'situations', especially relating to my children. However, I do feel it necessary to make people understand WHY YOU SHOULD NOT KISS SOMEONE'S BABY. This is something that I've read a thousand times, but we've never really been too bothered about it - I mean, what's the worst that can happen, right? Wrong. I was so wrong.
About 7 months ago, my baby (then 1y 4m) developed what looked like an eye infection. Our GP prescribed antibiotic drops, and off we went. Two days later, we noticed that there was something seriously wrong with the eye. It looked like something was growing inside his eyeball (which was not there the day before). Furthermore, we realised that he had no feeling in his eye, as he literally put his finger in his eye, scratching his eyeball, without even flinching. This is not normal. Something was seriously wrong. I immediately consulted my GP again, and I could see she was extremely concerned. She arranged for us to see an ophthalmologist immediately. I left her office and drove directly to the ophthalmologist. My child was diagnosed with Herpes Virus in his left eye. Yes, Herpes Virus - like the one that causes feverblisters on lips. I've never heard of something so ridiculous. I mean, really, a feverblister growing on his cornea!!!??? I won't go into too much detail about all the treatment and trauma, but after thousands of dollars of medication, two trips to the teater, hospitalisation, biopsy, specialists visits (even a pediatrician from America that assisted), and an amazing pharmacist who had to 'make' special medicine for our baby's condition, we eventually managed to get the virus in remission.
The scariest part is that this virus, if left untreated, can migrate to the brain. Many other complications can also ensue. As Herpes Virus cannot really be 'cured', just 'managed', it tends to flair up every now and again, which is unfortunately what happened to our baby.
Due to the damage caused to the eye, he developed a hole (open wound) in his eye, a 'cornea defect', and our baby's defect was 4mm in size. It's the most traumatic experience to look at your baby, and literally see a 4mm open wound in his eye, which is so clearly visible.
It's been confirmed by several doctors that the Herpes Virus could only have been transferred by someone who had an active feverblister, kissing mour baby on (or close) to the eye, or on his hand whereafter he touched his eye.
Our baby lost most of his vision and sensation in his left eye. Due to the open wound, the eye was/is infected constantly. Also, if we can't get the wound to heal, he will (not can, but WILL) be losing the eye in totality.
Fast forward to January of this year, and we are on a plane to South Africa to consult a pediatric ophthalmologist.
Today our baby underwent the first of three surgeries, in an attempt to save his eye.
The second surgery involves harvesting nerves from his leg, and implanting it into the eye.
If that procedure is successful, he will eventually (and hopefully) be eligible for a cornea transplant, provided that a suitable donor is secured.
Our baby's eyelids are stitched closed, to protect the eye, but I can only imagine how uncomfortable that must be for him. Whether any vision can ever be restored, is unknown at this stage, but we have made peace with the fact that he could very well be (permanently) blind in his left eye. Our main priority at this stage is just to save the eye itself and to prevent further infections.
The moral of the story- don't let anyone kiss your baby. Such a silly virus caused so much trauma and damage, its just not worth it!"
#gisthub
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