According to James, his kid was rushed into surgery shortly after his delivery. Vinnie, who was born with what was later determined to be Goldenhar syndrome, remained in the hospital for a total of sixty-five days for medical treatments.
According to medical professionals at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, this illness is very uncommon and is characterized by aberrant development of the eye, ear, and spine. In most cases, it only affects one side of the body, which in Vinnie’s case is the right side, but it may also have an effect on the heart, kidneys, lungs, and neurological system.
The Cleveland Clinic believes that it affects between one in three thousand five hundred and one in twenty-five thousand infants.
We had no idea what it was, all of us were completely taken aback, and we had not made any preparations for it. James recalls, “We sat there, confused and tired,” and he goes on to explain that this was the beginning of a lengthy medical journey for his kid.
Vinnie was only a month and a half old when he was forced to have a tracheostomy, which is a surgically made hole in the front of his neck, in order to assist him in breathing. However, he continues to battle with chest infections on a regular basis.
Vinnie will be need to endure “numerous medical procedures, including receiving a prosthetic eye, which will require annual adjustments as he grows,” according to a GoFundMe account that has been formed in order to provide financial assistance to the family.
There is also the possibility of surgically repositioning his ear implant.
According to James, “We are still new to this, but we have learned to adapt to the situation and use it as a positive to spread awareness for those who suffer from disabilities.” Is this something that we have learned? Grace, Vinnie’s mother, is 25 years old and has quit her work as a receptionist in order to provide full-time care for her son.
We want to encourage individuals to get in touch with us if they get the impression that they are having difficulty,” James added. It would be a dream come true for us to talk to others, share with them how we made it through this trip, and provide them some guidance.
