I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for CaringBridge. I received a promotional item as a thank you for participating.
Bilateral microtia with atresia. Kind of a big mouthful, isn’t it? Bilateral microtia with atresia is a condition that basically means being born without ears, which makes it an even bigger mouthful when you need to learn to say it in conjunction with your own child.
This is something that my friend Jamie had to deal with a few years ago. Her daughter, Bobbi, otherwise-healthy, was born without ears, meaning also deaf. There were many consults with specialists, a fitting for a headband that acted as a hearing aid, and flights to California to doctors who were able to literally build Bobbi ears. While I would have loved to have been there to offer my support, I lived in a different state which made it impossible.
Fortunately I was able to stay connected and be part of all the updates through a site called CaringBridge. For more than 15 years, the nonprofit CaringBridge has served as a lifeline of hope, bringing together families struggling with illnesses and tragedies. Sona Mehring, the founder of CaringBridge wanted to share these important stories to inspire hope, and so she has written a new book, Hope Conquers All. Ranging from young children with cancer, to adults awaiting transplants, these first-person accounts share the importance CaringBridge had in their personal journeys. You can find the book on the CaringBridge site. It would make a nice gift to provide uplifting tales for those who are in need of love and support, and all author proceeds go to CaringBridge.