Jamaica family relieved at outlook for 3-month-old with rare omphalocele
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| The Carey family of Jamaica includes, from left, Kate, Anna, Michael and baby Ingrid in his arms. Ingrid was born with a rare condition in which several of her body organs are attached to her naval in a sac on the outside of her body. In nine months, she will have an operation to repair the problem. (Photo by Larry Chowning) |
by Larry S. Chowning
Three months after her arrival in this world with a very rare condition, Ingrid Caroline Carey and her anxious parents are settling in at home in Jamaica.
Ingrid was born with an omphalocele, a type of abdominal wall defect in which the intestines, liver and occasionally other organs remain outside of the abdomen in a sac because the muscles in the abdominal wall did not develop normally.
Only one in 200,000 babies is born with the defect but little Ingrid, daughter of Michael and Kate Carey, was born with her lower organs exposed on the outside of her belly button.
The abnormality was detected before her birth by doctors in Virginia but the Careys decided to have Ingrid delivered in Rainbow Baby and Children’s Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio, one of the top hospitals in the country for treating infants with this unusual condition.
The Careys were delighted when they first learned that Kate was pregnant. They have a 3-year-old daughter, Anna, but had experienced five miscarriages since her birth. Kate finally got pregnant and then they learned that the baby had an omphalocele and her organs were not going to go back in their proper positions.
In the early stages of the embryo development, some body parts are on the outside of the body. During a normal pregnancy these organs are drawn into the body.
However, Ingrid was born with a sac covered with a thin layer of skin filled with her stomach, liver, spleen and intestines attached at her naval.
Doctors warned the Careys that, depending on her condition, the baby might need to remain in the hospital for eight to 12 months before an operation to reposition the organs in her body could be performed. Normally, this operation has to be done at least a year after the baby is born to enable the child to gain enough strength to survive such an operation.
Shortly after Ingrid was born, doctors had to do surgery to her heart to repair a restricted artery. Historically, infants with an omphalocele have not lived very long because of complications with the heart. Modern medicine has practically solved that problem. The surgery was a complete success.
“After the surgery, when I learned that we could go home in five weeks, I about fell over,” said Kate. “I wondered how we would make out dressing a baby with a huge belly defect. They sat us down and showed us pictures and when we got home they sent us pictures over the internet to reassure us that we were doing it right.
“I guess what caused the greatest fear for us before she was born was the terrifying uncertainty of how Ingrid would arrive,” said Kate. “Some babies with this problem die right away. The waiting and wondering was very hard. Trying to plan an uncertain future is difficult.”
When Ingrid arrived healthy enough to live and healthy enough to survive the heart operation, “our future opened up,” said Kate, with a big smile. “There will be Christmas and we are going home!”
Michael, a math teacher at Middlesex High School, thanked the people in the school system and in the local churches who have supported them. They especially thank Hermitage Baptist Church lay leader Ronnie Russell who arrived at their house just before they left for Cleveland to pray and give support. “It meant so much to us to have so many people care and as we prayed with Ronnie I felt hope, and it gave us all strength,” said Kate.
She also thanked Eileen Smith of Urbanna Baptist Church who was so supportive. “Eileen was so concerned and gave us so much support. I can’t thank her enough,” said Kate.
Kate also said she could not leave out her parents, Ned and Gretchen Bennett of St. James, Florida, who have supported them so much through these tough times.
Michael kept the Middlesex community in touch with what was happening on a blog that he created so friends and relatives could follow the progress. “We received so much response and support from that,” said Michael.
Another interesting sidebar was that through the entire delivery of Ingrid, the Discovery Health Channel filmed the event and it will be airing nationally tonight, September 9, at 10 p.m. (Metrocast Channel 40).
The Careys agreed to the filming because “we felt the public needed to be more aware of this problem. It’s not something a lot of people know about because it affects so few babies,” said Michael.
“Right before I went into delivery and all these cameras were everywhere,” said Kate, “I asked myself, ‘What were we thinking? Do we need more stress?’ But it was fine and everything worked out.”
“Even Anna understands that Ingrid has a sore tummy and we have to be careful with it; but that it will be fixed and everything will be all right,” said Kate. “We are so blessed!”
