- November 28, 2024
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Kristina and Kevin Herndon’s 14-month-old son, Gaige, has been diagnosed with hemifacial microsomia.
Every mom dreams of that magical moment when her newborn baby is placed into her arms.
Kristina and Kevin Herndon waited anxiously in the hospital for the arrival of their first-born baby boy — for the chance to experience that moment.
But it was spoiled within a few minutes when the hospital staff took the baby away. Doctors could see that the right side of Gaige’s face was underdeveloped. His right ear was malformed and was located in the middle of his right cheek. No diagnosis was made at the time.
Nurses handed Kristina a picture of Gaige, placed him in an incubator and transported him to the neonatal intensive care unit, in Orlando.
“It was the hardest time … for me and my husband — that they took him away,” Kristina said.
After being released from the hospital an excruciating four hours later, Kristina and her husband drove to Orlando to reconnect with Gaige.
But the Herndons’ first stay with their baby lasted just 24 hours before they drove back home to Palm Coast. Only one parent was allowed to stay at a time, so the couple made the decision to drive the one-and-a-half hours home each night and drive back in the morning.
This routine lasted for a week before Gaige was diagnosed with hemifacial microsomia, a condition that develops when the blood supply in the womb is blocked. The condition affected not only his right ear, but also his jaw and cheek bone.
Being new to parenting and not knowing what caused their baby’s condition created confusion for the Herndons. There were no signs before he was born that anything was wrong with Gaige.
“We were shocked,” Kristina said. “We couldn’t believe it because the sonograms didn’t show anything. It was a big surprise.”
Once able to bring their baby home, the Herndons sought help. The first step, at three months old, was surgery to have Gaige’s cleft lip treated.
Then, at four months, Gaige started therapy at Florida Hospital Flagler.
Twice a week, Gaige participates in physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy, where he focuses on improving his balance and strengthening his left side.
When Gaige turns 3-and-a-half years old, he will start a series of surgeries. Between the ages of 3-and-a-half and 7, Gaige will have the bones in his jaw and cheek rebuilt. In addition, at 7, he will have his right ear moved and rebuilt. This last step cannot happen until the other ear is fully grown, his mother said.
In the meantime, Kristina worries about Gaige’s first day of school and how kids will react to his differences.
“Kids are cruel,” she said.
She already endures questions from children at grocery stores, asking, “What’s wrong with his ear?” and “What’s on his face?”
“People should understand that some people are different,” Kristina said. “It doesn’t mean you get to treat them differently.”
Now, at 14 months, Gaige’s condition is purely cosmetic. It doesn’t affect his thinking, and all his other organs function properly. He cries when he’s hungry and fusses when he’s tired.
Kristina said he’s perfectly normal, just with more doctor appointments.
While sitting on his mom’s lap after therapy on a Tuesday afternoon, Gaige looked like he was ready for a nap. He rubbed his eyes and whined. But as he caught a glimpse of his dad, Kevin, walking down the hallway, Gaige’s face lit up and squeals filled the hall outside the therapy doors.
