Unusual Conditions
Born Without
Arms:
Coping with
disabilities, overcoming them and living a healthy normal life isn't
easy, it gets even difficult when you are born without hands, and
your only offspring has the same condition. Born and Brought up in
Illinois, Linda and her only son suffer from rare health problem
known as the Holt-Oram syndrome, this medical condition affects bone
development, and it can also cause heart issues.
What is Holt-Oram
syndrome:
When we look up
current health issues or current medical events, Holt-Oram syndrome
will be among the least known medical conditions. The disease is so
rare that you come across one in a million suffering from this
condition. The condition occurs when there are mutations or changes
in the TBX5 gene. This gene is responsible to instruct the human body
for producing a protein, that is necessary
for the development of heart as well as
the upper limbs of the baby developing in the womb. Moreover, the
gene is even more important as its responsible for dividing the heart
into its normal four chambers as well as controlling the development
of the bones in upper limbs. When this gene doesn’t function like
its supposed to, it can create problems for the developing heart of
the baby as well as create malnourishment in the upper limbs.
Albeit the severe
health issues that had her living without arms, Linda didn’t give
up; she has taught herself to live life as normal, even to the full.
Health informatics has recorded that approximately 75% of people born
with Holt-Oram have heart issues. Most commonly they are diagnosed
with holes in the heart walls.
How is She Living
Her Life to the Full?
Linda is 35, and her
son Timmy is a teenager, they both suffer from this rare disease.
Born without arms, Timmy has always been different, but that didn’t
stop him. Just like his mother Timmy overcomes the hurdles and
obstacles of his life with a huge smile on his face. Timmy loves to
swim and practice his taekwondo; he even excels at swimming. Linda is
a motivational speaker; she loves to do makeup and cook for her son.
Linda married her
husband Richard in 2003, later that year she got pregnant with Timmy,
there was a big chance, given her condition, that her offspring would
have the same medical condition, but she never considered
termination. Despite given that chance, she refused to abort her
child. Later in the pregnancy when Linda got to see her ultrasounds,
she knew that her boy would be born without arms, just like her. This
was concerning, but she wasn’t broken by the new. From the start,
she taught Timmy how to do things with his feet, just like her. Today
Timmy can do everything thing that an average teenage boy does. He
can button his shirt, brush his teeth and whatnot. There is no
stopping this positive boy, according to his mother.
When Health News
representative inquired at his school, they were told that Timmy gets
along with all his mates, there is no difference in him and the other
kids, he makes sure of that with his positive attitude. His
classmates don't even notice his condition anymore, for them he is
just Timmy, not the boy who is born without arms, but just their
friends Timmy.
Linda has no
regrets; not her husband has any, all they want is for Timmy to live
his life without regrets as well. Linda wishes that her boy would
find love like she did and have a beautiful family as she has.
Conclusion:
Linda and her boy
Timmy were born different but they have not let their special medical
condition come in the way of living their life to the full.