Rebecca
Mosaic Trisomy 16
Date of Birth: Feb 13, 1990
I was born on the 13th of February 1990. I
was half the recommended weight. It wasn't till I was five years old I
was diagnosed with mosaic trisomy 16. At the time the doctors told my
parents nothing, except not to keep their hopes up for my future. We
were told there were around five other people in the UK with the same
condition. That was all my parents were told. I have grown up not
knowing. At the start my parents thought I wouldn't live long. The
doctors said they thought I wouldn't have a bright future, but I have
proved them wrong. Here I am 14 years of age. And I have finally found
some kind of support group. Growing up I have always been asymmetrical
with problems on the left side of my body. When going through puberty I
did not develop a left breast, which made me very self conscious about
my body. When I was 13 I had a breast construction operation and since I
have gained in confidence. I have got a good group of supportive
friends, who in all honestly don't understand my condition so I just
don't bother. I don't think my life has been as bad as first intended.
From my life I have learnt not to duel on the negative but to get on
with life, and just accept what happens or what your given because if
you don't you just get left behind.
Rebecca
Rebecca's Mom's story
Rebecca tells her story best. I had a
normal pregnancy until 24 weeks when she stopped growing, I had a
scan. "All well," they said. Rebecca was born weighing 4lb 9 oz. the
hospital said because she was small that I must have got the dates
wrong. I knew I hadn't, we had been trying for another child for a while
so I knew exactly and couldn't have got the dates wrong, especially 3
weeks wrong. The placenta only had 2 blood vessels. They took it away
for testing but we never found out any results as no one knew what had
happened to it. Rebecca went to special care because she wasn't feeding.
She stayed there 5 days. We took her home after a week and all was well
till she was 8 months old when I noticed her back wasn't quite right and
that her left eye had only opened a tiny bit. We went to the doctors who
referred her on to a pediatrician.The rest, I think, Rebecca has told
you apart from the fact that the only reason that we got a diagnosis
when she was 5 is because we asked the doctor what had caused Rebecca so
many problems. Rebecca is now happy, (well as happy as a teenager can
be) healthy and leading a perfectly normal life with a bright future
ahead of her.
Jane