Expecting your first child can be a wonderful experience. Especially for couples who have been trying to get pregnant for some time. Unfortunately, that story can be more difficult for some with many tears, prayers, and procedures. Tests and medications can be a scary experience for first-time parents.
Judith and her husband had been trying for a baby for eight years.
She prayed and hoped that one day she would be able to carry a baby. Judith Nwokocha had two rounds of IVF, in-vitro-fertilization, where sperm and an egg are fertilized and then placed in the womb when she became pregnant with twins. She and her husband were ecstatic. Having prayed for twins years earlier, she named her son, Kamsi, and her daughter, Kachi.
“Our joy knew no bounds,” said Judith.
But early ultrasounds were showing some signs that Kachi was not developing on track along with her brother. There was a risk of Down Syndrome and bleeding, but Judith and her husband’s faith remained strong.
When the nurses showed Judith her daughter, she wasn’t sure the baby was hers.
When Judith went in for her 37-week appointment, it was apparent that Kachi had stopped growing. Judith needed to be induced immediately and she went in for a cesarean section. Kamsi was born at 9:44 pm weighing 6.1 lbs and then Kachi at 9:45 pm weighing only 3.5 lbs.
“The first time I saw her, I wondered if the nurse was handing me my baby, or someone else’s. I waited a few seconds for someone to tell me there was a mix up, but all I heard from the nurse was how beautiful she was,” explained Judith.
Kachi had to stay in the NICU until she gained weight and strength. While Judith was in the hospital, her doctor explained that her baby girl, Kachi, had albinism. A rare genetic disorder where the body does not produce melatonin leaving the skin, hair, and eyes very pale or light in color.
Often, and as with Kachi, vision problems also occur and many people diagnosed with the condition are legally blind. This was not surprising news to Judith after seeing Kachi for the first time, but still, the diagnosis caused her to worry about the future life for her little girl.
Like any other normal mother, Judith began to worry about how her baby girl’s condition may affect her future.
Judith explains, “I worried about her future, how society would treat her, how she’ll be accepted, etc.”
Judith just wants her daughter to know how special and beautiful she really is. The little girl has acquired a strong personality and keeps up with her older brother.
“I always tell her how beautiful she is, because she really is. I wouldn’t trade her condition for a million dollars because she’s perfect to me in every way. Albinism may have its challenges but I’m teaching her to be strong and conquer whatever may come her way,” says Judith.
Check out the cute twins playing together below!
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