Laser Day

For those who don't know, Kierra was born with a port wine stain birthmark on her left cheek and chin. Every three months we take her up the U to get laser treatments to help minimize the mark and stop further growth. Tomorrow we have to take her in again. There is about 2 hours prep work for a procedure that takes five minutes. I think it is getting easier on me at least where I don't cry while she is screaming. The worst part of it all is the care after. Keeping her out of the sun, having ointment on her face constantly, keeping her from touching her face and scarring it, and of course the weird stares that we get from those who don't know her situation.

Incidentally, there was an article in this months Parenting Magazine about a couple having a child with a birthmark on her scalp. I was really annoyed with how the parents reacted and tried to hide their daughter. They acted like she was cursed and they didn't like people asking questions. That's the part I don't mind. I would rather people ask than just stare and assume that we beat her or something. In this article, the girl had one surgery to remove it from her scalp and now she is done. Kierra is in this for a lifetime possibly. We have never tried to hide her face from anyone or anything because it is something she is going to have to deal with when she is older. Her situation isn't nearly as bad as many others that have this sort of birthmark. We have met some that have the mark all over their body and also those that have it on certain parts of their head that cause seizures and occular nerve damage.

When we found out what it was, I felt horrible. Thinking of a little girl possibly getting teased because of a mark on her face. I questioned why did this happen and then I thought, there is nothing wrong with her. She is alive, healthy and to us is perfect.

Before treatments began

Day of a laser treatment