The day we find out that we’re to become parents, our lives change forever.
First and foremost, we begin imagining the future we will share with our little angels when they arrive. Most of us try to imagine what our son or daughter will be like, what they’ll look like, and just what it will feel like to walk around holding a baby we ourselves have created.
Of course, we as humans are all unique, and it’s our differences from one another that opens the door to things not exactly playing out as we might have pictured in our heads.
When Anna Ciesielska gave birth to her son, Michael Winter, it was the culmination of months of desperately waiting to meet the baby she was carrying. Anna couldn’t wait to hold Michael, love and nurture him, and shower him with attention.
Sadly, her world was briefly turned upside in an instant when she looked upon her little boy for the first time.
As per reports, Michael was born with an extremely rare skin condition that gave him a drastically different appearance from that of other newborns.
Not only that, but doctors told Anna that they were concerned he might not survive.
Little Michael suffered from a medical condition known as Harlequin ichthyosis and was born with hard, scaly skin. He couldn’t even open his mouth to nurse because the skin around his lips was so tight.
For Anna, it came as a shock, and she recalled her heartbreak at seeing her baby for the first time and thinking he was in pain.
“It was a huge shock,” she said. “I thought I was going to have a healthy baby. Not even the doctors at first knew what was wrong with him.”
Doctors reportedly told Anna that her baby might not live past a few weeks, but Michael was a fighter, and his parents were determined to give him as normal a life as possible.
They familiarized themselves with his condition and accepted that in order to raise him properly they would have to adjust to the fact that he was slightly different from other children.
What they didn’t anticipate, however, was that even taking their son out in public would present issues.
Anna revealed that other people would stare at her baby when they were out. Yet while most were merely curious as to the appearance of Michael’s skin, some other mothers even approached Anna to ask if she needed help.
“Michal is a perfectly normal boy with a wonderful nature, he just has this skin condition,” the young mother said.
Naturally, it was a struggle for Anna.
For her, Michael was no different from any other baby, and he had become the centerpiece of her world the day he arrived. Even so, watching others stare and knowing that they were making comments about her son’s appearance was a bitter pill to swallow.
She recalled: “I was in a shop, and someone came up to us and was staring at Michal and asked if he was a doll.”
But though Michael’s condition presented a raft of challenges for his parents, they remained steadfast in their belief that he could live a normal, happy life. They adopted a skincare routine for their young son, with Anna revealing that she applied two types of cream on her baby’s skin, six times a day, as well as giving him regular, moisturizing baths.
Maintaining a comfortable temperature was also key, and it was important that Michael’s exposure to the sun was minimized.
As mentioned, doctors were unsure about Michael’s prospects in life. Due to his scaly skin, he was prone to infections and at severe risk of dehydration.
Anna, though, has always done her utmost to combat these potential problems.
“He’s overcome so much, and despite the challenges he faces, he’s such a happy and loving child,” she said.
As per reports, Michael continues to grow and is living a happy life with his family.
We’re delighted that Michael’s parents never gave up on him – we think he’s such a beautiful little boy despite everything he’s been through.
Share this article if you think that all babies deserve a chance in life, no matter the circumstances of their birth or the conditions they may be born with.
Here’s to wishing Michael health and happiness moving forward!