{"id":7764,"date":"2024-09-03T15:52:25","date_gmt":"2024-09-03T15:52:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/strongermarriages\/?p=7764"},"modified":"2024-09-03T15:52:25","modified_gmt":"2024-09-03T15:52:25","slug":"heartbroken-parents-are-blindsided-as-they-find-themselves-saying-goodbye-to-15-month-old","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/strongermarriages\/2024\/09\/heartbroken-parents-are-blindsided-as-they-find-themselves-saying-goodbye-to-15-month-old.html","title":{"rendered":"Heartbroken Parents Are Blindsided as They Find Themselves Saying Goodbye to 15-Month-Old"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"
@poppy_and_kaylee \/ TikTok<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At just 15 months old, Poppy Massey passed away from TBCD \u2013 a genetic disorder that impacts the brain, spinal cord, and frequently other areas of the body. And this left her heartbroken parents completely blindsided.<\/p>\n

In a world often marred by sorrow, Kaylee and Jake Massey found themselves navigating the depths of grief. Heartache struck when their beloved daughter, Poppy, departed this world at the tender age of 15 months.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were blindsided that her body couldn\u2019t take it anymore,\u201d Kaylee recalled.<\/p>\n

Poppy\u2019s story began with the innocence of a perfect newborn. However, it evolved into a narrative of resilience as her parents discovered the challenges ahead.<\/p>\n

TBCD, A Devastating Diagnosis<\/h2>\n

At four months old, Kaylee noticed that something didn\u2019t seem right with Poppy\u2019s eyes. That first initial appointment led to devastating news.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen she was 5 months old is when we finally got that, and the MRI showed that the center part of her brain, the corpus callosum, hadn\u2019t developed properly, if at all,\u201d Kaylee said<\/a>.<\/p>\n

From that moment on, uncertainty clouded the dreams they had for Poppy. At 9 months, the diagnosis of TBCD unveiled a path untraveled. It was a journey fraught with uncertainties and medical complexities. Poppy became only the 38th<\/a> child in the world diagnosed with TCBD.<\/p>\n

Amidst the storm of diagnoses and medical revelations, the Masseys clung to hope. They continued nurturing their precious Poppy through each hurdle. As the family faced a respiratory infection leading to Poppy\u2019s hospitalization, they encountered the unexpected news that would forever alter their lives.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was just panicky because I felt like Poppy couldn\u2019t breathe, and we were so heightened with Poppy,\u201d she recalls<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Despite the diagnosis of pneumonia in Poppy\u2019s lungs and a positive test for a respiratory infection, Kaylee and her husband did not anticipate the severity of this hospital stay.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere have been other kiddos with this TBCD genetic condition that have had pneumonia and hospital stays, and they\u2019re there for a week, and they go home. And so we had only heard from these other families that they get over it, and then they go home, and they live to be 3 to 5 years old. We were blindsided that her body couldn\u2019t take it anymore,\u201d Kaylee said.<\/p>\n

\n
@poppy_and_kaylee<\/a> Quick answer- her body went from small spots of pneumonia to only one of her lungs having maybe 25% function. Her seizures were so frequent and almost impossible to control. Leukodystrophys cause the body to not function like a healthy body. Her muscles, organs, and brain couldn\u2019t recover or heal. #leukodystrophy<\/a> #leukodystrophyawareness<\/a> #tbcd<\/a> #tbcdawareness<\/a> \u266c original sound – Poppy&Kaylee<\/a><\/section>\n<\/blockquote>\n