Baby Sister Grace is here!
Welcome to Ana's Page From Our Family to Yours!
Ana's story has been featured on the Discovery Health Channel (January 2001), MSNBC Weekend Magazine (March 1999) and Dateline NBC (January 1999).
Our special little girl, Mary Anastasia, or "Ana" for short, was born at St.
Joseph's Women's Hospital in Tampa, Florida, on Wednesday, 9/23/98, at
10:12a. She was delivered in her 31st gestational week. She weighed 3lbs and 4.6
oz. (Click here to see her early pictures)!
Ana had been diagnosed with Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus in June during
a routine ultrasound in her 17th week of gestation. On 8/19/98, She was the
11th baby to undergo maternal fetal (in-utero) surgery to close the SB lesion at Vanderbilt
University Hospital, in an innovative procedure developed by Dr. Joseph
Bruner and Dr. Noel Tulipan. (Click here for Vandy's official fetal surgery site).
Ana is almost four years old now and doing great! She is our greatest blessing and joy! She is curious and inquisitive and has a wonderfully sweet sense of humor. Given assistance, she can walk with her walker. She has some of the difficulties and challenges that come with Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus, but she doesn't let them slow her down. She is our angel and we think she is just amazing!
Ana's Photo Album:
Disney Character Breakfast
- Ana at the Disney World Character Breakfast (June 2002)!
Easter 2002
- New family pictures!
Disney World
- Pictures from our trip to the Magic Kingdom(March 2002).
Edisto Island, SC
- Pictures from our Vacation with Friends (March 2001).
2000 reunion - Pictures from the 2nd reunion.
1999 reunion - Pictures from the 1st reunion.
Dateline NBC
Dateline NBC
- TV tells our story...
St. Petersburg Times Story
- Go here to read the story about Ana that appeared in our local paper the day the Dateline NBC episode aired.
"Aurora's Calling" is Mommy & Daddy's band!
Links Page
- A collection of maternal fetal surgery sites, spina bifida sites, and personal favorite web sites!
We have a new E-Mail Address! Click here to email us! Al & Karen & Little Ana
This site updated 05/20/2003.
Join the Spina Bifida Association of Tampa Bay E-Mail list
Click to subscribe to SBATB Group
We highly recommend these three SB books!
Children With Spina Bifida : A Parent's...
Living With Spina Bifida : A Guide for...
Spinabilities : A Young Person's Guide...
Click on the links above to order them from Amazon book store!
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