1) the beginning...

William Dahman Wigge

Born January 11, 2000 in Indianapolis, Indiana at University Hospital then transported to (by underground tunnels) the NICU at Riley Children's Hospital.

Bryan and I learned through a routine ultrasound around 4 1/2 - 5 mos. pregnancy that our child would be born with some birth defects. The only thing that the ultrasound could detect was spina bifida and either an omphalocele or gastroschisis. From that moment on we drove to University Hospital once a month for ultrasounds and started to prepare for a 'short' stay in Indianapolis.

Wil was born via c-section and immediately intubated and a plastic bag placed around his body. He was born with very rare and complicated birth defects. They are as follows: Omphalocele, Exstrophy of the Cloaca, Imperforate Anus, Spinal Defects (lipomyelocystocele) this is also known as the OEIS Complex. Here's a brief description of these birth defects, an omphalocele : A congenital herniation of viscera into the base of the umbilical cord. Also called exomphalos. In English: His liver and most of his intestines were on the outside of his body and only a thin, very thin clear sack was covering it. That is why the doctors immediatley placed in him a plastic bag. They didn't want any air or germs to make contact on his organs. He was also born with exstrophy of the cloaca: cloacal exstrophy consists of an open bladder and the rectum is not open in the normal location but rather communicates with the bladder. In English: his bladder and his sexual organs were split in two halves, and were short and flat. We only knew he was a boy from an earlier amniocenteses. Imperforate Anus: the anus has not been formed or perforated, and the colon communicates with the bladder. In English: Wil has a dimple where his rectum should be and because he doesn't have a sphincter muscle and is missing half of his colon, it really doesn't matter. Wil has an ileostomy, which is a surgerical construction of an artificial excretory opening through the abdominal wall into the ileum. In English: he 'poops' in a bag. Spinal Defects: Wil was born with a rare form of spina bifida called lipomyelocystocele which is a rare form of occult spinal dysraphism in which the hydromyelic caudal spinal cord and the subarachnoid space are herniated through a posterior spina bifida. In English his lower spine had a hole in it and his skin filled up with spinal fluid. Wil did not however have hydrocephalus, thank the Lord, we don't need to add any more.

Hopefully everyone reading this actually understood it. Wil is six years old now and sometimes I still get confused with the medical translation. I read his baby book now and there were so many things that I wrote down that were completely wrong. My definitions, spelling, surgeries, the list could go on. I hope after six years I'm starting to get the hang of it and can educate Wil on his body.

Please feel free to ask us any questions!