Starting from the beginning...

I was born 3/19/93 in Memphis, TN at the Med. My mom was 19 years old and expecting a healthy "average" labor/delivery.. Although the labor/delivery was average, the baby wasn't.

As soon as I was born the doctors took me quickly away from my mom and told her "it wasn't good". Two hours later they informed her that I was born with Harlequin Ichthyosis, a life threatening skin disorder that caused my eyelids and lips to be completely inside/out, big thick plates of skin covering my body, a patch of skin covering my hand in a fist and big gaping cracks where the thick plates of skin weren't.

The doctors were very sure I wouldn't survive due to infections, dehydration or the risk of my skin tightening and making it impossible for me to breathe. Even though the odds were against me, I'm now 19, married to an amazing man and the first one ever to be pregnant that has H.I! I'm always sure to make it known that the only reason I'm here is because of God, my amazing momma and fantastic doctors.

I haven't let my skin hold me back at all. I'm proud to say I was a cheerleader for four years, in girlscouts, ballet (for a wopping 2 weeks lol) and homecoming maid 4 years in a row! I'm very outgoing and I go out often (before I got married, now I'm like an old woman).