"I was 19 and single when I got pregnant with my daughter. I was working in a daycare with the babies..."

I had a completely normal pregnancy (except they kept checking for twin because my stomach got so big). When I went into labor with her, she went into distress and I had to have a emergency C-section. Everything went fine with the surgery but she came out only 5lb 5oz. She was so small she looked like a premature baby even though I went full term. It was really surprizing since my stomach was so huge. They didn't find anything wrong though so I thought I had a healthy baby girl.

I later found out that the doctor that delivered her noticed she had really tight fists (which is a early sign of seizures) and never said anything or ran any tests. When she was three months old, she started having seizures. They were mild and not very frequent so when I took her to the hospital to be looked at they acted as though I was just being paranoid. They even asked me if I was sure I hadn't just startled her?

Anyway, after pushing and proding the doctor and many blood tests, they diagnosed her with CMV. I was so scared. I went through alot with her, she was on so many different medications for her seizures, I can't even remember their names. Her seizure medication seemed to make her a zombie so at about 5 years old, I took her off the meds and she hasn't had a seizure since. (I wish there would be more research into these meds or something because I know they didn't work for her and seemed to make them worse.)

She has CP, some hearing in one ear, but deaf in the other. Her vision is okay but it took her years to really look at anything because they said her brain wasn't understanding what she was seeing so she wouldn't look. She walks with a walker with supervision and uses a wheelchair. She doesn't speak, mostly due to hearing problems. She is still diapered but we are still working on toilet training her, she has some success then she reverts back. That is how her learning has been since birth. She will learn something then just seem to forget it and have to be taught all over again.

She is very mentally handicapped so she has never learned to read or write. She feeds herself some finger foods but is normally fed. Alot of times though it seems that on the inside is a very bright, intelligent girl just trapped in a body that won't do what she wants it to. Being a single mom and having a handicapped child is very challenging. I had periods where I almost lost custody of her because someone thought that being a single mom I shouldn't or couldn't handle raising her. I fought for her each time and won. We are a team and we wouldn't know how to survive without the other.

I had three other children after her and thankfully they didn't have any problems. I think it's making them better people to grow up with Cassie in the family because they realize people with disabilities are okay and they treat her and other disabled people the same as everyone else. She is the most beautiful girl inside and out.

She is now 20 years old and is in her last year of school. She is my angel. She laughs and giggles and enjoys life. I say she is friends with angels because of her wonderful happy personality. I am glad to have found this website because I have never met anyone else with a child born with CMV. If I even bring it up, people need me to explain what it is. They have no clue what it is and have never heard of it. It's nice to read of other families and know that I am not alone.

- Submitted by her mother, Tonna