"MY DAUGHTER KYRA WAS BORN ON MARCH 27TH 2002 AT 12:16PM. SHE WAS 21 AND 1/2 INCHES LONG AND WEIGHED 6lb 1oz..."

I THOUGHT SHE APPEARED HEALTHY- SHE WAS SOON FACED WITH MANY TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS THAT NO CHILD AT ANY AGE SHOULD EVER HAVE TO GO THROUGH.

IT ALL BEGAN WITH THE DOCTORS FINDING ENLARGED FLUID PACKETS INSIDE HER BRAIN "CAPILARIES". IT SOON ESCALATED INTO THE DOCTORS THINKING SHE WAS BLIND DUE TO THE NUMBER OF BLOOD SPOTS FOUND BEHIND HER EYES. AFTER NUMEROUS TRIPS TO THE LOCAL PHYSICIAN AND MANY TRIPS TO THE SPECIALIST LOCATED IN LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, WE DISCOVERED THAT SHE WASN'T BLIND BUT DID HAVE EYESIGHT ISSUES.

THE TROUBLES DIDN'T STOP THERE. DURING THE MIDST OF ALL THE RUNNING ABOUT TO THE SPECIALIST AND ATTENDING TO HER EVERY NEED, THE PHYSICAN'S WIFE WHO WAS ALSO A PEDIATRICIAN NOTICED THE SIMILARITIES BETWEEN MY DAUGHTER, KYRA, AND A CASE THAT SHE STUDIED WHILE IN NEW YORK CITY.

SHE TESTED KYRA FOR THE CMV VIRUS AND IT CAME BACK POSITIVE. KYRA WAS JUST A FEW DAYS OLD AT THE TIME OF DIAGNOSIS.

AS SHE ENTERED THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, SHE WAS DELAYED AS EXPECTED DUE TO THE INFORMATION WE RECEIVED FROM THE DOCTORS. THE SCHOOL SYSTEM HAD WORKED WITH HER FOR ABOUT 2 YEARS WHEN WE CAME ACROSS ANOTHER ISSUE. KYRA IS ALMOST COMPLETELY DEAF IN HER RIGHT EAR AND HAS SIGNIFICANT HEARING LOSS IN HER LEFT EAR. AFTER MAKIING A COUPLE OF TRIPS TO THE SPECIALIST IN ASHLAND, SHE OBTAINED OUTER EAR HEARING AIDS WHICH HAVE IMPROVED HER SCHOOLING IN THE GREATEST OF WAYS.

WHILE KYRA HAS BEEN BABIED HER WHOLE LIFE SHE HAS COME TO THINK SHE CAN GET AWAY WITH ANYTHING, MAINLY MY HUSBAND'S AND MY FAULT.

FURTHER EVALUATION WOULD SHOW THAT SHE ALSO HAS ADHD. SHE IS NOW ALMOST 7 AND TAKING 15MG OF FOCALIN DAILY TO HELP HER WITH HER DAILY LIFE. SHE IS FULL OF LIFE AND KNOWS NO FEAR. MY CHILD IS DELAYED IN HER SPEECH AND IS CATCHING UP QUICKLY IN HER STUDIES AT SCHOOL.

IT IS HARD FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT CMV ACTUALLY IS. IT ISN'T SOMETHING THAT YOU HEAR ABOUT. I KNOW WHEN I FIRST HEARD HER DIAGNOSIS I WAS FULL OF QUESTIONS AND MOST OF THEM I HAD TO FIND THE ANSWERS TO MYSELF. I RECALL BACK TO WHEN MY CHILD WAS STILL IN THE HOSPITAL AFTER HER BIRTH AND DIAGNOSIS, MY HUSBAND'S COUSIN CAME TO SEE US AT THE HOSPITAL. AFTER HE LEFT, HE WENT TO HIS SISTER'S HOUSE WHO HAS 2 KIDS OF HER OWN. SHE REFUSED TO LET HER BROTHER IN BECUASE HE HAD BEEN AT THE HOSPITAL WITH US. SHE EVEN WENT ON TO SAY, AND I QUOTE, "I DON'T WANT MY KIDS TO CATCH WHAT SHE HAS". AND IT ISN'T AS CONTAGIOUS AS WHAT SOME DOCTORS MAKE IT OUT TO BE.

IN CLOSING, KYRA IS A BALL OF ENERGY AND AT TIMES PUSHES HERSELF TO LIMITS UNKNOWN. SHE IS LIKE ANY OTHER 7 YEAR OLD, A LITTLE BEHIND IN SCHOOL AND HEARING BUT THERE IS HOPE WITH KYRA'S STORY THAT THERE IS A FIGHTING CHANCE WITH CMV.

I DIDN'T KNOW AT ALL WHAT TO WRITE BUT I HOPE THIS HELPS GIVE A LITTLE HOPE AND INFO TO WOMEN THAT HAVE CMV KIDS. AND I AM VERY THANKFUL FOR THIS SITE SO IT CAN GET OUT THAT CMV CAN HAPPEN WITH ANY PREGNANCY AND ITS NOT THE MOM'S FAULT.

GOD BLESS YOU ALL.

- Submitted by her mother, Annie