Labor of Love is a blog started by Megs Pollock in 2011. Megs began sharing her experience as a first-time mom to son, Jordan, who was diagnosed with spina bifida before he was born. It’s been 4 years since we last got an update from the Pollock family, so we thought it was time to […]
Hannah takes it all in stride
At 2 days old, Hannah Jabbour had surgery to close the half dollar-sized opening in the base of her spine, but only time would tell how spina bifida would impact her everyday life. “While in the NICU, Hannah also needed a shunt placed to drain the spinal fluid from her skull due to her hydrocephalus,” said Hilary, […]
West Akron teenager gains confidence and independence, one step at a time
Like most teenagers, Serenity Smolen is constantly learning, exploring and discovering what she does and doesn’t like. Some of the time, she encounters a learning curve. When it comes to conquering new undertakings, Serenity, 13, is a pro. It’s something she’s done all her life. Serenity, who was born with congenital limb differences that affect […]
Annie’s Super Strength
With her larger-than-life personality, Annie, 6, has always had an unbreakable spirit despite her medical conditions. At her mom’s 5-month ultra sound, Annie’s arms and legs were measuring smaller than a typical baby. Specialists thought she may have achondroplasia (dwarfism), but genetic testing and additional scans revealed more concerns. Doctors detected healing breaks in her […]
Halo traction therapy and spinal fusion surgery mean more ‘airtime’ for coaster enthusiast
For 14-year-old Matt Hill the news that he needed scoliosis surgery was far from welcome. It meant the rollercoaster aficionado had to keep two feet on the ground and sit out the already short Ohio coaster season last summer. A freshman at Hoover High School in Canton, Matt has been a platinum pass holder at […]
Here We Go Again and Again
For some reason the ease that we might feel from having Jordan’s shunt replaced was short lived as this was the first he had expressed discomfort after his surgery. The neuro team at Akron Children’s told us there is a high rate of malfunction in the first year. This doesn’t really put your mind at […]