ORWIGSBURG - Baby Morgan smiled and giggled with bright, full eyes in her living room Monday morning. The only time she cried was when her mother, Nichole Gehret, had to replace her feeding tube.
"Despite all that she's been through, she is a really happy baby," Nichole said.
Morgan Patricia Gehret was born Dec. 18, 2013, with a congenital diaphragmatic hernia. CDH occurs when a hole in the diaphragm fails to close during prenatal development and organs in the abdomen migrate into the chest, limiting lung development and reducing blood flow.
According to research done at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, about 1,600 babies are born with CHD each year in the United States. That is about one in every 2,500 newborns, which is about the same number of babies born with cystic fibrosis or spina bifida.
There is no known cause for CDH and about half of the babies born with it do not survive.
"She is one of the lucky ones," Nichole said. "We consider her a miracle."
Nichole said the condition was detected 16 weeks into her pregnancy at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest. The hospital then referred the Gehrets to CHOP, which specializes in caring for babies born with CDH. Morgan was still given a less than 10 percent chance of living.
"We were asked if we wanted to terminate the pregnancy because of the severity of the condition, but we chose not to and decided to let her fight," Nichole said.
"We didn't think twice," Mark Gehret, Morgan's father, said. "We said it was in God's hands."
As soon as Morgan was born, she had to taken from her mother to be hooked up to machines that helped her breath. She was missing the entire left side of her diaphragm, leading to the underdevelopment of her left lung.
Morgan eventually underwent two surgeries to patch the diaphragm, but there is a chance it can reherniate.
"Right now the chances are very high, but they decrease with each passing year," Nichole said.
Morgan came home from the hospital March 25 and has regular checkups at the hospital each month. She still requires constant care as she still uses a feeding tube and has delayed motor skills.
Although she will be taking various physical therapy programs until she is at least 9 years old, Morgan can grow up to be a normal, healthy adult.
"She will definitely have some limitations," Mark said. "Her left lung will never be 100 percent. She may not be able to do cross country, but she will be able to do a lot of other things."
She continues to need care, feeding though a tube, occupational therapy, speech, mobile and physical therapies several times a week. Because of her being under so many medications, she is delayed in motor skills and feedings. She has come along way but there is still work to be done.
Now that Morgan is home, she joins two older siblings, Austin, 8, and Allison, 5.
"I asked myself in the beginning if I am just being selfish, but she pulled through," Nichole said. "I just think if I had made that decision, I would have missed out on so much. I am very happy."
"It's all worth it," Mark said. "Everyday is a blessing when you have a child."
For any family under similar circumstances, Nichole advised them to "be strong."
"It was a very rough road," Mark said.
"But it also pulled us stronger together," Nichole added.
To help raise awareness about CDH, the Gehrets are hosting a fundraiser from 4 to 6 p.m. July 27 at Strike Zone Alleys, 2501 West End Ave., Pottsville. Tickets are $10 for two hours of glow bowling and shoes. There will also be a 50/50 raffle.
"We want to let people know this disease is out there and families can get through this," Mark said.
For tickets, call Nichole at 570-968-4046.