Stepping Up to Correct a Mirror Foot

La Havana, Thursday January 31st 2013

"What are the risks of the surgery? I asked Dr. Salles. "There could be a problem with a nerve or a vein." He responded. "But there's only a 2 or 3 percent chance that something will wrong."

With a 97% chance of success in correcting in Cuba the feet of Valeria, my 6 month-old daughter, I’ll go back to the U.S. pleased with this good option; still, the search for the right doctor for Valeria must continue.

Dr. Vitale, from the New York Presbyterian Hospital was the first doctor we visited right after Valeria was born, and he was honest. Dr. Miki, from the Miami Children Hospital was the second doctor, and he was encouraging, honest and provided an excellent alternative.

Valeria's case is extremely unusual. Her left foot is a mirror foot; that's is; if you put the inner part of your foot next to a mirror, the reflection would seem part of your food; for her, it is. Researching for similar cases, I’ve only found 28 such cases in the world, and only seven, which have been treated.

Her right foot has an extra toe with a little finger growing out of it; like a brunch from a tree. Both of her hands lack thumbs; instead she has an extra index finger in each hand.

The lacking of thumbs hasn’t stop Valeria from holding her baby bottle since she was 5 months old; insisting on getting my phone into her mouth, and pulling poor Greta’s hair, our little maltipoo, that only reacts by crying. For these reasons I know Valeria will be able to do anything in life that she proposes.

Valeria and Natacha in Miami

Her hair hasn’t grown yet, so Natacha and I are crossing our fingers; I want her to have hair, and Natacha wants hers. I’m a happy that until now she looks like me. “I had never seen a baby who looks a lot like her dad,” said an immigration officer at La Havana airport. “ Her name should be ValeGina”, said an aunt of Natacha, referring to my name Gino. She’s got her mother’s deep black eyes, which are very important because they’re crucial to define a person; she also has Natacha’s button nose.

It’s incredible the joy that Valeria has brought to us; it now depends on us to make her as possible as we can; that’s why we’re in Natacha’s country, Cuba, well recognized for its health system, meeting doctors until we can determine who is the perfect doctor for Valeria.

Valeria and I at the Hotel Nacional in La Havana, Cuba