Joy, eagerness, and a little bit of uncertainty are all present during a mother’s nine months of pregnancy. The health of the infant is what the new parents desire. Unfortunately, that does not always happen.

Highland, New York resident Jennie Wilklow was eager to see her daughter. She and her husband were thrilled to be able to embrace her. They were at peace because every ultrasound and doctor’s visit indicated the baby was healthy, so they never anticipated that adorable Anna would be born with a disease that would permanently alter their lives.

At 34 weeks, Jennie underwent a C-section to deliver Anna. Jennie only wanted to hear that she looked gorgeous from the doctors at that moment.

Soon after, the happy mother overheard her daughter crying, which was just another indication that everything was fine with her precious child.

He appeared worried and perplexed and was oddly silent when her husband paid Jennie a visit.

“My husband’s silence scared me; he just sat in shock as the doctor left, and I prodded for more info,” Jennie said in an interview with Cafe Mom.

“He just kept repeating, ‘It’s horrible. What even does that mean? I entertained a thought. He said, ‘Jennie, I looked in her eyes, and she has the most lovely spirit.’”

Harlequin ichthyosis, an uncommon illness that results in thick diamond-shaped plates divided by deep fissures, was identified as Anna’s ailment. “Within seconds (after birth), her skin toughened as they urgently tried to help her. It began to split after hardening, leaving raw scars all over her body, according to Jennie, who spoke to Cafe Mom.

Anna defied the odds and is now doing well, despite the doctors’ concerns that she wouldn’t. She was pure beauty, according to her mother.

Since there is no cure, the therapy is difficult because it calls for frequent bathing and keeping the skin as hydrated as possible. “I bathed her for many hours of the day, covering her with Vaseline every couple of hours. Though it may seem insignificant, Jennie remarked, “I had dreamed about the clothes my kid would wear for years. It was what I struggled with the most.

On her Instagram profile harlequindiva, Jennie publishes images of Anna in an effort to spread awareness about this disease. She shares the difficulties of having a child with harlequin ichthyosis as well as the daily obstacles they face.

“Anna won everyone’s hearts because she embodies perfection in its purest form. When I work for her, performing the work each day is easy, and when I reach a new goal, everyone rejoices with me, Jennie told Cafe Mom.

“I now realize that I was given her because of the love I already held in my heart for my daughter,” she continues. We were supposed to be together because Anna was intended for me and I was meant for her.

Anna is lovely just the way she is, and she is fortunate to have parents that make every effort to provide her a typical childhood.