Pregnancy is usually a time of joy and anticipation, but for Chelsey and her baby Armai, it was a journey marked by unexpected challenges and courage. At 33 weeks, Armai was delivered by emergency C-section due to a specific type of lymphangioma, a rare congenital condition that causes non-cancerous, fluid-filled growths in the lymph vessels.
Armai was born with a swollen upper body, a result of this condition, and the sight resembled a little bodybuilder, which led Chelsey to affectionately nickname her “Mini Hulk.”
Chelsey shared, “When I saw her, I cried because I had never seen anything like that. I was just shocked. But I didn’t care what she looked like; I loved her anyway.”
Armai, now five months old, was born weighing 12 pounds, more than three times the average size for a baby at that gestational stage. This extraordinary size caused many to believe that Chelsey was expecting triplets due to the prominent size of her belly. Late in her pregnancy, her weight reached 14st 4lbs, leading to daily tears and physical discomfort. Her body was shutting down, and she struggled to move.
Chelsey first learned about her daughter’s lymphangioma through an ultrasound at 17 weeks. Doctors expressed concerns about potential fluid around her heart and potential future breathing or vision issues but remained hopeful for the unborn child.
However, the diagnosis was devastating for Chelsey, who had never heard of it before. She and her partner, Blake, faced the unimaginable possibility of a zero percent chance of survival for Armai and were even suggested abortion. But they never considered that option; they only wanted to find a way to help their child once she was born.
Armai’s birth was a surprise to everyone as she entered the world crying. Chelsey recalled, “I was screaming and crying. I was just a wreck, it was horrible. In the back of our minds, Armai’s dad, Blake, and I were wondering what was going to happen. However, she just shocked us all and proved us all wrong. Everybody in the room was emotional. It’s a very magical story.”
After Armai’s birth, the family relocated more than 100 miles to Cincinnati, Ohio, to live in a specialist hospital for three months. Against all odds, the young girl began to recover slowly.
Chelsey shared, “I battled postpartum depression really badly, and I had to push that away to try to be the strongest person I could be for her and for my other two kids. It’s been a rollercoaster ride, and I still struggle a little bit every day.”
Currently, Armai has had large amounts of excess fluid removed from her body, but she still has extra skin. She weighs 1st 7lbs and wears clothes designed for babies twice her age. She is scheduled for surgery later this year, during which doctors will extract additional lymphatic vessels to help shrink her body, followed by an operation to remove the remaining skin.
Chelsey is delighted with her daughter’s progress and foresees a bright, pain-free future for her. She said, “Now she’s squishy; I just call her my little squishy baby. She’s doing very well. She got lucky. She’s not deformed or anything like that. She’s happy. We’re trying to do everything for this baby and give her the best life possible. She finally rolled over, and she’s trying to say ‘momma,’ I’m pretty sure; she’s getting really close. She’s doing wonderfully. She is literally my miracle baby, and we just love her so much.”
Lymphangiomas, also known as lymphatic malformations, are non-cancerous cysts that occur in the lymphatic vessels, most commonly in the head or neck. It’s a rare condition, affecting about one in 4,000 births.
Armai’s journey is a testament to the strength of love and the miraculous potential of the human spirit. The family’s unwavering determination and Armai’s resilience showcase the power of hope and the extraordinary capacity of the human heart to overcome adversity.
