[DiamondSmiles]

This is such a great story! Such a beautiful child!

Ears for Emily: 3 Year Old Girl Gets Reconstructive Surgery

November 25, 2014

A Pennsylvania family is beginning the journey to give their daughter something most of us take for granted. Emily Rodriguez and her family recently traveled to Southern California where she received the first in a series of reconstructive surgeries.

Today, Emily is as happy as can be, but the family still needs help to raise funds for her next surgery.

As FOX 29's Dawn Timmeney reports, it's been quite a journey for the Feasterville family.

3 year old, Emily Rodriguez, has a smile that will melt your heart, but the energetic little girl is truly a miracle.

It took three tries at In Vitro fertilization (IVF) before Jess and Carlos Rodriguez were finally pregnant. However, 6 weeks into the pregnancy, doctors said she had miscarried.

So distraught, Jess put off the recommended procedure. A week later, she had an ultrasound after suffering some medical complications and the doctor discovered a heartbeat.

"It was a miracle that we waited a week and Emily is alive today," said Jess.

Jess's pregnancy was rough and Emily was delivered by emergency C-section, 2 weeks late.

"I was in recovery and they realized I was bleeding out and they had a hard time stopping the bleeding,” said Jess.

Jess nearly died. She received 16 units of blood and was in the ICU for a week.

Baby Emily was healthy, but she was born with malformed ears, no ear canals and no ear drums. One in 10,000 babies are born with this condition, which is called bilateral microtia and atresia.

"Emily, they brought her out when she was born and they said she had no ears. That was the least of my worries at that time,” said Carlos Rodriguez. "The fact that I almost lost my wife that day was hard, having Emily was great."

Unable to hear, at 3 months Emily started wearing what's called a Baha hearing aid, which is attached to a soft headband.

Emily actually likes wearing it because she knows it means the difference between hearing and silence.

In late October, Emily and her family traveled to California where she had the first in a series of costly reconstructive surgeries to get something most of us have-- ears.

"I got a big girl ear,” Emily said.

Emily is beaming as she shows off her big girl ear and something she's always dreamed of wearing--an earring.

Doctors only can do one ear at a time to allow for healing and any complications. The surgery lasted 10 hours.

Emily's mom and dad say she was incredibly brave.

"Really learned a lot about her, how strong she was,” said Carlos Rodriguez.

"It was very hard, just seeing her waking up from anesthesia, being in recovery, but, she's been an amazing trooper this whole time,” said Jessica.

Doctors actually traced Jessica's left ear, making Emily's ear the same size and definition as her mother's ear.

The little princess loves looking in the mirror at her new ear. Her next operation is five months from now in April and she can't wait.

"I think she's gonna be excited to put glasses on—sunglasses--play glasses,” said her mother.

Her father says Emily looks forward to the little things many take for granted.

"Want to her to feel like every other little girl out there,” he said.

When Emily is a little older, her family is hopeful she will a candidate for inner ear surgery to restore her hearing.

The ear surgeries are expensive, $20,000 each, and most of it is not covered by insurance. If you'd like to help, please visit the family's youcaring.comfundraising page.

[kellyhound]

how cool is that.

[Jerdipski]

They did a good job!

[DiamondSmiles]

Modern technology is so amazing!

I love this kind of story! I tear up every time!

[Oswald2001]

Bless that child, her family and the medical staff that attended her.

[radojota]

She is gorgeous! I would be happy to show her to my daughter to see that those that are different are still beautiful...

[DiamondSmiles]

Originally Posted by radojota ↗

She is gorgeous! I would be happy to show her to my daughter to see that those that are different are still beautiful...

Welcome to the family, radojota!

Children are usually open to differences, unless influenced by people with prejudices to anything different.

They embrace things that make us different and go with it! They love learning new things and asking a million questions, which you probably know since you are a mom.

[DiamondSmiles]

Here is the video again. I don't think it's showing, unless it's me.

[LadyCPlum]

What a sweetheart!

[radojota]

I'm actually a dad, Diamondsmiles, but thank you.