Mom Is Called 'Terrible' Person After Giving Birth to Her First Baby: 'I Felt Very, Very Guilty'

• People slammed a woman with a rare genetic condition after she gave birth to her first baby.
• She noticed something was wrong with her newborn and soon learned he had the same condition.
• She opened up about her infant's journey in an interview.

Lindsey Marson, a resident of Pennsylvania, was only two years old when she was diagnosed with a rare, incurable condition that affected her quality of life. At that time, her parents thought it was the common cold, but they soon realized it was much more.

Now 28, Marson was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis (NF) when her parents took her to the doctor. People with the condition have benign tumors usually located in the brain, nerves, and spinal cord.

At the time of her diagnosis, Marson had birthmarks on her skin that were a symptom of the rare genetic disease. Moreover, her right leg was also shaped like an 'S,' another symptom of the condition.

Growing up, Marson dealt with these various symptoms, but her NF was mild compared to other people diagnosed with the disease. While growing up, Marson underwent 20 surgeries to correct her leg's formation, but she still wears a brace to help her walk.

That said, her condition did not stop her from living life like other people. She tied the knot with her husband and gave birth to her son, Bryson, unaware that the little boy would inherit the genetic condition from her.

How Did She Find Out about Her Son's Condition?

The new mother didn't get tested for the condition while pregnant, but learning about her son's condition wouldn't have changed her decision to have a baby. She thought something was wrong with her son when she noticed swelling above his eye, so she took him to the doctor, who diagnosed him with NF when he was four weeks old.

The mother added that she would teach her little one always to stay positive.

Learning about her son's condition made her feel "devastated." She added, "And guilty, I felt very, very guilty." Moreover, when people learned that Bryson had inherited NF from his mother, they didn't hesitate to shame her. She revealed:

"I have had people say to my face and online that I'm a terrible person."

Since the diagnosis, Bryson has visited the hospital over 80 times. His condition slightly differs from his mother's because Marson didn't have tumors like her son. The little boy's tumor behind his eye is visible on his face, but that was not the case with Marson.

Upon running tests, the doctors learned that Bryson had a tumor behind his eye, brain, and face. They began his treatment, which included applying steroid creams on the little one's skin, but stopped after some time to monitor the tumor. The treatment continued after the doctors ran MRI scans on Bryson to see the condition of his tumor. He underwent surgery and chemotherapy to treat it.

"When I was pregnant with Bryson, I did not know NF could be that severe. I knew that there were more severe cases, but I figured that I have it relatively mild," the new mother said in an interview. However, his condition didn't mean he was different than other kids.

Watching her son undergo medical procedures makes the mother feel terrible, but she always tries to remain positive. She revealed that whenever she sees another woman give birth to a healthy baby, she wants to tell them how "lucky" they are.

How Do They Live Their Lives Now?

Marson raises awareness about the rare genetic condition through her Instagram profile. Despite feeling terrible for her baby, the mother confessed that his condition helped her develop a strong bond with him.

"I don't know what it would be like if he didn't have [NF], but I truly do think that there is definitely a stronger bond," she said. The mother added that she would teach her little one always to stay positive.

Marson believes her child is like other children, and she cannot wait to watch him grow up and mingle with other kids. "I hope that people can realize he is completely normal. He's perfect. He's just like everybody else," she said.

Marson keeps people informed about her son's condition through her Instagram profile. She regularly shares updates about his treatment and hopes to motivate people in the same situation.

Click here to read another story about a 22-year-old mom who got shamed after sharing a photo of herself before she had kids. She meant to share it for fun, but the online community criticized her publicly.