# My baby girl has Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 18, 2010, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-baby-girl-has-spinal-muscular-atrophy-sma/547126 "2010-07-18T15:17:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 43
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2011, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-baby-girl-has-spinal-muscular-atrophy-sma/547126/841 "2011-12-24T13:49:25Z")
a happy christmas to getty, dad, mum, cooper, and richie! ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2011, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-baby-girl-has-spinal-muscular-atrophy-sma/547126/842 "2011-12-24T18:23:15Z")
> [@rocking\_chair](#): > > a happy christmas to getty, dad, mum, cooper, and richie! Thanks, and don’t forget the other 3 cats (Libby, Maggie, Poppy) and the hamster (Simon). It’s a zoo over here. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ErinPuff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dbc845/32.png) [@ErinPuff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ErinPuff)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-baby-girl-has-spinal-muscular-atrophy-sma/547126/843 "2012-01-06T14:27:30Z")
I just saw [this article about a student at my alma mater who has SMA](http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/entertainment-general/index.ssf/2012/01/blogger_shane_burcaw_uses_humo.html) and thought I’d share. ---
**Author:** ![Heart\_of\_Dorkness](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/4bbf92/32.png) [@Heart\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heart_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-baby-girl-has-spinal-muscular-atrophy-sma/547126/844 "2012-01-06T14:41:10Z")
Happy New Year to Getty’s Gang! I just read the blog post about the stander - that’s fantastic. It sounds like she’s really going to get a lot of it. And good article, **ErinPuff** , thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-baby-girl-has-spinal-muscular-atrophy-sma/547126/845 "2012-01-06T16:39:18Z")
I came across a post about SMA on another message board, encouraging everyone to learn about it and get tested to see if they’re carriers. I wanted to let you know that I joined in the discussion and threw in a link to [gettyowl.org](http://gettyowl.org) and your blog, to help educate and add to the fight. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-baby-girl-has-spinal-muscular-atrophy-sma/547126/846 "2012-01-06T17:08:52Z")
> [@ErinPuff](#): > > I just saw [this article about a student at my alma mater who has SMA](http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/entertainment-general/index.ssf/2012/01/blogger_shane_burcaw_uses_humo.html) and thought I’d share. Thanks for the link. I had seen that blog before. Seems like a good kid. > [@Heart\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Happy New Year to Getty’s Gang! I just read the blog post about the stander - that’s fantastic. It sounds like she’s really going to get a lot of it. And good article, **ErinPuff** , thanks. Thanks and Happy New Year to you all! We’re excited about the stander. Getty has low bone density due to her inability to bear weight. It’s a common thing in SMA, among all the other comlications that come with it. We hope the stander helps her get and keep strong bones and also gets her used to being upright when it comes time for a power chair. > [@Antigen](#): > > I came across a post about SMA on another message board, encouraging everyone to learn about it and get tested to see if they’re carriers. I wanted to let you know that I joined in the discussion and threw in a link to [gettyowl.org](http://gettyowl.org) and your blog, to help educate and add to the fight. Thank you for spreading the word! We appreciate it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![FloatyGimpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/floatygimpy/32/7750_2.png) [@FloatyGimpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FloatyGimpy)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2012, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-baby-girl-has-spinal-muscular-atrophy-sma/547126/847 "2012-03-25T16:12:42Z")
HAPPY 2nd BIRTHDAY, GETTY!!! ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2012, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-baby-girl-has-spinal-muscular-atrophy-sma/547126/848 "2012-03-25T17:07:09Z")
OMG, two years old! Happy birthday, little one! ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2012, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-baby-girl-has-spinal-muscular-atrophy-sma/547126/849 "2012-03-25T19:07:58Z")
Thank you! Hoot hoot! It’s a huge milestone. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2012, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-baby-girl-has-spinal-muscular-atrophy-sma/547126/850 "2012-03-25T19:49:49Z")
Happy Birthday Getty. You’ve come a long way baby! ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2012, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-baby-girl-has-spinal-muscular-atrophy-sma/547126/851 "2012-03-25T20:59:40Z")
Happy birthday you darling girl! ---
**Author:** ![MoodIndigo1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e8c25b/32.png) [@MoodIndigo1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoodIndigo1)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2012, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-baby-girl-has-spinal-muscular-atrophy-sma/547126/852 "2012-03-25T23:56:40Z")
Happy birthday, GettyOwl! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2012, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-baby-girl-has-spinal-muscular-atrophy-sma/547126/853 "2012-03-26T00:59:27Z")
**Happy Birthday, GettyOwl!!** StG ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2012, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-baby-girl-has-spinal-muscular-atrophy-sma/547126/854 "2012-03-26T01:19:09Z")
Wow, that’s great! ---
**Author:** ![Clockwork\_Jackal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b5e925/32.png) [@Clockwork\_Jackal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clockwork_Jackal)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2012, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-baby-girl-has-spinal-muscular-atrophy-sma/547126/855 "2012-03-26T02:28:44Z")
Happy Birfday Getty!!! ---
**Author:** ![truthbot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@truthbot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/truthbot)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2012, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-baby-girl-has-spinal-muscular-atrophy-sma/547126/856 "2012-03-26T02:35:58Z")
Happy Birthday, you gorgeous Owlette! ---
**Author:** ![Cadence](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Cadence](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cadence)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2012, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-baby-girl-has-spinal-muscular-atrophy-sma/547126/857 "2012-03-26T21:50:59Z")
Happy Birthday, Baby! You are loved so much! ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-baby-girl-has-spinal-muscular-atrophy-sma/547126/858 "2012-03-27T03:59:25Z")
happy birthday getty. i hope your special day and this year are as full of joy and delight as you are. enjoy exploring your new digs! ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-baby-girl-has-spinal-muscular-atrophy-sma/547126/859 "2012-12-03T07:22:34Z")
Greetings! Getty is doing well! I haven’t been back to this thread in quite a while, but no news is good news. I’m taking a moment to write something that’s been in my mind a lot lately: The Dope has been such a blessing for my family. When we got the diagnosis, I turned to family, friends, the SMA community, and The Dope. From each, we received wonderful emotional support, great advice, a sounding board, and financial stability. Those first months were so unbelievably horrible. We were consumed by the thought that we likely had only 2 years or fewer with our beautiful little girl. We struggled to find answers, provide her everything we could, and completely rearrange our lives. Dopers played a crucial role is helping us get through that time. You opened your hearts and pocketbooks to help get us through some of the worst life can hand a person. Since then, we have learned so much about SMA, taught our doctors a lot about SMA, started an SMA nonprofit, switched jobs to accommodate our new lives, got rid of our house and a car. We help newly diagnosed SMA families every day to help them navigate those rough waters. Best of all, we have provided Getty with all she could need so far to live a happy and fruitful life, despite her limitations and medical fragility. She smiles, laughs, hoots, and learns every day. She’s a little trooper and bundle of joy. She’s getting close to age 3, one year more than her her predicted life, and she is thriving in spite of SMA. Part of the happiness we feel every day with Getty is attributable to the generosity and caring of Dopers, then and now. Without that help, who knows where we would be? Who knows where SHE would be? Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![Blackberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blackberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackberry)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-baby-girl-has-spinal-muscular-atrophy-sma/547126/860 "2012-12-03T08:58:44Z")
I don’t know if I’ve ever posted here, but I’ve been following the story and looking at pics, and you already know this but, your daughter is beautiful! I wish you all the best. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-baby-girl-has-spinal-muscular-atrophy-sma/547126.md?page=42) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-baby-girl-has-spinal-muscular-atrophy-sma/547126.md?page=44)