We Had it all Planned... and Then I Gave Birth to a Medically Complex Child

<p>Like a lot of hard working, driven women, Elysian McNiff Koglmeier had some reservations about how a baby would impact her career and her social life.  But she was ready and after a relatively standard pregnancy, she gave birth to her first child, a boy they named Odin. And that’s when her story takes a sharp and unexpected turn. Odin was born with Treacher Collins syndrome, a rare condition that impairs physical development and requires 24/7 care. She learned that her beautiful newborn was what parents and professionals call a “medically complex child.” Odin’s medical needs would come to dominate their lives, and force Elyse to reconsider her vision and plans for her own life, both personally and professionally. </p><p><br></p>