My daugter, Meadow Grayce Beasley, is 11-months-old. She was born with holoprosencephaly accompanied by a true midline cleft lip and palate, and mild hydocephalus.Her midline facial deformities included lack of bone/cartildge in nose, midline cleft in top gumline, cleft in middle region of forehead and base of skull. Meadow has wide set eyes. Meadow was also born with a basal encephalocele (brain herniated outside of the skull). This is because the base of the skull did not comletely come together and form a seam. There was a space in the bottom of the skull large enough to place two fingers, according to her surgeon. A portion of Meadow's brain fell into the roof of her mouth (through the cleft palate). Fortunately it was filled with cerebral spinal fluid and no viable brain tissue. However, her pituitary gland was inside the encephalocele. Meadow was developing normally until about 7 months of age. She had surgery to remove the encephalocele and repair the base of her skull. She had a large (half-dollar size) bone graft taken from the top of her skull placed where the skull did not come together. It was a 12 hour and 15 minute operation. Afterwards, Meadow suffered two strokes, right and left sided. Meadow also had her pituitary gland removed. After her operation she also began to have seizures. Meadow is now currently receiving physical therapy at home twice a week. She is using her left side well, but still having difficulty with the right. She is also receiving hormone therapy replacement. She had her cleft lip repaired on August,15 2005 and looks terrific. Meadow is darling and precious to me and has definately changed many aspects of my life.