Meet our June Stroke Hero of the Month - Izabela "Izzy" Roubique

On September 9th, 2009 Kris Roubique gave birth to an 8.9 lb beautiful baby girl, Izabel. “Izzy”, (a name of affection given by Kris) was delivered by schedule c-section. Kris states she remembers being so excited to finally meet her baby after getting out of surgery. There was a problem; as Kris held Izzy, she noticed that something was a little different about her. Her left eye wouldn't open. Kris brought this to the attention of the on-site pediatrician and was told that the solution that the hospital staff put in newborn's eyes may have caused her to have an allergic reaction.

After two days, Izzy’s eye still had not opened. Kris requested another pediatrician and a neonatologist examine her baby. She was pacified with a simple answer and told to bring her back in 30 days. Not satisfied, she quickly made another appointment for Izzy with a private practice pediatrician who scheduled her immediately with an Ophthalmologist and an MRI at Children’s Hospital in Central California.

On December 3rd, 2009, Izzy was prepped and sedated for her MRI who's purpose was to image her orbital socket and brain stem. Kris states she remembers getting a call from her ophthalmologist a week later with the results of the MRI and "trying" to explain the reason for Izzy’s eye deformity. It was because of an in-utero stroke that destroyed her third cerebral nerve in her eye. Izzy was most likely going to lose range and possibly her vision as a whole due to the effects of the stroke.

Unfortunately, like so many Kris didn't know that unborn and newborn babies could have strokes. Luckily her father- in-law being an adult neurologist was able to appoint Izzy another physician.  Like any parent, Kris was willing to go any distance to ensure Izzy received the best care.  In Izzy’s case, it meant a 13-hour drive to Portland Oregon, home of the Oregon Health and Science University to consult with Dr. Karr.  Dr. Karr gave hope in that it would be possible to save Izzy’s eyesight by forcing her to use her left eye daily to prevent the brain from shutting it down.

Kris returned to her original ophthalmologist a few weeks later only to be scolded for seeking a second opinion.  Though it posed a financial hardship, Dr. Karr became Izzy’s primary ophthalmologist. Help from friends and family made it possible.  In June 2010 two separate surgeries were performed on Izzy’s eye simultaneously.  The purpose of the first procedure was to bring Izzy’s eye “in”, and the second (performed by a reconstructive plastic surgeon) was to bring up her eyelid with a prosthetic sling in her eyelid. Two surgeries, by two doctors at the same time!  Izzy quickly bounced back to the girl her family and friends knew.

It was about a week after Izzy’s eye surgeries that she was seen by a Pediatric Neurologist.  There Kris was informed that Izzy’s stroke had occurred in her brainstem, and as a result had something called Hemiparesis that effected her right side.  Hemiparesis, Kris was told fell under the umbrella of Cerebral Palsy. 

Izabela was later prescribed an Ankle-Foot-Orthodic or AFO brace to assist her in beginning to walk.  She received speech therapies to help with talking.  In her search for answers for Izzy Kris turned to Facebook, where she found Brendon's Smile. Brendon’s Smile helped her through all of her questions and opened her eyes to all the opportunities, survivors and other parents out there that had similar experiences.  

Izzy has worked non-stop; at 18 months she took her first steps. She started to understand words better and before long, she was cruising and walking on her own. Izabela is scheduled for her second surgery this month. Building upon the success of the first procedure, Izzy’s family is hoping the second surgery will help to bring her eye into alignment and perhaps restore her vision.

Izzy and her family have endured two years of lengthy commutes to Oregon for monthly appointments, weekly OT, PT and speech therapies in various cities and daily patching of her eye and wearing the AFO.  The result is one tough willed young lady.  Izabela has beat the odds; Kris says that when you look into her eyes, you can see that she is a happy and healthy little girl. She might be classified as being "disabled" but she has a heart of gold. One might say the soul of a survivor and the BRAIN of gold. Izzy’s daily struggles make her the child she is today.

For reminding us all that the key part of the word "disabled' is ABLE and so many other reasons, Izabela "Izzy" Roubique is our June 2011 Hero of the Month!

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