After experiencing heartbreaking loss, Andrea was overjoyed to welcome her rainbow baby. But nothing could have prepared her for what occurred next.

The 37-year-old mother, who had recently suffered a devastating miscarriage at 11 weeks, was overjoyed but terrified when she learned she was pregnant again. Determined to do everything perfectly this time, she followed every guideline to the letter.

 

A Pregnancy Filled With Caution

“I didn’t take any risks,” Andrea shared in Love What Matters. “No diet soda, no lunch meat, no soft cheese, no sushi—nothing on the ‘naughty list.’ I read the books, followed the blogs, and made sure the nursery was set up exactly as it should be.”

Despite her careful planning, nothing could have prepared her for the moment she welcomed her son, Adam, into the world.

After a dramatic delivery at a New Jersey hospital, doctors quickly cut the umbilical cord. Everything seemed fine—until her husband walked over with a look of concern.

“Honey, there’s something wrong with Adam’s leg,” he said gently.

Andrea, exhausted and overwhelmed, dismissed it at first. “I’m sure it’s just a bruise,” she responded.

 

But deep down, she knew something wasn’t right. Moments later, doctors whisked Adam away for further examination, leaving Andrea alone with her thoughts, anxiously wondering what was happening.

A Rare Diagnosis—And More Questions Than Answers

Later that day, doctors gave Andrea news she never expected: her son had been diagnosed with Cutis Marmorata Telangiectatica Congenita (CMTC)—an incredibly rare vascular condition with fewer than 500 documented cases worldwide.

“My mind couldn’t process it,” Andrea recalled. “He was the most gorgeous thing I’d ever seen. My rainbow baby. But would he be okay?”

CMTC is a disorder that affects blood vessels near the skin, creating distinct blue or purple patterns at birth. While doctors don’t know what causes it, in most cases, the condition improves over time.

 

For baby Adam, the skin on his knee was black and undeveloped. Doctors provided Andrea and her family with specific instructions on how to care for it—applying dressing and petroleum jelly daily—while also preparing them for countless follow-up visits with specialists.

Navigating Life With CMTC

Despite undergoing extensive testing, every result came back normal. “He baffled every doctor we saw,” Andrea said. “We were told what to watch for and then sent on our way.”

Although Adam’s knee eventually healed, the mottled appearance of his skin remains. For Andrea, one of the most frustrating challenges has been explaining her son’s condition to medical professionals unfamiliar with it.

“We’ve had doctors—an ER physician included—who gave us a suspicious look and asked if his markings were from an injury,” she recalled. “No, his marbled skin on his abdomen and leg aren’t from jumping off the couch.”

 

A Child Who Embraces His Uniqueness

Andrea’s biggest fear was that her son would struggle socially, feeling different from his peers. But today, six-year-old Adam is thriving.

“Not only do I have my rainbow baby, but I have an amazing young son,” Andrea said proudly.

A bright and inquisitive child, Adam loves math, chess, and Harry Potter. Most importantly, he embraces what makes him unique.

“He has never let his difference hold him down. Adam is truly one of a kind—and he loves his ‘special skin.’”