On General Hospital, CarSon is relieved and overjoyed that their new daughter has entered the world, albeit a bit early.
Baby Donna was delivered by c-section and it was announced that her spine appears healthy. CarSon knew beforehand that their baby has spina bifida, so they were not surprised that the baby was taken to surgery after her delivery.
What exactly is spina bifida? This condition affects the spine and presents itself when the backbone or neural tube does not close completely. This can result in irregularities in the spinal cord, although with the proper care most individuals with the condition lead full and productive lives.
In the meantime, CarSon’s loved ones gather in Carly’s (Laura Wright) room. She shares the wonderful news that a new life has been born, and she’s a little girl they have decided to name Donna.
With that, Sonny (Maurice Benard) tells everyone present that the baby was named after a wonderful woman named Donna Messina who lived in his old neighborhood. The Donna he knew was a loving individual who did not allow bullying, and baby Donna will be an equally strong and caring person.
General Hospital fans know that the real-life Donna Messina was the show’s head of the make-up and hair department, and she died back in December 2018 at the age of 59. As a part of the team, Messina was nominated 12 times for a Daytime Emmy Award, and she won six times.
Before Donna’s birth, CarSon’s doctor told them that spina bifida symptoms range from mild to severe, with intellectual and/or physical disabilities possible depending on how affected the spinal cord and nerves were.
CarSon found out about Donna’s condition before she was born, but in fact, spina bifida is a condition which can go undiagnosed until after a baby is born.
It is a condition that affects each person in individual ways and to varying degrees, and as such any needed treatment can vary widely.
At the time that CarSon was told about their baby’s condition, Carly inquired if there was anything she did to cause the baby’s issue and the doctor assured her that she did nothing wrong.
No doubt we will learn much more about little Donna in the coming days.
General Hospital airs weekdays on ABC.