As reported in today's press, the Earl and Countess of Wessex are facing a dilemma over the health their only child, Louise.
Lady Louise was born with exotropia. Exotropia is a squint in which the eye turns outwards. It is a rare condition which requires surgery if it is not to be permanent.
The optimum time for surgery is before the child is two. Lady Louise will be two years old in November. After she was born there were concerns that the squint might indicate something more sinister. Louise underwent a battery of tests to ensure this was not the case.
Louise, who was born four weeks prematurely and weighted only 4lbs 9ozs, was transferred to a specialist paidiatric hospital and was separated from Sophie for 16 days while doctors fought to save life. Following internal haehorrhaging, she was transfused with 9 pints of blood.
Understandably, both Edward and Sophie are very reluctant about their little daughter being subjected to a general anaesthetic and to surgery during which the eye muscles are adjusted in order return the eye to the centre.
The Countess of Wessex is living through a stressful period. Her mother, Mary Rhys-Jones, underwent surgery last week to remove a tumour from her colon.
tsaria
