VERSAILLES — Krista Halley, of Versailles, has had her share of health issues but learned that she can overcome them as she became a mother for the first time when daughter Emma was born on June 25 at 8:31 a.m.
Krista, now 33, was born with spina bifida and is a paraplegic.
OB/GYN Dr. Peter Lachiewicz delivered the healthy baby via C-section as planned at Wayne HealthCare. She weighed 7 pounds.
“I was a little nervous,” said Krista. “I like the doctor. He was great. During the whole process, we discussed whether to have it natural or C-section.”
Subsequently, they chose the latter.
Krista, daughter of the former Tammy Trittschuh (now the wife of Bruce Magoto) and Jeff Dabe, both of Versailles, said she started having contractions around Father’s Day, but learned that she was just dehydrated.
Her baby, she said, is perfect. And, she doesn’t have any problems taking care of her infant’s needs.
“She is a pretty good baby, content and healthy,” said Krista, a 2004 Versailles High School graduate who had worked at Tiger Eye Design at one time.
She is no stranger to being around children.
“I helped my mom babysit for 10 years,” said Krista.
Most generally in a wheelchair, Krista said she had walked at one time for a little while with braces on her legs.
“I wanted to walk but my bones wouldn’t let me,” she said. “I had multiple surgeries on my left leg.”
She indicated she had hydrocephalus along with her spina bifida.
Hydrocephalus is the buildup of fluid in the cavities (ventricles) deep within the brain. The excess fluid increases the size of the ventricles and puts pressure on the brain. Cerebrospinal fluid normally flows through the ventricles and bathes the brain and spinal column.
“They don’t know if spina bifida is hereditary,” said Krista, who is also the granddaughter of Kay Trittschuh. “My mom later had my two brothers, Michael and Timothy, who have not been affected by it.”
Krista said she always wanted to play volleyball.
“I couldn’t but they let me keep score and do the scoreboard,” said Krista, who had been on a mixed bowling league for two years.
Krista said her own mother knew she had spina bifida while carrying her during pregnancy.
“I’m glad Mom had me,” she said. “I try to be independent as much as I can.”
She said it was her mother who recommended Dr. Lachiewizc as it was her doctor, too.
Krista met husband Kurt Halley of Greenville in 2010 at the bowling alley in Versailles, where he worked at the front desk of the bar.
They were married Sept. 24, 2006.
Kurt, the son of Karl and Peggy (Miles) Halley of Greenville, has worked in the office of GTI as a mechanical engineer in the purchasing department for the past four years.
Krista said she knew the gender of her baby before the birth.
“I couldn’t go without knowing,” she said. “I had a suspicion it was a girl, but it didn’t matter to Kurt.”
She admits there was a lot of anxiety with this pregnancy.
“I think I worried because of the fear of surgery,” she said. “I was in the hospital on Tuesday and got out on Friday.”
But, now that they are home, she takes care of her daughter with the help of her husband.
“GTI is on shutdown this week and I go back next week,” said Kurt, a 2005 graduate of Greenville High School.
“This was perfect timing,” Krista said.
