“We were worried about our daughter undergoing anesthesia for an MRI—we had no idea we were about to be blindsided with horrific news,” mom-of-two Katie Martinez told Newsweek , after her daughter’s drop foot led to a devastating diagnosis.

Martinez, of San Antonio, Texas, was just two weeks postpartum when her mom pointed out an issue with her newborn daughter’s foot in August. Most babies flex their toes when the sole of their foot is touched (known as the Babinski reflex), but it appeared that 2-week-old Penelope couldn’t do that with her left foot.

At the time, Martinez didn’t think too much of it and presumed the issue would resolve itself naturally.

“The first weeks with a newborn are so tiring, plus I already had a 3-year-old, so I was really focused on finding a new rhythm and

See Full Page