Md. Girl With Rare, Incurable Disease Leaving ‘Bubble’ To Compete In Miss Teen Maryland

BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Fifty Maryland girls will soon compete for the title of “Miss Teen Maryland.”

One 15-year-old finalist is Macey Brietenback, who was born with an extremely rare disease that basically leaves her without a working gastro-intestinal system.

She lives most of her life at home, in bed, but she’s ready to venture out to try to become “Miss Teen Maryland.”

When she was born, Macey’s parents were told she wouldn’t live a week. Her incurable visceral myopathy means she cannot digest food. At all.

“She’s had eight exploratory surgeries, she’s had O.R. 50 plus times,” says her mother, Mickey Brietenback. “She’s had her gall bladder out, her stomach out, her large bowel out.”

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