A baby boy born without a nose , a condition so rare it only has a one in 197 million chance of happening , is finally going home to his parents in Alabama after three weeks in the hospital . Timothy Eli Thompson was born premature on March 4 without any nasal passages or sinus cavities . He is one of only 37 people who have been born with complete congenital arhinia . He had to undergo a tracheotomy at only five days old . His mother Brandi McGlathery was expecting ' a perfectly healthy baby boy ' after every ultrasound came back normal during her pregnancy . Timothy Eli Thompson was born without a nose , a condition so rare it only has a one in 10 billion chance of happening , on March 4 in Alabama . Eli , who does not have any nasal passages or sinus cavities , had to undergo a tracheotomy at five days old . McGlathery , 23 , has since been diligently tracking the ups and downs of her baby 's progress on a Facebook page titled 'Eli 's Journey , ' which already has over 4,000 likes . Eli has been treated at the USA Children 's and Women 's Hospital in Mobile for three weeks . McGlathery has shared the good news of his test results , including an eye exam and cranial scan that came back normal , as well as the 'hard blow ' the family was dealt when they found out Eli did n't have nasal passages . This means that even though Eli can have a nose built for him , doctors are still unsure at this point 'if it will actually be functional , ' she wrote . The mother-of-three has also shared the emotional joys she 's had with Eli , including his first successful bath and bottle feeding , and the first time she saw his face without an oral respirator . Eli 's parents , Brandi McGlathery and Troy Thompson , give their child his very first bath . McGlathery , 23 , has been diligently tracking the ups and downs of her baby 's journey on a Facebook page titled 'Eli 's Journey , ' which already has over 4,000 likes . Both of Eli 's parents and his grandmas have learned the proper way to suction , clean and change his tracheostomy tube . 'Who knew someone so tiny could change so many people 's lives in such a short time ? Our perfect miracle baby , ' McGlathery wrote on her Facebook page . McGlathery also shared one of the first emotional moments she got to share with Eli while he was still in the neonatal intensive-care unit , the first time she had him to herself for more than 15 minutes since he 'd been born . 'We sat and rocked for two hours until my baby fell asleep , ' she wrote . Both of Eli 's parents and his grandmas have learned the proper way to suction , clean and change his tracheostomy tube . McGlathery calls Eli ‘ the most beautiful boy I ’ ve ever laid eyes on ’ 'The nurses told me that was the deepest sleep they 've seen him in since he arrived in NICU and that he was so calm when I was around . ' 'That made my heart melt all over . I 've been so worried that he 'd get more used to the nurses than he did me . ' And McGlathery has also shared concerns of what Eli will have to experience as he grows up , and whether children and the world will be cruel to him . 'My biggest fear for Eli is that the world wo n't see him as the beautiful , brave little boy that I see him as . ' But no matter what Eli will always have his mother , who calls him ‘ the most beautiful boy I ’ ve ever laid eyes on ’ .
Timothy Eli Thompson was born without nasal passages or sinus cavities . Its unknown if the nose he can have built for him will be functional . The surgery is expected to cost around $70,000 and take about a year, according to CNN affiliate WFAA.