God's Little Miracle

I mentioned in my first post that this journey in discovering my unborn baby has Cat Eye Syndrome has been one totally ordained by God. I truly believe this and I thought i would take the time to share what has been revealed thus far..Some might say that these are results of circumstance, but there are just too many for that claim.

1.We spent 18 months trying to having a baby, with 5 of those being monitored multiple times a week to make sure timing was perfect and none were successful.
**The first cycle I stopped all the meds, I became pregnant.

2. My initial ultrasound showed no heartbeat,
**But a follow up appointment only 4 days later showed the tiniest flicker of the heart of my little bean.

3. My first ob appointment was with a new doctor who I quickly realized was exactly what I needed to maintain a healthy pregnancy. My blood pressure on that first visit was 140/90 and I was only twelve weeks. My future prognosis was looking bleak.
**My follow up visit showed a much lower blood pressure and it has remained at a level that is better than I have when I am not pregnant. Thank God!

4. At sixteen weeks, my daughter contracted 5th's disease, a common childhood virus, but one that can be harmful to an unborn baby.
**Tests revealed that I was already immune to it and neither I nor the baby were at risk.

5. At 18 weeks, I went in for an ultrasound and a standard technician noticed a shortened femur bone and possibly rotated heart. A follow up ultrasound with a high risk doctor was recommended, but I was told I would have to wait because the office was closed.
**I received a phone call the following morning from a lady at my drs office who offered to schedule me an appointment at a different location. I was so relieved and thankful because I was sure I would have to call and remind them to schedule the appointment. I found out several weeks later that the lady who called me recognized my name and remembered I had coached her daughter. She later told me she wanted to help in any way she could so she called to see what other offices were available so I could be seen sooner. Truly an angel of God!

6. I went for my follow up ultrasound with a highly trained techinician and high risk doctor and they revealed that the femur was actually in normal range and heart looked normal. But further testing was scheduled just to be sure and reassure me

**This testing eventually led to the diagnosis of a congenital heart defect known as TAPVR and of my baby's condition of Cat Eye Syndrome which are rarely diagnosed prenataly.

7. At 26 weeks I found out I had gestational diabetes. I was terrified of what this might mean for my health and busy life.
**Despite my high test numbers on diagnosis, I have been able to maintain control through diet alone. I have yet at 34 weeks to gain any weight during this pregnancy, but baby is growing just fine.

8. Being a patient at a high risk facility put me in contact with a genetic counselor who has truly been an angel.
**From the beginning, she has offered me her office and cell phone number to call at anytime if I had questions or concerns. She even answered my call on a weekend. God bless her because I was a basket case. She has kept me frequently updated on every step of the process of testing and has informed me of every conversation that she has had with the geneticists locally and those in Washington State. And despite all the overwhelming news she has had to deliver to me, she has always remained optimistic and went out of her way to give me every possible scenario.

9. This pregnancy fell at time that was just perfect for what I was about to go through.
**Being a head volleyball coach and something I love to do, my season began at about the same time I was finding out all of this information. It gave me the motivation to get up and get going, and it provided an outlet where I could not dwell in my own self pity. It surrounded me with people who were supportive, and helped me see the light at the end of the tunnel.

10. Most of all, this journey is not over, but I have been provided with an overwhelming peace, and I know that God has not revealed to the world his purpose for this baby. But I know there is one. All of these circumstances have educated me in ways I would have never known.
**I now realize the true miracle it is to even conceive a child.
**I have seen the miracle it is to give birth to a healthy child.
**I have learned that genetics are complicated, but yet every single fiber of our dna is so vital to our existence. Only a mighty and superior God could have ordained such a thing.
**I have learned that being in control is not the most important thing, and I am still trying to fully relinquish my grip on this.
**And I know that this journey has only just begun.