Since we posted our blog this past Wednesday, we have been very encouraged by our family and friend's interest in Brody. Thank you all for caring so much about him! I am very sure that one way God is working through this is by showing His great love through all of you.
In my last blog I mentioned some updates that they specialists had given us on Brody's condition. We are working with the Maternal-Fetal Medicine group out of Fairview Southdale Hospital in Edina. We were informed that there is another good group of specialists in the area, called Minnesota Perinatal Physicians, but we have been more than pleased with our experience at MFM. The genetic counselor that we were assigned is a mom that lost her first son to Trisomy 18. She has gone completely out of her way as she is so genuinely empathetic. The physicians have provided much more than medical information, but also sincere advice regarding the implications of losing a child in this way. Most importantly to us, they are treating Brody like the precious and important baby that he is, completely ignoring the fact that no matter what they do the final outcome is the same. We are so thankful for this and pray that we continue to work with people that treat Brody in this way.
We have decided to deliver Brody at the University of Minnesota Medial Center and Amplatz Children's Hospital. One of the perinatologists from MFM will deliver Brody, and the neonatologists from the U of M will be in charge of his care. We have been told that these physicians are familiar with babies with Trisomy, and not only will they be able to provide more specialized care, but that they are also better at working with families who are expecting a loss. Additionally, Addison's pediatrician has generously offered to be there when Brody is born, as he wants to be involved in his care. (When we brought Addison in two weeks ago, he asked how the pregnancy was going, and was on his knees in prayer immediately after hearing Brody's prognosis.) I am not going to overlook God on that one...He just continues to bless.
Since Brody's heart is the main concern, the specialists have discussed with us the possibility of doing a echocardiogram to take a even closer look. We have opted to pass on this test as it will not change our course of treatment, and is likely to increase our concern for Brody. We continue to pray that his little heart keeps on beating so that we can feel it with our own hands.
We also learned more about Brody's omphalecele. (An omphalocele is a birth defect in which the infant's intestine stick out of the belly button and are covered by a thin layer of tissue.) These can occur in healthy infants and are usually surgically repaired within a few days of birth. Due to the risks related to surgery for Brody, we have been advised and will most likely choose to avoid anything too invasive. However, we were encouraged to hear that Brody's omphalecele is very small and will likely heal itself prior to birth or respond to noninvasive treatments shortly after birth. We pray that this is true and that this small defect will not have any effect on Brody life.
We discussed the probability of Brody coming early. They recommended that we stay very close to home and the hospital from 32 weeks on, but that there still is a reasonable possibility of Brody going full term. At first we thought that it would be tough to totally rethink our summer in order to wait for something so difficult, but fortunately it has not been tough at all. We pray that Brody hangs in there for the full 40 weeks and we want nothing more than to be as close to the best care for him as possible. It is likely that the longer I carry Brody, the longer he will be with us after he is born. Again, we are just thankful that he is with us right now, and whatever rearrangements need to be made, they will be made simply because he is alive. We hope to have to "rearrange" for our sweet boy as long as possible.
Decisions about his care after he is born have also been on our mind this past week. However, we are feeling at peace with our approach to his life; that it is not in our hands. We do not think we will intervene in any significant way, other than to keep Brody totally comfortable. It is difficult to talk more specifically about this right now, but it has been comforting knowing that he will be okay every second that he is with us. We hope that God continues to provide peace and clarity around these big decisions.
Jason continues to ask the same question over and over; whether Brody's condition will increase the risks for me during the pregnancy and delivery. The answer is no. At first Jason was so sad that he was going to have to watch me go through the physical aspects of this and not be able to do anything to change it. After almost four weeks, I think I have convinced him that I am the lucky one that gets to spend 24 hours a day with this special child. (God, thank you for letting Jason feel Brody kick for the first time last night. ) I pray that Jason can spend 24 hours in a day with our son.
I have only touched on a few of the many decisions that we need to make over the next couple months. We simply are not ready to even discuss some of the "to dos" that exist for parents facing this type of loss, and definitely need more prayer to find peace in the others.
I need to say again how thankful we are that you are taking the time to read about Brody. We KNOW that prayers are being answered, and we are sure that without them we would not feel the peace and clarity that we do. We also believe that God wants to hear our specific prayers about all of this, as He wants to be involved and cares more deeply than anyone. This weekend we celebrated the greatest sacrifice of all. No one understands losing a son more than our Heavenly Father.
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." - Phillipians 4:6-7
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