Without further ado:
This has been quite the day! We can confidently say that we didn’t gain the traction we had hoped to through testing en route to tomorrow’s heart surgery on baby Peace. Even though the day started with a positive fetal eco at Boston Children's showing no further deterioration of Baby Peace’s heart condition, the next study and doctor meet up proved another thing altogether.
Next we went to at Brigham Women’s hospital for a complete sonogram/ultrasound work up of the baby. What was observed was not good news. The first alarm was that that the estimated weight of baby Peace was 2 lbs. 10 oz. which is in the 0 percentile for being 31 weeks pregnant. Second, was that my cervix had shortened which is an indicator that the minor contractions I have been feeling are getting me ready for labor. The last and most concerning finding was that the umbilical cord is showing an absence of blood flow from the placenta to baby. With all of this news piling up, we all of sudden found ourselves in the labor and delivery room with a whole new set of doctors wondering if I was about to give birth or if they should do a c-section and get baby out right away.
So, with a full team gathered around me of pediatrics cardiologist, neo-natalogists, nurses and the like, we were presented with the reality that if baby were born imminently that the prognosis for survival is extremely slim, given his or her size and sickness of heart. Even if the doctors were to do everything possible for baby Peace at this time the situation is looking grim. That said, sometimes they get surprised by a little one which stays in the womb way longer than thought and actually comes out with a fighting chance. We really don't know where we are on that spectrum yet.. A highly educated guess though has me going into labor sooner than later.
It is hard to understand how quickly and drastically this keeps changing. We start thinking in one direction and charting a course and then hit another intersection of discernment and decisions. I spent the day hooked up to monitors with the prospect of "being in early labor and having a possible C-section" to now being cleared to fly home on a flight first thing in the morning providing there are no obvious changes overnight. Our intent throughout the day has been to have a safe mommy and baby, but ideally in Children’s in Aurora, CO.
Please stay vigilant in prayer with us and know that we cannot do this without you. God be glorified in all we do and say and think and feel. Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, pray for us! Mighty angels protect us!
Thank you dear ones,
Rebecca and Sharbel
www.gofundme.com/babypeace
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