Behind the name.
In June our life is going to be hectic! We will be
introducing our Zoe (who will be 18 months) to her baby sister, Ellie Rose
MacDaniels. There is a tinge of sadness with calling the new baby Ellie Rose
but so much thankfulness as well. Ellie Rose was the name we had chosen for a
girl when we were pregnant during the summer of 2012---the pregnancy before Zoe.
2012 was a really tough year for us and we felt defeated
by the end of it. The year started out amazingly with a positive pregnancy test
for the baby we were sure was our take home baby! It was our 5th time to be
pregnant but this time was different. We had finally figured out what was
causing the miscarriages. About six weeks into my fourth pregnancy I was
diagnosed with antiphospholipid syndrome, a clotting disorder that requires
anticoagulant injections during pregnancy to keep your body from "clotting
off the baby." Sadly, we lost that baby two weeks after beginning
injections, but I was sure it was because we had started the injections too late
and that the next time I got pregnant, I would be a huge and uncomfortable
pregnant lady. I was so confident that we did something we hadn't done in a
long time-- we took a break and planned to try again in 6 months once I was
settled into my new job.
As soon as I got the positive test, I started the
injections, changed my immunosuppressant drugs to keep from harming the baby,
and was seen immediately by my OB who found my progesterone levels to be low
and started me on supplementation. We were all optimistic.
The day of my mom's surprise 50th birthday party (that
was being held at my house), we were shocked to discover on ultrasound that the baby's heart had
stopped beating and we had a D&C on February 28, 2012 (my aunt's birthday).
We decided it was time to do genetic studies on the
"remains of conception." On April 2, 2012, we got the results from
the genetic studies back: a baby girl with trisomy13. The next step was to test
Adam and I to see if it was random or one of us had a genetic disorder.
We had blood work done on Friday, April 13th to see if
one of us had a risk factor for having a baby with trisomy 13. No
kidding---this was the date: Friday the 13th. April 18th, we celebrated 4 years
of marriage. April 29, we go the results from the genetic studies back---I had
Robertsonian translocation 13;14. I was advised that due to the number of
issues discovered, we would continue to have losses and we should pursue
another avenue of having a baby. I was devastated! No more trying. It was over.
to be continued...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No comments:
Post a Comment