The Journey of Amazing Grace
Life has a way of throwing curveballs our way when we least expect them. The trials we are forced to endure often times shape us into who we need to be.
My first pregnancy was textbook cliché’. The food cravings, the mood swings, the swollen feet. But the excitement and anticipation was worth it. I remember complaining about how hard it was to walk, how every pair of shoes hurt my feet. I didn’t know how lucky I was.
My second pregnancy came with joy, just like the first. However at my 20 week ultrasound, my husband and I quickly learned we were about to face an unshakable fear— the same unshakable fear my parents had faced with me.
Sitting in a dark and quiet room, lit mostly by the glaring light of the ultrasound screen we received the toughest news of our lives. Our daughter, the one who had already stolen our hearts, was diagnosed with a two life-altering conditions—spina bifida and hydrocephalus. We were told she may never walk. That she may be born, paralyzed from the waist down.
Leaving that hospital in absolute devastation, I couldn’t help but dream there was a way out. There was something I could do that would give my daughter the upper hand.
After long hours of crying and researching, followed by several hard conversations, I learned there was a huge advancement in the medical world that could potentially help. How big or how little, was still an unknown. There was an option for in-utero surgery, and UofM had recently begun offering it to patients who qualified. After 2 days, of extensive testing and evaluations, we were approved to proceed if we wished. The risks to myself and my daughter were inevitable but the benefits of early intervention seemed to outweigh those risks. As the 10th, candidate to undergo this surgery, my daughter Grace and I faced our largest, scariest, most painful battle, together, as mother and daughter.
On March 14th, 2017, in an operating room surrounded by 18 doctors, my abdomen was opened up, surgery on my baby was performed, and then within hours I was closed back up for her to continue to grow.
Coming out of surgery we were both forever changed. We were warriors. From that day on, my Grace would continue to grow in physical strength and I would continue to grow in mental strength.
2 months later, my amazing Grace was born for a second time. She came out kicking her legs and wiggling her toes. I remember thinking how she was the strongest, most beautiful girl I had ever seen in my entire life. At 1 day old, she was already my greatest hero and my greatest lesson.
