I chose life...

Today is the day I want to tell my personal story of my second pregnancy...

While I was pregnant with my second child, I had all the normal prenatal care. When it was time for the routine AFP test (alpha-fetoprotein) I had to hold my breath after having a slightly abnormal result with my first pregnancy. My son Matt was born perfectly healthy after being frightened terribly throughout my pregnancy that something could be wrong with him. The same AFP test came back abnormal with my second pregnancy as well, but being that I had already experienced this, I didn't panic. A little further into my second pregnancy, as I was having an ultrasound, it was brought to my attention that there were "choroid plexus cysts" found on my baby's brain. This is where the real stress began and was magnified over the course of my pregnancy. It was explained to me by my OB/GYN doctor that the combination of the abnormal AFP test and the choroid plexus cysts on the baby's brain were quite indicative of a trisomy disorder known as Trisomy 18. At this point it was highly recommended that I have an amniocentesis to confirm. In panic mode, I made arrangements to have this test done as soon as possible. At my appointment, I signed paperwork indicating that the procedure carried many risks, one of which was the risk of having a miscarriage. I signed the paperwork. Then they began cleaning my pregnant belly with an antiseptic solution. It was at that very moment, I changed my mind. I just couldn't get myself to risk having a miscarriage. I loved my baby already. I got up off the table and told them that I had changed my mind. I left the amniocentesis facility and decided that I would deal with whatever happens. If my baby was born only to die shortly after birth, I would deal with it the best I could. After that day, I cried many tears not knowing what the future would hold. I also suffered extreme anxiety on top of the never ending morning sickness that lasted throughout my entire pregnancy.

My OB/GYN, who happened to be a woman, was horrified that I didn't follow through with the amniocentesis. She told me that it would make sense for me to consider terminating my pregnancy. She also suggested that I take a trip to one of the local "homes" where special needs children were living, so I could get a "taste" of what I could be in for. Looking back and knowing how young I was and how I didn't know The Lord, I am so grateful that I didn't allow the doctors use of intimidation to sway my decision to follow through with my pregnancy and to give birth to my child regardless of the consequences.

Well, the day finally arrived and it was time to give birth. My baby was born on June 18, 1992. She was over 9 pounds and as soon as she was born, they whisked her away to the NICU to check to see if she was healthy. They brought specialists in who made some observations about the lines on the palms of her hands and the scare of something being "wrong" with her continued to linger even after her birth.

Eventually, it was determined that she did not have a trisomy disorder and that she was healthy enough to go home. Although she had some issues in her infancy, such as a hemangioma that developed on her back at about 2 months old and an unusual birthmark on her face and neck , she was a perfectly healthy baby girl. This baby girl is now 20 years old and I am so grateful that I chose life, even when I didn't know God and was basically being bullied as a young Mom into "terminating my pregnancy" (murdering my baby) because she may have had a trisomy disorder.

No, I do not know what it would have been like to actually have had a baby girl with Trisomy 18, but I realized that God would have been there for me no matter what the circumstances would have been.

What triggered my blog today was a post on Facebook that I saw from Rick Santorum stating that his precious daughter Bella (she has Trisomy 18) has turned 5 years old today!

I am so thankful that in my young, naive and maybe even ignorant thinking back then, I was able to make the only right decision which was to give birth to my child no matter what the cost. Life is always worth it...I love you Amanda Rose Geyser!!!

Psalm 127:3
New King James Version (NKJV)
3 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
The fruit of the womb is a reward.