I have a very dear friend who just went through a devastating loss. Her strength, courage, and grace through the unimaginable have been heartbreaking and awe-inspiring. I am so proud of her, and I am hoping to share a little of her story and ask that others help me in offering her some financial support as she navigates her life moving forward.
I wish to respect her privacy, and I know it is hard to ask others to chip in for a cause without a name, but I trust she will share her news in her own time and way with those she chooses to. In the meantime, I am hoping you will hear my plea and rise to the occasion.
My friend went in last week for what should have been a very routine anatomy scan. She was 20 weeks pregnant and looking forward to seeing her littlest love’s face and having the sonographer put the baby’s gender into an envelope for them to share with their loved ones at a gender reveal the following month. Unfortunately, this was not all that happened during this appointment. She received instead news that she needed to travel to Milwaukee to see an MFM specialist for another ultrasound due to some concerns with her baby’s head.
If you have ever received this referral yourself, you know that the anxiety of the wait for the appointment is absolutely brutal. They were able to get her in a couple of days later, and she received the diagnosis of anencephaly for her baby.
Anencephaly is when a baby is born with an underdeveloped brain and an incomplete skull.
A baby born with anencephaly might be stillborn or survive only a few hours to a few days after birth.
There is no cure for anencephaly. It is a fatal diagnosis.
I’m in tears writing this. A fatal diagnosis for a baby weighing just 8 ounces and yet to take their first breath.
The recommendation was to induce labor the following week and bring her baby into the world ahead of schedule.
There were so many uncertainties and unknowns; there was a chance of the baby surviving hours or maybe just precious minutes. Of labor lasting days or progressing quickly.
The world is a cruel thing sometimes, and it is hard to cope with the fact that some parents have to decide not just on a name for their baby but also whether they will be buried or cremated.
I am so very honored to have been a part of this baby’s birth day. I have never seen or held or loved a baby with such tiny feet, hands, ears, and the itty-bittiest button nose.
It’s hard to imagine life carrying on after such a tragic loss, and yet it must. My sweet friend has other beautiful children at home waiting for her.
She also has a job to eventually return to. I would like to see her take the time off that she needs to be with her family and to heal both mentally and physically. She has about one week of paid sick and vacation, but that hardly seems like enough time off, and she is worried about her bills and providing for her family.
Which brings me to my request to have anyone able to chip in even as little as $5-$10 towards this cause to alleviate any financial stress for a mama who is already experiencing enough.
Thank you for reading, supporting, and donating!
