Chris Cornwell Photographer

This day last year, we were blessed with a miracle. A boy we named Creighton John. Named after his paternal great grandparents, this little boy has been through it all. At 12 weeks, we were told the ‘bad’ news. That we needed to be prepared. “We need to keep our options open”, said our high risk OB.

It was just another routine visit. So I thought. I was in Lexington for my ultrasound/checkup and had anxiously waited to ‘see’ my little peanut. Having driven 2 hours and frequent bathroom visits, I waited at the waiting room with 5 or so other very pregnant women. All very happy and constantly rubbing their round bellies. I was barely showing and just couldn’t wait to rub my round belly. I thought to myself. My name was called.. yippie! I was led to my ‘usual’ room. I’ve had the same technician since day one so we were practically buddies by then. Things moved along quickly as she moved the wand all over the belly taking all sorts of measurements and making small talk at the same time. Then, she left to consult with the attending OB/Gyn. She came in and talked with me. Like she always did… telling me the baby’s progress… the USUAL. And she would see me in xx weeks. Well, it wasn’t so. She sat down next to me and showed me the ultrasound. She began by saying, ” You see this…”. I was taking it all in. I knew I had a problem. An incompetent cervix. A condition many women have and it was ME. ‘I’ can be fixed. The next thing that came out of her mouth was not what I was expecting at all. I was there to see my peanut and find out when I will have my cerclage precedure. Schedules, schedules! I was told we would have to wait and see. What?

Well, she gave us what seemed to be ‘grave’ news. We are expecting a child with chromosomal abnomalities. What do you mean? She read the list. Down syndrome. Turner syndrome. It was a LIST. The nuchul translucency behind his neck was unusually wide. 6mm compared to 1-2 mm for an ‘average’ fetus. I was still disgesting this confusing news.. This is not what I had envisioned today to be. I got dressed and went to the bathroom. Having a full bladder during an ultrasound isn’t fun so I HAD to go. As I locked the bathroom door behind me, it suddenly hit me. The news sunk in. The bad news.

I came back out and head back into the exam room. Everyone looked at me very oddly. It’s like they heard the news too and not knowing what to say. I got myself together and listened to what I needed to do next. A CVS test. Ok. Let’s do it. I asked questions but I wasn’t scared. I needed to know for sure. 

That night, with very little internet access, I googled ‘nuchul translucency, NT’. Everything I read and saw, it was bad. Bad news all around. Hope? I had little. Almost none. 

The next day, the test took 5 minutes or so. The results- 2 weeks. 2 long weeks. We sat and googled (some more) awaiting the ‘bad’ news. I prayed. Everyone I knew prayed for this baby. Then, she called. She said the sample was not sufficient. We have to wait to do the amnio test. Wait till 16 weeks. Those days went by so slowly. She also said to be prepared. She was giving us statistics. The numbers were not in our favor. But, she did say that fetuses with a large the N.T. measurement can also be completely normal. 40%! Well, that is better news. At least it’s not 5%. I can live with 40%. So, she can be 60% wrong? The day came. We did THE test. And waited another week or so.

The call came from the LAB. I was at the office, mid day. I remember it clearly. I answered my phone and she said the results are clear. CLEAR.

I thanked her profusely. I called everyone I knew. I spread the GOOD news. And last year today, here he is. A miracle.

I thanked God everyday for my miracle babies… because they are indeed miracles. And YES, prayers do work. I have proof.

Happy 1 st Birthday my boy.

*  We love you so, so much *

p.s. Yes, he is Momma’s boy. But, you understand why.

{ xo }