Wednesday 2/15
The majority of today was a waiting game. This morning we met with the maternal fetal medicine surgeon (the same doctor who brought us the MRI results last night) to make sure we understood what information was given last night and to answer any questions we had. There weren't any new developments, or a change to his prognosis. The positives out of the meeting were he admitted it's his job to give us a worst case scenario picture, and Thatcher not making it to delivery or only living a few hours is our worst case scenario. Also, he agreed with us that Thatcher's movements and his "breathing practice" were good signs of some basic functions. This afternoon we met with the pediatric neurologist who essentially had the same diagnosis, major atrophy to Thatcher's gray and white brain tissue resulting in hydrocephalus exvacuo (enlarged ventricles) but a much improved prognosis. She couldn't give us a life expectancy, put a cap as to how long he might live. She did say he will be in an infantile state for the duration of his life. He will struggle with mental retardation, seizures, movement ability and control, ability to chew, to go the restroom, to sit, to walk among many other challenges. BUT that's not what today was about, the things Thatcher won't be able to do. Today was full of peace, of a renewal of our spirits, revelations of God's goodness, and full of evidence of God's miracles both big and small. We have prayed from the beginning of this pregnancy that God would use Thatcher in a big way to bring glory to His name. Today, God used Thatcher to bring people together from all over the US to The Netherlands, Africa, China, Greece, and Australia to look to Him in prayer. A baby who they've told us will not develop past infancy has done more for the Kingdom of God before he is even born than his two parents have ever done! Praise God! We are more convinced than ever that He is using our child to bring glory to His name and will continue to do so in a big way. We are continuing to trust in Him, our Creator and Perfecter of life. We know He can heal and we believe He will heal His child, our sweet baby Thatcher. Thank you all for your prayers, stories of healing, and encouraging words. We are so humbled and blessed by the out-pouring of love from our brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus. We only ask that you continue to go to God with expectancy of Him healing sweet Thatcher in accordance to His will.
My god daughter was given the same list as your baby of all the things that she would never do. Dr.'s predicted that she would not live to be 2 yrs. old and although she was born with Freeman-Sheldon syndrome with several anomalies and has faced many challenges, she will be 14 on Sunday the 11th. She walks, talks, feeds herself, goes to the restroom on her own, goes to school for the blind although she is only legally blind and reads Braille. Her mother was continually encouraged to terminate her pregnancy and with the same faith as you two she determined that it wasn't her decision to make and that she would love that baby as long as God allowed her to have her. In every way that counts, she is a normal teenage girl but to those that love her best, she is truly a miracle.
ReplyDeleteI am reading your blog for the first time today, on the day that you are supposed to give birth to sweet Thatcher. I will be praying throughout the day and asking others to pray for your comfort and peace and that of Thatcher's. Right now I'm living in Albania, so add that to the list of places hearing of God's work through Thatcher and both of you. Thank you for sharing.
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