tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3430678038554058515.post3898559124790595332..comments2023-10-27T05:23:06.969-04:00Comments on our trisomy journey- God's gift of jedidiah joseph: speaking at HB 954 committee hearingelizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05696241309160847537noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3430678038554058515.post-16370066119591591972015-07-02T01:12:17.858-04:002015-07-02T01:12:17.858-04:00Hello,
I just found your blog in search of support...Hello,<br />I just found your blog in search of support. I am 18 weeks pregnant and found out two weeks ago that our baby (a boy) has Trisomy 13. He is our 10th baby. We thought we were done after our #9 who is now two years old, but God had other plans. I am 45 years old, and so I did want to stop having babies because I was afraid of... of what? Of this. I am not afraid of another baby. Babies are easy. And having 10 is no different than 9. I was SO looking forward to this little boy! But now I am so worried. So sad. My heart is breaking into pieces ever single day. I go to sleep thinking of him, and I wake up thinking of him. And I feel him kicking in my belly. Thankfully, at our perinatologist appointment (during the ultrasound that confirmed T13 markers) and at the genetic counselor appointment, not one of them mentioned the "option" of termination. Maybe they thought that since we had 9 children already that we would be opposed to that? Or maybe because the hospital they are affiliated with is a St. Joseph's hospital and they aren't allowed to counsel on abortion? I'm not sure, but both my husband and I walked out of that awful appointment very thankful that no one suggested we terminate our little boy. The perinatologist just make me another ultrasound appointment in 4 weeks and said we would get a better look at his heart at that appointment since he would be 21 weeks at that time. She just ASSUMED that we were going to carry to term. That was nice. Anyway... I am really struggling with this. I am showing quite a bit already and I find myself wearing really baggy shirts to hide my pregnancy instead of showing it off proudly as I normally do. I feel so guilty about this, guilty for trying to hide my baby boy, who we have named Aaron. But it's not that. I'm just trying to avoid all the "Oh! Are you expecting again? How wonderful. You must be SO excited. Are the kids excited? Do you know what you are having? When is your due date?" Oh My Gosh...how do you endure that??? HOW??? I have no friends who have carried a baby to term who has had this kind of diagnosis. (I have had a few friends who terminated for DS....so very HARD to keep those friendships. I can't imagine doing that. What I would give right now if my T13 baby were a T21 baby instead!! At least he would live much, much longer and would be able to walk and run and play with his siblings) Anyway, I'm not sure if you are still active on your blog or not, but if you get this message I just want you to know that it helps to read your blog. Ultrasound shows that my Aaron has a bilateral cleft palate, he has a faulty mitral valve but his heart seems to be well formed and strong, he has many brain concerns including a missing vermis in his cerebellum, and an encephalocele on the back of his head with a protruding mass (could be brain matter, could be cerebral spinal fluid -- we do not know yet) and his head isn't the egg-shape that it should be, but seems to be slightly malformed. He has perfect hands and feet, both kidneys, a working bladder, a perfect spinal cord, and a nasal bone. He looked beautiful to me. But...I'm not naive. He seems to have pretty significant markers. The brain being the biggest. I know a cleft palate can be fixed, and perhaps even a mitral valve...but the brain....no, not the brain. I'm heartbroken. <br />~Katrina<br />mommy10times@aol.comKatrinahttp://www.theyallcallmemom.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3430678038554058515.post-60704748486466948242013-01-16T11:41:51.081-05:002013-01-16T11:41:51.081-05:00Hi Elizabeth,
i found this when doing a trisomy 13...Hi Elizabeth,<br />i found this when doing a trisomy 13 search. We, too, have an angel with trisomy 13 and I wrote about her her in my blog: http://belliesbabiesandbalance.blogspot.com/2012/11/november-living-fully-and-gift-of-ava.html.<br />I so agree with your testimony, it is what i meant in my blog about "living fully". If we had took it upon ourselves to end our sweet Ava's life, thinking it would save us pain, we would have missed out on one of the most profound experiences of our lives. please read my post and see if it resonates with you. <br />blessings to you! nora<br />nora rozellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14230433449715694890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3430678038554058515.post-89195246414574196642012-08-08T00:40:30.969-04:002012-08-08T00:40:30.969-04:00Just read this Elizabeth.
You are awesome. You ar...Just read this Elizabeth.<br /><br />You are awesome. You are a rock.Zombiemommyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12484880804068329390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3430678038554058515.post-44582389638858482452012-03-21T20:13:22.746-04:002012-03-21T20:13:22.746-04:00Fantastic! So glad you spoke up, Elizabeth! Your s...Fantastic! So glad you spoke up, Elizabeth! Your story touched the hearts of my family. God bless your generosity!ugagalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15307824487194539872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3430678038554058515.post-63138273295521470222012-02-28T09:20:32.521-05:002012-02-28T09:20:32.521-05:00Yes- I remember your testimony Charles.
It was ver...Yes- I remember your testimony Charles.<br />It was very needed! My brother works with PATH(a lady from PATH also spoke on Friday). He is a priest and has counciled MANY women and quite a few men seeking healing after an abortion.<br />So many in oursociety compartmentalize abortion so much so that they think it's just a medical proceedure that affects Women's bodies. <br />It doesn't stop there. It affects their hearts, minds, husbands, families, and society- on such deep levels.<br />Thank you for speaking.elizabethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05696241309160847537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3430678038554058515.post-34668204855939613722012-02-27T23:48:07.932-05:002012-02-27T23:48:07.932-05:00Yes I did, I spoke on the impact of abortion on me...Yes I did, I spoke on the impact of abortion on men.Charles Joneshttp://www.attorneycjones.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3430678038554058515.post-6795226618057225752012-02-27T10:00:48.816-05:002012-02-27T10:00:48.816-05:00@ everyone- thank you.
@ charles- i was so nervous...@ everyone- thank you.<br />@ charles- i was so nervous that i didn't hear people's names too well- but i did hear other's speeches.<br />were you the one who went to UGA law school, wearing UGA colors?elizabethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05696241309160847537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3430678038554058515.post-82653326740542128912012-02-26T20:17:11.826-05:002012-02-26T20:17:11.826-05:00How very beautiful, Elizabeth. Thank you for your...How very beautiful, Elizabeth. Thank you for your courage, and for sharing your testimony here.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3430678038554058515.post-61968793863959427922012-02-26T06:01:04.015-05:002012-02-26T06:01:04.015-05:00I was at the Committee meeting, I spoke a few minu...I was at the Committee meeting, I spoke a few minutes before you did, and I was very moved by your testimony; what a wonderful story of a family overflowing with love! And you spoke so very well - thank you very much for having the courage to come and share Jedidiah's story with everybody and to let us share in some of that joy!Charles Joneshttp://www.attorneycjones.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3430678038554058515.post-11080882776281371992012-02-25T15:35:50.260-05:002012-02-25T15:35:50.260-05:00Elizabeth, thank you for your strength to testify ...Elizabeth, thank you for your strength to testify to Jedi's life in front of this committee.Elainehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00211803436622008058noreply@blogger.com