Hey Everyone!
In an effort to keep everyone informed of our situation, I'm writing yet another email! I hope y'all don't get sick of me!
Yesterday was another sonogram with our maternal fetal specialist. He again was searching for any problems that Caroline might have. He did find a couple of things this time. First, she has some leaky valves in her heart. Although this is very common in children with DS, we had hoped based on the last sonogram that her heart was in the clear. Indeed, this particular problem is relatively minor compared to what many suffer with. There is not much we can do about it except keep an eye on it. Many people live with this condition and it's main complications seem to occur much later in life, if at all. The second problem discovered was in her digestive area. To get the actual name of the problem and description, you would have to ask Chad. What I do know is that she will have to have surgery when she is born to correct the problem. As for me, we discovered that I yet again have a high amount of fluid! This time it is because of the digestive problem that Caroline has. The doctor explained that it will not necessarily go the way our pregnancy with Allie went (bedrest and born a month early), so again, we keep an eye on it and wait and see!
While this may all sound like bad news, I am still praising our God right now. Why? Because it could be so much worse!! In the spectrum of problems they have been looking for, these are the lesser of the evils. Plus, I am so very grateful that there is a surgery that can correct one of the problems and she will not have to suffer with it all of her life! Thank God for His mercy!
Please continue to pray for sweet little Caroline's health. I pray this is the full extent of any problems, and that they would not find any more. Pray for Chad and I as we adjust to everything. Praise God for His love and the continued peace and joy that He gives us concerning Caroline.
Thank you so much for all of your care and concern. We continue to be amazed by how much support we have. Thank you to the ladies that have brought meals...I am beyond grateful and cannot express what a blessing you have been!
I continue to offer my deepest apologies for being so poor at returning phone calls or emails right now. As every parent knows, summer is hard! I am being pushed to my maximum capacity right now, and therefore correspondence tends to be low on the list! However, I am so sorry if you have been hurt in any way by my negligence! I truly apologize!
On one final note, I wanted to share with you our current stance on how to handle all of the topics surrounding Caroline with our other two children. It is our deepest desire that Caroline is accepted and loved by AnnMarie and Allie without a preconceived idea that something is wrong with her. We have chosen up to this point to not discuss Down Syndrome to them or any of her health issues. They adore Caroline in mommy's tummy and I do not want that to be lost in a sea of complicated words and negative undertones. We continue to teach them that all of us are created wonderfully, unique, and with great purpose. They know that God made Caroline special, just as he made them special. Until the time comes where they ask specific questions or it becomes necessary otherwise to explain the situation, this will be the route that we stay on. Humbly, I ask that you would all take this into consideration as you come into contact with AnnMarie and Allie--especially if you have children that are their friends.
As always, I am grateful to have community to walk through this journey with.
I love you all,
Amy
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