I Believe In Miracles

Doyle Slayton | Dec 23, 2009 | Comments 39

I have a story to tell you about life. My wife and I went through three miscarriages in the last 18 months. We lost each baby around week six or seven. There is nothing harder than looking for a heartbeat that once was beating… and you know by looking at the monitors that things have gone terribly wrong. The nurse turns to you and says, “I’m so sorry.”

Although we already had two beautiful daughters, we really wanted another child. Our doctor encouraged us to make our own decision and told us there was no reason we shouldn’t try again. The decision was more emotional than anything else. Did we have the strength to mentally endure another loss?

Together, we decided to try again, and soon after, my wife informed me it was time to see the doctor. We were pregnant again! As with any family who has suffered through the disappointment of losing a child, we fought through the heavy worry of each passing week.

When week six finally arrived, we went for our doctor visit. This is the pivotal week to see the heartbeat for the first time!

Yet again, we received crushing news. The sonogram measured a heart rate that was beating at well below the required rate for survival, and the growth of the baby was measuring behind expectations. Our high risk doctor informed us that our chances for survival were not good. He said, “I don’t want to take away all hope, but I want you to know that you need to be prepared to lose this one too.” He asked us to return the following week to do another sonogram.

My wife and I left with a heavy heart. We did a lot of praying that week… a lot of praying.

We were very nervous when we returned to see the doctor that next week. Would there still be a heartbeat?

The nurse prepared the sonogram. My wife and I held hands… and listened… “lub-dub… lub-dub… lub-dub,” there was a heartbeat… the heart rate had more than doubled… the baby’s growth had caught up to normal! We left the room together… crying… and the doctor, who had yet to receive the news, looked at us and said, “Oh no, I’m so sorry…” We stopped him in mid-sentence, “It’s good news!”

We were thrilled, but we knew it was only the beginning. Our experiences with our first two children, would require that we face challenges with a blood clotting disorder, pregnancy induced diabetes, and in month nine… high blood pressure.

Every day, my wife had to give herself shots in the stomach with a blood thinner… and as month nine arrived, the blood pressure issue surfaced again.

Last night, my wife was admitted to the hospital. Her blood pressure was through the roof. The doctor advised that we take no chances and induced labor today. At 3:12 PM I became a father again! She is 7 lbs 11oz and 19.5 inches long.

I Believe In Miracles

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