Altered

This past month I started sharing on Google Reader. It has enabled me to be in complete awe at the sheer volume of perfect posts that are out there. Lisa b's post "Different" brought me back to December 20, 2002.

It was the Friday before Christmas. I was home early that day when the phone rang. It is crazy how your life can change simply by answering the phone. It was my doctor saying that there were some indicators in my test results warning that my pregnancy was abnormal. Being that I was 19 weeks along we would be rushed into genetic counseling.

On Christmas Eve we sat in the same building as Lisa where we were told frightening numbers. The odds that our first child would have Trisomy 18 were not good. Due to the fact that only a small percentage of babies survive the full term and then typically only live a few days, the counselor explained how we could terminate the pregnancy. I left scared, confused, discouraged and feeling all alone.

I remember walking though my neighbourhood. The houses were all lit up with twinkling lights while I felt pregnantly empty. I was completely disconnected with everyone and everything. We immediately scheduled an amnio to confirm if the ultrasound and the blood work were correct. That January was the longest month of my life. The next altering phone call came on January 30th when we were given the all clear.

Lisa's description of her own Different experience is chilling. She is a strong woman and I admire her deeply.

Please visit Petroville and Suburban Turmoil for all of September's Perfect Posts.

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You may have noticed that I'm going pink!

This month I'm turning this blog pink. I'll be educating myself regarding issues related to breast cancer. Stay tuned as I increase awareness and uncover some interesting information.