Friday, March 26, 2010

I know now that I made the right decision

I was introduced to a video the other day, and while I in NO way whatsoever think poorly of anyone who did not choose to terminate, after seeing this video, I now know the decision to terminate was the right one. I watched a mother give birth to a baby with with full Trisomy 13. He had a cleft and multiple internal issues. Heart, lungs, kidneys... I watched the mother bring this baby home and for 5 days her and her husband watched him struggle to live. They sent him home with oxygen and pain meds. Pain meds for a newborn baby, but they tell you they feel no pain from these anomalies. I cried the whole time I watched it and all I could think of was "Oh my God, how could you put your child thru all this pain just to have a few selfish days with them?". The baby had trouble breathing. His little heart would stop beating and then start up again. His lings would shut down over and over. They would cry over his death just to hear him gasp again a few seconds later. The child was in pain. He was struggling. And they watched. They let it happen. I just don't understand how someone could be so selfish. And I'm sorry if I sound judgemental because I'm not that person. But I felt physical pain for this child knowing that he was struggling and fighting for every second. i understand from the bottom of my heart the moment you give birth to that child you want to hear him cry. You want to see them move and open their eyes. What I don't understand is how you could know that child is going to be in pain and die in your arms and still put him through this.
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I struggled with our decision to terminate very much but in my heart I knew even if he were to make it any longer he would never go to term. He would die in my womb. I had to ask myself how long I was willing to let the inevitable continue. I wanted to be selfish and carry him so I would have that much more time. I wanted to be selfish of my pregnancy and thought that I wanted to 'use up' the life he had left. I knew this was wrong. I knew it was wrong to let him suffer. Feeling pain or no pain, which no dr can prove to me, I couldn't imagine any longer that he was not developing correctly. His kidneys were not functioning. My placenta was not supporting him. There was barely any fluid left around him. These are just the things we knew, what about all the things we didn't know? I felt his pain. I was his mother and I knew I did not want my son to suffer. No one can tell me he was comfortable. I felt like he was suffocating. I thank God that he answered my prayers and took my son before I had to. It was everything I asked for. I wanted him to go peacefully. I couldn't imagine it any other way. And I'll never forget my husband telling me "I was a good mother for making the hardest decision for my son".
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