Couple told to abort baby. Give birth to healthy baby

[Seabee1973]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/health/healthmain.html?in_article_id=517827&in_page_id=1774

A couple who were advised to abort their baby when doctors said he had a rare brain disorder have spoken of their joy after their "miracle son" was born in perfect health.

Little Brandon Kramer was diagnosed with rhomboencephalosynapsis – a condition so rare it affects fewer than one in a million people worldwide – while he was still in the womb.

Doctors warned his mother and father that Brandon would be born deaf and blind and would probably survive only for a couple of hours.

It is believed to be the first time in Britain that the condition has been diagnosed during pregnancy – and Becky Weatherall and her partner Kriss Kramer were offered a termination up to just weeks before the birth.

But the couple defied doctors' advice and their son was born healthy on October 1 last year. Now Brandon is teething and attempting to talk, and Kriss, 24, from Pembroke Dock, South Wales, said: "The fact that he is here now, alive and kicking, truly is a miracle

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[BigMike619]

Wow, it doesnt sound like anything short of a miracle. It sounds like the Dr in charge ran the proper tests and came back with a diagnosis but that it was wrong. That really sucks but I dont think it was from laziness or lack of study.

Thank God they didnt do that though, this baby will be loved so much more now though!!

[zoony]

there is an autism (I think it was autism) that the doctors offered me and my wife when she was pregnant, to determine ahead of time if the baby might be at risk.

Thing is, after we did some research, the test will sometimes bring back a false positive. Needless to say, we skipped the test.

[Teller]

there is an autism (I think it was autism) that the doctors offered me and my wife when she was pregnant, to determine ahead of time if the baby might be at risk.

Thing is, after we did some research, the test will sometimes bring back a false positive. Needless to say, we skipped the test.

You're right, and we did as well. Not to preach, but we figured we'd play the hand God dealt us.

It's not quite the same as what this couple faced, but my ex and I went through a miscarriage before my youngest daughter was born. Tore us both up, obviously.

Well, when she was pregnant with my daughter, she started having the same symptoms. Without being too graphic, massive hemoraging and other 'tell tale' signs.

We got to the hospital that night, and the doctor basically said, "Yeah, I think you miscarried again, but we'll do an ultrasound just to make sure."

Needless to say, I sobbed like a baby when I saw my daughter's heart pounding away on the screen. Hell, I'm still getting choked up.

Not the same as what this couple went through I know. But I can certainly understand the fear and the joy on some level. God bless their family.

[BigMike619]

I feel you on that part HH. My ex had a full period while pregnant with my son and it happened at night while we were sleeping. Freaked us both out something fierce but turns out that its totally possible for a woman to go thru that and not lose the kid.

[edgun88]

Awesome story. I bet they are so happy they made the right decision.

[Teller]

I feel you on that part HH. My ex had a full period while pregnant with my son and it happened at night while we were sleeping. Freaked us both out something fierce but turns out that its totally possible for a woman to go thru that and not lose the kid.

Yep, ours was a sub-coroneal (sp?) hemorage. Had it been on the other side, we would've lost her, but as it was, it was harmlessly out of the way. Or as I choose to look at it, moved, by grace and a guardian angel.

Heh. Time to get out of this one before I get all teared up at work. :cool:

[Seabee1973]

It makes you wondwer how many times a DR has told a couple to abort because the kid will be different or wont live that long and the couple did

[dcnativenerd]

Alright, Pro-choicers...your turn to retort.

[33]

I'm not a pro-choicer, but I think this would be a lousy place to build the pro-life platform. This single incident doesn't say anything except the doctor made a massive mistake in diagnosing this baby.

It happens pretty regularly that Dr's make mis-diagnosis' and some happen to be worse than others.

[Jumbo]

Alright, Pro-choicers...your turn to retort.

Hmmm. I wrote this before seeing your remark, and it isn't a response to your remark. I find your remark sad and it cheapens the thread prematurely.

So, the post below was not addressed to you:

In situations like these, what is the "wrong" decision? Is there one? I immediately think of religious belief-system positions, of course. And I know that response first-hand.

Stories like this are wonderful and real. A vastly larger number of children are born with predicted dire health problems. The pain of their lives and devastation of their families, even when prepared, capable, and dedicated (many are far more the third than the first and second) is often tragic.

In those cases, the parents decided to deliver and love the child no matter what, but they offer stories that are often far from wonderful in how they unfold and just as real.

This would have to be one of the most terrible positions for most thoughtful and loving parents to ever be in, even though I am aware of some whose beliefs allow little struggle for a decision. I can't imagine, were it me, to not go ahead with the birth, but it's possible I would decide otherwise.

So many good people make that decision to go ahead and the pervasively devastating reality overwhelms their entire world as the child suffers in such distressing and serious forms. I have had to see some of this up close over the last few years. These stories are far more common, sadly, than the one told here. They are no fun to tell.

In the meantime, I will smile when I think of the families who have good news to celebrate, and remain compassionate to others, and never judge any of the parents for whatever their call was in these kind of circumstances. And I understand and explore different spiritual themes attachable to all these varying events, and am glad when they are helpful to people in these situations.

[mardi gras skin]

I find your remark sad and it cheapens the thread prematurely.

Its always nice when we can get to the second or third page before someone cheapens it.

When my wife and I adopted our first daughter, we were asked which health problems we would accept. This caused the greatest pain in the whole process. We didn't want any health problems, right? Like every other parent, we wanted a healthy child. So we said, "None, if that's ok." I felt guilty, thinking of children no one wanted.

I'm pretty sure we wouldn't abort for health reasons, but I guarantee I would never heap guilt on someone else making a different decision.

[Slateman]

Yay!!!! And the kid is pretty cute too!

[Jumbo]

Its always nice when we can get to the second or third page before someone cheapens it. .

Yeah, not surpringly to anyone who knows me, I chose that word with deliberation. It reflects my acceptance of where the tailgate is at this time.

[BigMike619]

I'm not a pro-choicer, but I think this would be a lousy place to build the pro-life platform. This single incident doesn't say anything except the doctor made a massive mistake in diagnosing this baby.

It happens pretty regularly that Dr's make mis-diagnosis' and some happen to be worse than others.

I agree with you here. He made a big mistake and I bet if you asked him he would fully admit to making that mistake. Its a hard job and nobody is perfect. Only when he isnt perfect, somebody dies.

[Zguy28]

Its always nice when we can get to the second or third page before someone cheapens it.

When my wife and I adopted our first daughter, we were asked which health problems we would accept. This caused the greatest pain in the whole process. We didn't want any health problems, right? Like every other parent, we wanted a healthy child. So we said, "None, if that's ok." I felt guilty, thinking of children no one wanted.

I'm pretty sure we wouldn't abort for health reasons, but I guarantee I would never heap guilt on someone else making a different decision.

When my own get a little older, we're probably going to adopt. I've often thought of "the children that nobody want" as well.

[Larry]

there is an autism (I think it was autism) that the doctors offered me and my wife when she was pregnant, to determine ahead of time if the baby might be at risk.

Thing is, after we did some research, the test will sometimes bring back a false positive. Needless to say, we skipped the test.

Recall once reading a "Murphy's Rule for Doctors":

Before performing a test, take a piece of paper, and write down what you intend to do if the test is a) Positive, and Negative.

If both answers are the same, don't do the test.

[mardi gras skin]

When my own get a little older, we're probably going to adopt. I've often thought of "the children that nobody want" as well.

We didn't adopt for charitable reasons and it kind of felt selfish. But our case worker told our group of parents something that helped. She said they're not at all worried about parents who want to adopt for selfish reasons. Its the missionary adoptions that scare them. They would much rather have parents that feel lucky to have the child rather than parents who feel the child is lucky to have them.

Right or wrong, I was glad to hear that. Yeah, it even made me cry.

[zoony]

Recall once reading a "Murphy's Rule for Doctors":

Before performing a test, take a piece of paper, and write down what you intend to do if the test is a) Positive, and Negative.

If both answers are the same, don't do the test.

great advice, basically sums it up

[zoony]

When my wife and I adopted our first daughter, we were asked which health problems we would accept. This caused the greatest pain in the whole process. We didn't want any health problems, right? Like every other parent, we wanted a healthy child. So we said, "None, if that's ok." I felt guilty, thinking of children no one wanted.

I never thought about it before, but yes, that would suck. I would feel exactly the same way