Sometimes you go into your day with great expectations, then one bit of jarring news tilts the axis of your life. How can one leap from great joy and anticipation to clawing fear and anxiety in a matter of minutes?
Melissa and Mack O’Meara experienced their own fear-inducing crisis a year ago.
They found out they were pregnant with their second child at six weeks. At 10 weeks, Melissa had a routine ultrasound to verify conception, attending that appointment alone. The doctor came in and immediately said, “We see something on the ultrasound that we don’t like.” Anxious thoughts flowed freely.
The doctor’s assistant made Melissa an appointment with a high-risk obstetrician for the next day, but she and her husband spent the evening researching and worrying. What is cystic hygroma anyway?
The high-risk obstetrician (OB) confirmed that extra fluid surrounded the child’s spinal cord. They began a 12-week journey of appointments and ultrasounds, praying before each one that the hygroma was not growing.
The odds were not in their favor, however. The doctor gave them a 50% chance of miscarriage, a 50% chance of chromosomal abnormalities, and a 30% chance of a heart defect.
Prayers multiplied for this precious child. David Shelley, father, and grandfather, said, “As a parent, you pray that God will protect your family. I know that my children will never be without trials, but I still want God to protect them. I guess my prayers need an add-on, though: ‘God protect my family, but when they experience trials, please use the people around them to support them.’” Family members, friends, church groups, and even people who didn’t know the O’Mearas hounded heaven on their child’s behalf.
They experienced a true peace that passed understanding and knew that only the one true God could control their baby’s future.
Around 14 weeks, they received blood results, and there were no chromosomal abnormalities. The next test was to do a fetal echocardiogram at 22 weeks to look in depth at the baby’s heart. They thought for sure they couldn’t get lucky twice, but eight weeks later, the baby was cleared by the high-risk OB. No heart defects, either!
The following 17 weeks were spent digesting the news that their baby might be okay, but doubts lingered. Every bump in the road was a bit of a setback, but they kept praying and hoping their baby would be in their arms soon.
On December 19, 2019, Melissa and Mack’s prayers were answered. Emma Kate O’Meara was born at 10:52 p.m., weighing in at a whopping 10 pounds 4 ounces and 20.5 inches long. This miracle baby had been prayed for by countless numbers of people her whole short life, and according to the O’Mearas, that will never change.
Saturday, December 19, Emma Kate will celebrate her first birthday with no residual medical issues.
Happy Birthday, Emma Kate!
What jarring news have you received lately?