Greetings!

First, on behalf of the two of us, I want to express our gratitude to each of you for checking-in on us.  We are so grateful to each of you for carrying us on your hearts, and for the encouragement you have been to us.  We are humbled by your care for us during this season.  As promised, I wanted to give you an update on our appointments today.  It’s been a GREAT day!

We visited the perinatologist this morning at 11:00.  First, the ultrasound technician comes in and does a complete scan.  I gather that the protocol is that the technician is not permitted to speak to anything she sees during the scan, other than to point out the various parts of the baby that she is looking at and measuring.  We always find this unnerving.

A short time later, the doctor comes into the room and looks at the baby on the monitor in greater detail.  She scans each of the vital parts, and studies them intently.  This is also unnerving, as we wait for her to speak to what she is seeing.

Jennifer and I chatted about how we were feeling on the way to the appointment this morning, and in the parking garage before we prayed together and headed-in to see the doctor.  We both admitted to being frightened about what we might learn.  But, despite moments of anxiousness, we both are confident in God’s providence regarding our baby.  We know that we don’t get to choose what comes our way.  We hold out our child with open hands, hoping that God will allow us time with her, all the while trusting in His sovereign plan for us and for our baby.

Now, back to the doctor…

When she completed the scan, she said that it was a “very reassuring” scan, and that she was “optimistic”.  She noted that the weight and growth of the baby were normal, and that all structures (heart, brain and other organs) appear normal for 20 weeks.  She looked at the blood flow of the heart – both within the heart and to other organs, and it looked great.  She said that if she did not have the testing showing the risk for Trisomy 13, she would tell us that she didn’t need to see us again.  However, as she stated, and as I have mentioned before, the doctors defer to the Panorama screen, because as a test that looks at DNA, it is more reliable than the ultrasound.  So, because the risk for Trisomy 13 remains, the protocol is to return for an ultrasound every four weeks until the baby is born.  As the baby continues to grow and develop, so also could symptoms or other markers that would confirm the initial testing.

As we head into the evening, we are grateful for a good scan today.   We are grateful for friends and family who have carried us on their hearts and prayed for us.  And, we are grateful for the sustaining grace of God, who has carried us during this season.

Our next scan is on September 16^th, which is the Week 24 scan.  We will post here if there are updates between now and then.  In the meantime, thank you again for your continued prayers and your support.  We are grateful for you!