Before Jarod left Nashville, we had an appointment with our maternal fetal medicine specialist that had a background in genetics. She did an extremely detailed ultrasound checking for all sorts of abnormalities. Her conclusion (at that time) was that Harper Kate didn't have any genetic problems that we knew of and she felt like Harper Kate would not have any major problems with her organs when she grew which was good news. She wanted us to have a fetal MRI done and an echocardiogram to check for heart problems.
Both of those appointments were scheduled after Jarod had moved. Luckily, my mom was able to come up for the echocardiogram. That could have been the longest ultrasound EVER! You see, for a fetal echo, the baby has to be in a very specific position for them to be able to see the heart. Harper Kate, this day, decided NOT to stay in that position long enough. :) My mom was very very patient as I sat on the ultrasound table for 2 hours trying to finish the echo, only to have to take 30 minutes off, walk around the office, hop around gently, trying to get Harper Kate to move. FINALLY after 3 hours, we were able to get the echocardiogram done finding that her heart was completely normal. Praise the Lord.
I mentioned in the beginning that I was surrounded by wonderful family & friends. My "mom" in Nashville so to speak was Julie. She is the admissions director of the school where I teach, but over those two months she was absolutely amazing! She would come to my room almost daily just to check in on me to see if I was ok, she took me to get a pedicure, she coordinated meals for Jarod & I when we first found out about Harper Kate, and she took me to get my MRI.
Julie picked me up early one morning to head to Children's Hospital for the fetal MRI. It took about an hour and while we were there Julie sat in a rocking chair reading, but for the most part she was praying over Harper Kate & me. She gave up a day at school, to help me go to the doctor, sit in a hospital for an hour, drive me home, and help me get in the bed. (see, I had taken a calming medicine so I wouldn't panic.) :) The results came a couple of days later. It confirmed that Harper Kate has a Dandy-Walker cyst in her cerebellum, but also showed that she has something called agenesis of the corpus collosum. I described this on this post.
That diagnosis set me back a little. I heard the news the day I was flying to go meet Jarod in Atlanta. This was my first time flying stand by alone through Delta. As I walked through the parking lot, leaving school after just hearing the news from the MRI I burst into tears. Once again, we had yet another set-back. Being alone, getting the news was not the best. Julie took me to the airport, dropped me off and I headed down the terminal, only to find out later I wouldn't make the flight. Jarod was in Atlanta, I was stuck at the airport in Nashville & was sobbing over our diagnosis earlier. I'm sure I looked like a complete idiot. My AMAZING friend Emily came to rescue me at the airport, took me back to school, got my car & drove to Birmingham. Jarod left Atlanta and met me there. It was a relief to see Jarod when I finally made it there.
Being away from Jarod was one of the hardest things I've ever done, but the support I had in Nashville was something only God could have placed there for me during one of the hardest time in my life.
Here's Julie with our precious angel at about two months old. WE LOVE YOU Julie!!!
Courtney, that is the sweetest thing I have ever read! Thank you.
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