Have you ever witnessed a miracle first hand? I have exactly 20 years ago today with the birth of my first and only daughter.
So what makes my daughter’s birth such a miracle? The fact that she was born, she was healthy and I was alive.
It started back in November 1991. I couldn’t keep food or water down. I was getting more and more dehydrated and sleeping a lot. I took several pregnancy tests and each one came back negative. As the weeks went on I was getting worse. One night in early December my husband took me to the ER. I was extremely dehydrated, so much so the Corpsmen tried 18 times to insert an IV into me. Finally on the 19th try there was success! Turns out I was pregnant, entering my second trimester and since I was on birth control pills to treat endometriosis my body was rejecting the baby.
I was put on total bed rest! I had a 2-year-old at home and my husband was a Marine getting ready to go into the field. Somehow I knew this would be my last chance at another baby. Never did I know the journey we would find ourselves on.
Long story short – each night my husband had to drive me to the ER to be hydrated with IV fluids. I spent my whole pregnancy trying to nourish my body and baby, only for it all to come back up. I had to count the movements of our baby, if the baby didn’t move a certain number of times each hour I had to go to the hospital immediately. Many times I was told “we can’t hear a heartbeat.” I had to have ultrasounds every week to check the baby’s progress. By the time I was in my 5th month of pregnancy I was dilated to 8 centimeters. I was in full labor and was told “your baby will be born sometime tonight and if you are lucky it will live for a couple of hours.” I spent the next several months on bed rest and taking medication to stop my labor. Once it quit working I was admitted into the hospital to have stronger medication by IV. Again in my 7th month I was warned that my baby would be born and would not live.
My husband was a Marine who was injured while in Iraq during the Operation Desert Storm/Freedom. During the time I was in the hospital t was determined his injury was too severe for him to continue on in the Marine Corp. His separation date was scheduled for May 1, 1992. The base hospital discharged me the week before and from May 1, 1992 until our baby was born I was without any medical care whatsoever. And I was still in labor!!
On June 19th as we celebrated our son’s 3rd birthday my water broke. Thirty minutes later, surrounded by my husband and nurses our daughter was born. The doctor only showed up after she was born. And she was completely healthy! There were no medical issues due to the medication, lack of nutrition, lack of medical care or the many ultrasounds I had. And she was born exactly on her due date!
A little side note: back in 1991 the ultrasounds weren’t as high-tech as today, so out of 20+ ultrasounds half the time they told us the baby was a boy, the other half a girl. Hubby and I had a bet, I thought boy. He was positive a girl. In the delivery room upon her birth we asked “what is it?” There are two words as a medical profession should NEVER say to parents “not sure!” Apparently she was born face down and they hadn’t turned her over yet, but NEVER should you use those words in the delivery room!!! Yes, hubby won the bet 🙂
I give all credit to God, I thank Him each time I look upon my daughter. Sadly when I was going through all the difficulties, I wasn’t in a good place – I didn’t pray regularly, I didn’t read the Bible – I don’t even think there was one in our home, I didn’t go to God with my worries, yet somehow I knew God was with me and my baby. On both occasions of being told my baby would be born and not live long, I remember having no fear and KNOWING that was not true. Even though I didn’t deserve it (I was a selfish all-about-me 19-year-old) He was with us and He extended His grace and mercy to our family. I am forever grateful and during the times of doubt and despair I remember my “miracle” and I give thanks to Him for all I have, each blessing – known and unknown. I remember how faithful He is. I remember how He protected us. I remember He is the Great I am.
If you have witnessed a miracle, let me know about it 🙂
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born, I consecrated you..” ~ Jeremiah 1:5
Our baby girl, just hours of being born healthy. She is a miracle!
SimplyMe 