Anencephaly

As wonderful and fun as last Wednesday was, is as heart-breaking as today was.

I was referred to scan the belly of Lynette to determine if her nearly due baby was breech. I got her situated on the bed and palpated before placing the probe. It seemed like she could be breech, because the only firm structure I could palpate was at the top (fundus) of the womb. Although that structure felt more like the rump than a skull.

I placed the probe on her swollen tummy and immediately saw a beautiful beating heart. I scanned up to the top of the womb and saw a baby boy and his rump. I brought the probe down to where the head should be and was puzzled. I couldn't see a skull, just some mush at the bottom. It looked like there could be some sort of hard structures, but it was very small and oddly shaped. This is the first time I'd seen something like this. My heart sank into my toes.

I scanned the rest of the little one and his body looked perfect. I just couldn't get over it. My probe kept going back to the head, trying to see if I was wrong.

I finished up the scan and had Lynette sit on the bed. I explained to her that I wasn't certain, but it looked like there may be something wrong with the head of her baby. I asked her if she had the money to get a second opinion ultrasound at a lab we have a relationship with (they give our patients a good discount). She nodded yes with very round eyes. I asked if I could pray with her and she eagerly asked me to. How do you pray in a situation like this? How do you pray in a foreign language when your heart is so heavy.

My heart breaks for her. If her baby isn't anencephalic, then there is something else that is wrong with the skull. Nothing can ever prepare a mother for this type of diagnosis.

Nothing.

Please pray for Lynette tonight. She should have gotten her second opinion ultrasound today, but I haven't heard the results. I may never know. But God does.