Four years in and I know that was wrong. We should not shield pregnant women. If they do not know the risks inherent in giving birth, how can they know what to look for? Moms and dads are the first line defense for their babies. They need information. They need to know what to look out for, especially since heart defects are so common, but not yet routinely screened.
I don't know why I started thinking about this today, but I did. Life is a miracle. Each day, I'm flummoxed by the thought that any of us can be alive at all because of the complexity involved. Any tools we can have to help us through are needed. Knowledge is the greatest tool available. So, if you are pregnant or love someone who is, please let them know about CHD (read this link with tons of info), so they have as many tools as necessary to help their baby should they be one in a hundred.
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After posting, I realized why I was thinking of this today. Today is the 4th anniversary of the day our life changed completely. Four years ago today, I had my follow-up ultrasound, where they diagnosed DQ at 20 weeks gestation with tetralogy of fallot and couldn't find her pulmonary artery. That was the first time they told me "we just have to wait for her pulmonary arteries to grow."
You're so right. There is a reason for the cliche: knowledge is power.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it weird how certain days are etched into our brains, so deeply, and though we don't immediately recognize why, our mind goes back.