Down syndrome and miracles

I am blessed to be a mother of five children.  When I was 23 I was expecting our second baby, another boy.  We knew we wanted to name him Ethan.  All was well until I was 31 weeks and measuring small at the doctor's appointment.  He did a quick ultrasound and saw something unusual that looked like fluid in his belly.  It was a Friday afternoon.  He said, "I don't want to alarm you, but we have made an appointment with the perinatologist for first thing Monday morning."  I was alarmed!  We passed a very anxious weekend trying not to worry.

Monday morning came and I found myself lying on my back for the longest ultrasound in history.  The tech did the ultrasound, then the doctor came and did more looking around.  Finally, he said to us, "I'm 99% sure this baby has Down syndrome."  He went on to list all the reasons he was so certain about his diagnosis, including one thing I will never forget.  "His nose is small and he has no defined nasal bridge.  Looking at his parents, he should have a significant nose on him and he doesn't"  Did he really just tell me my nose is big and that my baby has Down syndrome in the same sentence?  Wow, that was tactful and compassionate.

I had horrible anxiety the week before the results of the amniocentesis.  I couldn't accept that my whole life was changing.  I prayed and cried and tried to understand it all.  I knew God could change every cell in his body.  I thought if I had enough faith that God would do that for us and we would always remember the experience of God's miracle in our life as we watched a healthy young boy grow up.  God had different plans for our family.

The official diagnosis came on Friday the 13th, which was five days later.  My mom is an angel.  She was there that day.  We had been waiting all day for the doctor to call.  When he finally called Blake and I were each on a phone and they gave us the news.  I was in shock.  I cried on my bed for a very long time.  When I finally got control of myself, I realized I had left my mom sitting in the other room by herself.  When I went to talk to her she was sitting on the couch with used up tissues all over the floor with eyes just as red and puffy as mine.  No words even needed to be said.

Somewhere in the midst of all the emotional turmoil that week I had a whispering from the Holy Ghost in my heart tell me, "This is why you are here."  And it brought me so much peace.  We did come to this earth to experience challenges and be refined.  I knew He was right.

The first obstacle was a bowel obstruction requiring surgery the day after he was born.  It was terrifying to let our tiny little baby go to surgery.  Yet there was an underlying sense of peace.  The Holy Ghost comforted us in beautiful and sacred ways while he had his surgery.  I will never forget sitting in the hospital room reading 3 Nephi 17 during that surgery.

 6  "And he said unto them: Behold, my bowels are filled with compassion towards you.

 7 Have ye any that are sick among you? Bring them hither. Have ye any that are lame, or blind, or halt, or maimed, or leprous, or that are withered, or that are deaf, or that are afflicted in any manner? Bring them hither and I will heal them, for I have compassion upon you; my bowels are filled with mercy.

 8 For I perceive that ye desire that I should show unto you what I have done unto your brethren at Jerusalem, for I see that your faith is sufficient that I should heal you.

 9 And it came to pass that when he had thus spoken, all the multitude, with one accord, did go forth with their sick and their afflicted, and their lame, and with their blind, and with their dumb, and with all them that were afflicted in any manner; and he did heal them every one as they were brought forth unto him.

 10 And they did all, both they who had been healed and they who were whole, bow down at his feet, and did worship him; and as many as could come for the multitude did kiss his feet, insomuch that they did bathe his feet with their tears.

 11 And it came to pass that he commanded that their little children should be brought.

 12 So they brought their little children and set them down upon the ground round about him, and Jesus stood in the midst; and the multitude gave way till they had all been brought unto him."

I am a witness that God does miracles in our lives.  Ethan was healed as we put our faith in Jesus Christ.