Anastasia Elise
Miracle Baby,
25 week preemie
Updates for July 2005
July 8, 2005:
Baby now has a name: Anastasia Elise. (“Anastasia” means “resurrection,” or “one who will rise again,” and “Elise” (short for Elizabeth) means “consecrated to God.”).
Unfortunately, the latest about Anastasia isn’t happy news. This
Wednesday, my water broke. My doctors (who are exceptional) say there is
nothing they can do about it. All anyone can do is wait. As you can see
in the ultrasounds below, it’s more difficult to make out little Anastasia’s
body, because it’s no longer surrounded by amniotic fluid. If my water
broke later in my pregnancy, it wouldn’t be quite so serious, but at 20
weeks, babies use amniotic fluid to help build their lungs.
The doctors say Anastasia will probably be born in a few weeks, and
chances are she won’t be able to breathe. If she does stay inside her
mommy for more than a few weeks, her chances are still slim. Not only
will her lungs be poorly developed, but because she doesn’t have the
protection of amniotic fluid, her body will probably be deformed. Her
bones are still soft, and all her mommy’s organs are pressing against
her.
Still, we hope for a miracle. Only God can say what will happen,
and we are leaning heavily on him right now.
My mother-in-law recently said something that is in my mind often. Years
ago, she was at a concert where Keith Green (the Christian
singer/songwriter) was supposed to perform. But before the concert, he
died in a plane crash. Therefore, only his wife came on stage. She
explained to the audience that she’d asked God, “Why? Why now, when his
ministry here on earth was so strong and doing so much good?” And she
felt the reply: “You should see what I’m doing with him here.”
So, no matter what happens, our little Anastasia is a special girl. If
we do get to hold her in our arms, she will be a miracle and an amazing
blessing. But if we don’t, we know that she must be awfully special,
indeed, for God to need her so badly in heaven.
Pictures from third ultrasound, taken July 8, 2005
"Miracles are a retelling in small letters
of the very same story
which is written across the whole world in letters
too large for some of us to see."
C. S. Lewis
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