I had shared my story a while ago. I wanted to share an update.
My son is 5 years old. He is a healthy boy that loves to ride his bike, play outside, go swimming and ride his 4-wheeler.
At 28 weeks gestation, it was discovered that he had an omphalocele (a birth defect in which an infant’s intestine or other abdominal organs are outside the body).
I had an amnio which came back negative, maternal echo on him, weekly appointments, etc. It was heartbreaking. I had family try to push me to have an abortion, because of all the what-ifs.
We had no idea if he could survive, had no idea if he could get repaired, or if I would have to do a paint and wait.
The high-risk maternal fetal medicine doctor insisted he had a club foot. It was so stressful that I couldn’t enjoy the pregnancy. Fear overwhelmed me.
Well, at 37 weeks my handsome little man was born. He was in Akron Children’s NICU for only 8 days, if I recall, and repaired a week after he was born by the amazing Dr. Pittinger. He saved my son’s life.
Mikey did not have a club foot, no heart defects and no genetic issues. He is a perfectly healthy boy. I am so blessed to have this amazing hospital so close to me.