Isabelle
Isabelle's Story told by mother, Karin from Melbourne, Australia
My second pregnancy was to take me on the biggest roller coaster ride of my life. Everything was textbook first time round even my first born son. I prayed every night that the good Lord would keep his protective hands around the baby. At the 20 wk ultrasound two things were revealed. Yes my prayers were answered as what definitely looked like a mans hand was cupping the baby's head.
You can only imagine how miraculous that was for me THEN minutes later the sickest feeling of confusion when the dr. starts to explain SCT. Tumour/cancer? I couldn't compute.
Well the mass grew to 3kgs in 13 wk's. Baby's bladder had been obstructed for months the kidneys were dilated so it was a good call when Isabelle decided to enter the world, 28/3/01 . I wasn't so sure it was a good idea 7 wk's prem to have major surgery the very next day.
I was in agony due to the length of the tumour it was like carrying 1 1/2 babies end to end. My right leg was the size of a tree trunk (poor lymphatic drainage) I kept thinking that the Lord had his hand on things like in the ultrasound. I wasn't expecting a girl so yet another surprise. That night I saw her in a mobile fish tank on her next journey to the RCH Melbourne. I went over the next morning to find her wired up, hoses everywhere, I couldn't really see her face for the sticky plaster. Instead of 'Hello my darling daughter' I said 'I'm sorry'. She was so tiny her dad's wedding ring looked like a large gold bangle on her skinny arm.
After her 4 hour operation she went from strength to strength. A couple of so called set backs over the next five wk's and she was discharged and only 2kgs in weight breastfeeding I was trained to use a catheter to remove residual urine that would probably cause UTIs and a large bottle of antibiotic that she needs daily to protect her kidneys and away we went. Now she's 16 1/2 months 10 kg's and as strong-willed as you're ever going to meet, butter wouldn't melt in her mouth though.
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