Madison Elizabeth
Madison Elizabeth
I discovered that I was pregnant for the second time just 5 days after my daughter's third birthday. We were all so excited, and all I could think about was that my daughter was finally going to have a baby brother or sister. My pregnancy was going great, and I hadn't had any problems whatsoever. At my fourteen week ultrasound the baby looked great, and all my test had came back fine. We were starting to make plans for the baby's room and we were all anticipating the arrival of this little bundle of joy. On January 22, 2002 I was scheduled for my 28 wk ultrasound, and we couldn't wait. We were hoping to find out today if we were going to have a boy or a girl! I still remember this day so well. I went into the u/s room and took my place on the chair, my husband and daughter were both there with me that day, and the tech began to run the thing over my belly. I remember lying there just waiting for her to start telling us what was what and if it was a boy or a girl, but instead of hearing anything she asked me to get up and go wait in one of the rooms.
Once we got to one of the rooms my husband looked at me and said, there's something wrong with the baby. I couldn't believe what he was saying, how did he know this? He said, while you were in the restroom I asked the lady if something was wrong, and she just said we needed to talk to the doctor. I had already started losing my mind, every thought was running through my head at this time. When the doctor came in he said they had found a mass located above the baby's butt, but they weren't sure what it was and I would have to have a level II ultrasound done asap. So, we scheduled it for the next day with a perinatal doctor located in Lexington, Ky ( an hour and a half away from home). We discovered that our baby had a sacrococcygeal teratoma, and that it had already destroyed part of the spine. The baby had spinal fluid on its brain, its legs were turned inward, and we were told that our baby would probably never walk. We were given all the statistics, and the best and worst case scenario. We were given the option to terminate the pregnancy or wait and see what happens. Terminating was never an option for me, I felt if it wasn't meant for me to have this baby that would be God's decision not mine. So that's what we did, we waited. I went back for an amino the following week(1-30-02) so they could test for any genetic disorders, but it would be 10-14 days before we would know the results of the test. The ultrasound that day was encouraging the tumor hadn't grown any and things looked to be going okay. The following couple of weeks were horrible, waiting for the test results was driving me crazy. Physically by this time I was getting really uncomfortable, I couldn't sleep and the pain in my pelvic area was becoming unbearable. I was also getting huge, I wasn't this big when I delivered my first daughter two days past her due date. I went back on 2-13-02 for another level II u/s and to get the results of the amino test. My first clue that things had gotten worse was when I stepped on the scales, I had gained 14lbs in 2 wk's, it was then I knew things weren't good. During the u/s they discovered that the baby was developing hydrops and it was decided that I must be delivered right away. While I was waiting for the doctors to make my admission arrangements I asked the nurse about my amino test, she looked and said everything looks good no problems were found. Then I asked, is it a boy or a girl?
It's a GIRL!!!! I was transferred to the UK Children's Hospital which was just up the street from the perinatal doctor's office. Since I was only 31 wk's they started me on steroids as soon as I was admitted. On the following day (Valentine's Day) 2-14-02 my daughter, Madison Elizabeth, was delivered via c-section @ 7lbs 2ozs. Half of that weight was the tumor the other half was her.
Everything seemed to be going okay through that first night, but on the second day she started having problems. The tumor had began to bleed and she was going to have to be operated on as soon as possible. My entire family got to see her right after she was born, my husband and I stayed with her until they wheeled her into the OR. We were all waiting when the surgeons came into my room about four hours later. The doctor said, we were able to remove the tumor but unfortunately Madison didn't make it. Those were her exact words, I can still remember that moment like it was yesterday.
My world had been turned upside down, and I was in complete shock. I didn't really know what to think at that exact moment, but looking back I'm so grateful and happy that all my family and my husband's family were there to share in our grief. We all got to say our final goodbyes to Madison. They had her all dressed up in the most beautiful crochet outfit and she was all wrapped up in a blanket that matched. She smelled like baby lotion, and they even had a little bow in her hair. My husband, my daughter, and myself were the first to see her. They took several pictures of us taking turns holding her. My other daughter, Machenzie, was so proud to be holding her baby sister, and she just thought she was the most beautiful baby ever.
We were later told that our daughter's case was the worst case they had ever saw. They removed the outer region of the tumor, but they didn't attempt to remove the inner region since she had already passed away. We were told that the tumor had destroyed the biggest part of her spine and that it had grown half way up her stomach. She would've definitely been paralyzed from the waist down, and they also said that her heart had grown very large. Madison's case was one of the rarest they had ever seen. Madison was very beautiful, she looked absolutely perfect to me, and I'm glad I was privileged to meet her and know her, if only for a day.
