Floodgates 101_Issue2_2019_FINAL

FERTILE
a
GROUND
of
DISCONTENT
Can Couples Longing for Children Have Their Happily-Ever-After?
Genetic tests later confirmed the baby
had Thalassaemia Major, a blood condition
that can cause severe anaemia and a
shortened life span. In the meantime,
Stella’s blood pressure was so high and
her body so bloated, she had to sleep
sitting up as lying flat caused excessive
water retention in her feet. She had to be
carried out of bed every morning.
They were advised by doctors to abort the
pregnancy at four months because of the
risk to mother and child.
“Stella looked completely different,”
recalled Joshua. “Her feet were so
bloated that every step she took hurt.”
As he pondered further he revealed his
struggle over the decision. “When you look
at someone you love suffering like that,
you wonder, is it really worth keeping the
baby and losing my wife?” Joshua was told
that the pregnancy could lead to long-term
health issues for Stella.
But the decision was clear for the couple
from the start, even though Stella’s parents
encouraged her to abort the pregnancy.
“We didn’t believe God gave us a baby
to give up on her,” Joshua insisted. It was
their hope that the child would be healthy
enough to live a manageable life although
they were fully cognizant that it would be a
“difficult life” for all.
Stella struggled through the pregnancy
despite the odds. By her eighth month,
however, her blood pressure had shot up to
such a dangerous level, her doctor insisted
that delivery be induced. Still, she remained
hopeful.
But the baby did not survive and Stella’s
life hung in the balance from complications
during delivery.
Recalling her thoughts at the time, Stella
said pensively, “Somehow I felt that this was
going to be a testimony.”
And it was a story that did not end there.
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