An open letter to the doctor who gave me the Spina Bifida diagnosis

Thank you. Thank you for giving me the diagnosis with compassion and empathy. Thank you for having the geneticist ask me if I would like to be offered an abortion one time before any tests were ran. Thank you for honoring my wishes and not bringing it up again after you had a diagnosis. Thank you for patting me gently on the leg once I began to cry. Thank you for giving this diagnosis as if it was your first time, not hundredth as I’m sure it was. Thank you for bringing so many people in with you for the diagnosis, as I know UAMS is a teaching hospital. I can only hope that your interns and residents learned from your kindness that day and every other day. Thank you for showing me via ultrasound exactly why you had diagnosed my baby with Spina Bifida. Thank you for putting all of the medical terminology that I didn’t understand at the time into layman terms that I could understand.  I don’t remember your name, but I will never forget your face. Thank you.

As Arkansans I think we sometimes take for granted how wonderful both UAMS and ACH are. I have heard horror stories from other moms across the country who have gotten the Spina Bifida diagnosis. You would be surprised by how many of them received sub-standard care. It is sickening. I was fortunate enough to receive the very best care. I will forever be indebted to UAMS.

I always get a little nostalgic around this time of year as it gets closer to Chandlor’s birthday, he’s going to be 5….how did that happen? It is my mission to show as many people (medical professionals include) as possible that Chandlor does have a great quality of life, that I did the right thing by choosing LIFE, and that Spina Bifida isn’t really as scary as it may seem.