From the Valley to the Mountain

The last update from a few weeks ago found Julia in the hospital. She ended up staying for a week for observation. During that time, the doctors closely monitored her blood pressure, fetal heartbeat, and did lab work to see if there was any evidence of preeclampsia or other bad news. Fortunately, Julia’s health was just fine during her entire stay, and her symptoms did not get worse.

Unfortunately, the news was not as good for Ingrid. During a previously-scheduled ultrasound that happened to coincide with the hospital visit, the cardiologist and perinatologist told us that Ingrid was getting worse, specifically the fluid accumulation in her tiny body and around her heart. We had known since we first learned of her condition that her prognosis wasn’t good, but it didn’t make it any easier when we learned a few days later during a monitoring ultrasound that she had died.

Of all the highs and lows in life, birth and death have to be the highest and lowest, and to experience both simultaneously is incredibly difficult. In a short while, we’ll be celebrating both the birth of one daughter and the passing of another that we didn’t get to know nearly as well as we wanted. Ingrid will always be a part of our family and we will treasure the time that we spent together, short as it was.

The doctors are confident that Julia’s pregnancy will likely be uncomplicated from this point out, and Sonja is doing just fine: she wiggles so much that the ultrasound techs sometimes have trouble keeping her in one place on the monitor to check her out, but she’s scoring 100% on the first tests of her young life. Julia hasn’t had any other troubles with her health, but the doctors are monitoring both Julia and Sonja weekly to make sure it stays that way.

Through this tough time, it’s been wonderful to have the support of family, friends, our doctors, counselors, and everybody else who has been there for us. We truly appreciate it. As tough as this has been, we’ve been surrounded by love and we know that love extends and envelops Ingrid and Sonja now, and forever.