Andrea West is a courageous mother. She describes the tragic circumstances surrounding the loss of her child and the subsequent anguish she endured.
Many other parents who had gone through the same thing were moved by her and her husband’s story and were inspired to share their own.
The college sweethearts knew from the moment they locked eyes that they would spend the rest of their lives together.
They got married in October of 2006 and began living together in Andrea’s New Jersey home. Their lives were like out of a fairy tale, and the news that she was having a child made everything even better.
Adore What Is Important
Andrea spent a lot of time feeling guilty over the loss of her baby, but her husband was there to reassure her that everything will be OK.
Andrea became pregnant again shortly afterwards, and this time she made a concerted effort to manage her weight by adopting a better lifestyle.
No diet Coke (my lifeline), soft cheese, sushi, lunch meat, or anything else on the “naughty list.” I subscribed to the community forums and read the blogs.
My baby’s room is decorated according to the ‘proper’ guidelines I found in the books. My heart enlarged three sizes when I learned I was carrying a son.
For as long as I can remember, my heart has been set on being a mother to a son. On September 21st, the happy parents brought their rainbow baby into the world.
Andrea laboured for just a short time and delivered delivery spontaneously despite the low amniotic fluid levels. They honoured the memory of her husband’s buddy who passed away at 21 from a brain tumour by naming their son Adam.
The new parents were ecstatic, but they suspected something was awry when the doctor snipped the umbilical chord himself rather than calling Andrea’s husband.
The doctor then delivered the news to them that would change their lives forever. “‘Honey, Adam’s leg doesn’t seem right.
I was wiped out, somewhat delirious, and all I wanted to do was cuddle my kid, but I’ll always remember what I said. Just a bruise, I’m sure of it.
I had my baby at a teaching hospital, and there must have been twenty people in the delivery room at once. The medical staff and students got to view my infant before I did.
After spending a short amount of time with me, they rushed him off to the neonatal intensive care unit. They all fled at once.”
A uncommon vascular abnormality called Cutis Marmorata Telangiectatica Congenita (CMTC) was later identified as the cause of the baby’s crimson marks and bruises on his belly and part of his leg.
There have only been around 500 documented instances of this illness thus far. He was the most stunningly attractive human being I’d ever seen. Introducing…my baby from the rainbow.
But, would he be all right? I was overjoyed and devastated all at once. After undergoing a battery of testing, including ultrasounds of his brain and heart, Adam was declared medically stable and allowed to leave the hospital.
Adam had seen several dermatologists, geneticists, and orthopedists in the first few weeks of his existence. This medical staff’s tests always came up negative.
Adam’s parents have been studying as much as they can about his condition ever since he was born. In Washington, DC, they met with other families whose children also suffer from this ailment at one of the numerous conferences they’ve attended.
Andrea and her husband work hard to spread awareness about CMTC in a region where it is mostly unknown, even among medical professionals.
All these parents cared about was whether or not their son Adam would be accepted by his peers. So far, he’s doing well and keeping up with his classmates in every way. He’s active in sports and enjoys hanging out with his pals.