March is National Trisomy Awareness Month.
Since becoming a mom, I often wonder what it must have felt like for my mom to hear and feel that pause. The pause at the ultrasound when they realized something wasn’t right. I can’t imagine how that pause must have felt, sounded, seemed in that moment.
My parents found out after their 20-week ultrasound that they needed more testing for their fourth pregnancy. An amniocentesis revealed a chromosomal disorder called Trisomy 18.
Trisomy 18 is a chromosomal disorder where the 18th of the 23 chromosomes is tripled. This often causes babies with Trisomy 18 to have organ abnormalities. Many people know a more common Trisomy: Trisomy 21 or Down’s Syndrome.
At 7 years old, I remember the night my mom’s water broke. I came out from my room to see her large belly so much smaller. Now, as a mother myself, I can’t imagine the bravery it took for her to be experiencing labor for the fourth time but yet not knowing how long she would get to hold her baby in her arms.
Joshua Michael was born on July 12, 1998, he lived for 9 hours. My brothers and I got to meet him, and while they did not understand the gravity of the situation, as a 7-year-old, I did. And now, as I reflect on this experience as a mother, I can’t help but be in awe of all that my mom dealt with gracefully and courageously.
Joshua’s testimony lives on longer than he did, serving as a reminder to others. Over the years, I watched my parents counsel other parents facing the same overwhelming news. I watched my parents grow and grieve together. Now, I watch them share his story with passion as they have helped guide me on my parenthood journey. This month is World Trisomy Month and I couldn’t think of a better way to honor trisomy babies than honoring the mothers who carry Trisomy babies. Strong, courageous, and tenacious- just like my mom. ❤️
