Prologue: How This Story Began

In honor of all graduating students, I share a family story about my niece’s uncertain beginning into this world. This story came into being because of a job opportunity. I was required to demonstrate my writing skills by sharing an original sample. It was for a marketing and communications position for a hospital system, so it had to focus on health care and it could be personal. So, I wrote about what I knew. Like most writers do.

My younger sister, Kim, then 23, was going through a medical rough patch and we were all rallying around her in support. That was 18 years ago. The account I share here is unchanged from the original. That’s important to me because I want to ensure that the integrity of the words capture how we felt during my sister’s high-risk pregnancy carrying my niece, Emily.

Please note: I debated on how to share the photos in this blog post as I hate spoiler-alerts, but I couldn’t resist including even if all the images occurred after the story was written.

The Original Story: Written February 2005

The test results were shocking. I could not believe what my youngest sister, Kim, was telling me between sobs. She couldn’t have a baby? What was she saying about unicornuate uterus?

Her doctor, who had never faced a patient with this rare anomaly, had delivered the devastating news: The likelihood that Kim would ever have a baby was virtually impossible. The doctor ruled out her chances of carrying a full-term baby and expressed her doubts of managing even 20 weeks gestation.

Kim, a preschool teacher who married her high school sweetheart a week shy of her 22nd birthday, planned her life around starting a family young. When diagnosed with multiple sclerosis when she was 20 years old, she knew that she did not want to wait to have children.

It just didn’t seem fair that Kim had to confront another health problem. She already suffered a series of chronic conditions before being diagnosed with MS. She has undergone tests, treatments and related surgeries for acid reflux disease, interstitial cystitis and irritable bowel syndrome.

For Kim, having a unicornuate uterus signified the absence of half her uterus, ovary and fallopian tube on the right side of her reproductive system. Besides the obvious trouble conceiving with this anomaly, pregnancy is further complicated because there is only half the space for a growing fetus’ development and oftentimes women with this condition also have a weak cervix.

Finding Hope

After I got off the phone with Kim, I performed a Google search. I quickly found out that a unicornuate uterus is the least common congenital uterine anomaly representing only 1 to 2 percent of cases. I also learned that 47 percent of pregnant women with this anomaly carried their babies full term.

Then I came across support sites with message boards where many women – mothers – had unicornuate uteruses. Many did not know they had this condition until after they had had several miscarriages or delivered their babies prematurely. Some women only found out when their babies were born breech and delivered by C-sections. Since Kim knew she had this condition, did that increase her odds for a successful pregnancy?

My hope was restored, and I called Kim to share the news. She had just gotten off the telephone with our older sister, Kathy, a neonatal intensive care unit nurse. She, too, had told her not to give up until we knew more about the probability of becoming pregnant and associated risks.

She Had a Dream

Her next step was seeing a fertility specialist, who then referred her to an in vitro fertilization specialist in Boston. Before going to her appointment, however, she had a dream that she delivered a healthy 36-week baby. I noticed that after having the dream, she found a peace that gave her the strength to forge ahead.

The IVF specialist, not daunted by her condition or by the fact that she was not ovulating on her own, proceeded to tell her what she would need to do to become pregnant. IVF would be her only chance. By undergoing this process, a single embryo could be implanted inside her half-formed uterus to ensure the best possible outcome and would dramatically eliminate any likelihood of multiple fetuses.

Good Omens

I like to call what happened next a series of good omens because shortly after Kim’s visit with the IVF specialist everything fell into place as though it was meant to happen: She received approval from her HMO that she’d be eligible for IVF. Then, only two days thereafter, her menstrual cycle cooperated. A few weeks later, she began her month-long round of hormonal injection treatments.

Everything proceeded like clockwork: egg retrieval, fertilization and embryo implantation. Eleven days after implantation, the call came. Kim was pregnant and our hopes were answered.

Kim is now 22 weeks gestation. She hasn’t had a picture-perfect pregnancy so far but she’s not necessarily any worse off than many women who have healthy full-term babies.

Despite the initial first trimester fears with a long bout of spotting and constant nausea, Kim is doing remarkably well. Her activity is now limited and she must comply with a modified bed rest regime. She is having a girl, which is especially good news for us. Girl babies, if born premature, tend to have higher survival rates.

Because of her high-risk pregnancy situation, she decided to resign from her full-time teaching job last summer when she decided to pursue IVF. Since then, she and a colleague have been working on opening their own preschool named “Happy Days are Here Again,” and she’s been taking classes toward her master’s degree. 

Lately, Kim has been absolutely glowing. She started showing quite early, partly, we think, due to her situation and that she’s very petite. She shows off her protruding belly with confidence and a big grin. She has been amazing so far and we’re all so proud of her; but, she still has a long way to go.

We pray that she beats the staggering odds against her and her baby. Mostly, though, we pray that she has a normal and long pregnancy as we wait in anticipation that her baby, already named Emily, will find her way to us someday.

Epilogue: 18 Years Later

Dreams do come true. Emily is evidence of that. Literally. And yes, as the story goes, Emily did arrive during Kim’s 36th week of pregnancy in June. Miraculously, she came into this world without any complications, weighing seven pounds, nine ounces and measuring 19.6 inches in length.

Inevitably, though, life got busy. The little details of that worrisome time faded from our memories. I landed the job, got immersed as a newbie employee and focused on Kim’s health and pregnancy. I cohosted her baby shower. In fact, I totally forgot I wrote this piece during that slip of time during Kim’s second trimester. We had talked about writing an ending someday. But alas, life got in the way and time marched on.

I still work for the same hospital system; and ironically, a beloved VP of our department recently came across the writing sample with Kim’s story and saved it for me. I so appreciate she didn’t toss it when cleaning out an old file cabinet. What a priceless gift she found, giving us an opportunity to relive our memories, count our blessings.

Now, fast-forward 18 years. Emily is a high school senior and just went to her senior prom and will perform in her last dance recital soon. She will graduate with honors and plans to become a teacher, following her mom’s and great-grandmother’s footsteps.

I am so proud of the young woman she has become. She was always my special little “girlfriend” as she grew up. She is a joy, truly beautiful inside and out while caring and kind. This comes across clearly with the senior quote she chose:

“No matter what happens in life, be good to people. Being good to people is a wonderful legacy to leave behind.

Taylor Swift

Emily, we’re so happy you beat the odds and found your way to us and into our hearts. You are so loved. Congratulations to you, my niece, as you graduate and embrace the next chapter of your life.

Like this blog post? See some of my other musings that focus on family and goals. 

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