As his wife prepares to give birth to their baby after a difficult pregnancy, this dad had to face a heavy dilemma: save the life of his wife or that of the baby?
This pregnancy was a real source of joy for Michael Gerry and his partner Stephanie Brown. After suffering a miscarriage a few years ago, the couple dreamed of becoming parents. However, things did not turn out as they had imagined.
The mother-to-be was 18 weeks pregnant when the pregnancy got complicated. Stephanie has started leaking amniotic fluid. and was then quickly transported to the hospital. Unfortunately, the news announced by the doctors was not very good: according to the scanners, the child’s heart was far too big relative to its size, while his lungs, however, did not appear to be developing properly. Health professionals were worried about the baby’s future, telling expectant parents that the pregnancy might not come to term. Despite everything, Stephanie and Michael wanted this child, so in an attempt to save the child, the doctors asked her to continue the pregnancy.
The worst of dilemmas
Just 6 weeks later, when Stephanie was just 24 weeks pregnant, she was rushed to hospital to deliver her child. The umbilical cord had, in fact, just broken, making the situation critical, both for the child and for the mother-to-be.
“A doctor took me aside and asked me: ‘If things go wrong, who should we save? The mother or the baby?’”said Michael. “I was terrified. When I learned that my fiancée’s life was in danger, my heart froze. All that mattered to me at that time was that she was okay.”he continued.
After a few hours, the child was born, a heavy silence reigned in the room.
“They took my son away. Everything was very quiet. Then he started crying. We were all amazed. His cry was clear and powerful. It was a real relief for everyone”explained Michael.
A long and difficult fight
Young Mickey was born prematurely in November 2021. At birth, the infant weighed just over 500 grams. During the first three months of his life, thehe little boy was in a neonatal intensive care unit before being transferred to another hospital, closer to the parents’ home.
But while Mickey’s state of health had improved markedly, he suddenly began to deteriorate. His body had grown too big for his underdeveloped lungs, “the doctors were saying he couldn’t get out of it”said the dad.
Unfortunately, on July 24, after a long and difficult fight, Mickey died peacefully in his mother’s arms. “He was the brightest star I’ve ever known. I will never forget the impact my boy had on this earth, he was truly a warrior”concluded Michael.
Since May 2021, Pauline has joined the Aufeminin team. A journalism student, Pauline is currently on a work-study program and writes for the Aufeminin and Parole de Mamans websites. Curious and passionate, she…