A hearfelt plea from Melanie...

With Melanie's permission I am posting an e-mail she had sent to me this morning. I did not post the family picture however if you'd like to see the Ritzman's and their beutiful family it can be sent to you privately. I told Melanie that there is a strong T18 community out here. I hope that you will raise your voice, share your strength with the Ritzman's. I only "met" Melanie a few days ago through a friend of a friend, but my heart goes right back to those beginning days with Alyssa Grace. My heart now aches for this family and the truama that they are being put through just to see the face of their MIRACLE BABY! How can this be? I don't have answers, but I do have a willingness to help in any practical way that can.~ Trish

A note from Melanie:

I know what I am about to ask is a leap of faith on all your parts. I am asking you to share a piece of your personal and private heart’s story with me, a total stranger, and a group of Doctors you don’t know. I promise I would not miss use this but a thought has occurred to me. These Doctors believe the medical statement “ that Trisomy18 is not compatible with life”. What would happen if they, as a group, were faced with your children’s pictures, medical list of complications that each of you have and are currently facing, and you child’s current ages ???? Then maybe they would see PROOF OF LIFE . Also they would clearly see a realistic view into a lifestyle of right to life.

Would you please help me?!?!?!?
Would you please network this out to anyone who has a Trisomy18 child.
Below I have attached an explanation of what is happening to our family right now.
And a current family photo of us. Melanie and Mike Ritzman of Lancaster County, PA

Well this is the latest
1st my husband sweet honey pill version
and then my right between the eyes Mother Bear version.....
same day, same stuff, & he is the better Christian than I !!!!!!

Mike's Thoughts...

Dear Prayer Partners,

Melanie and I would covet your prayers. We have some disturbing news to share with all of you. Earlier this week Melanie had an OB appointment with a doctor instead of a mid-wife. One of the questions we were to get nailed down before delivery was whether the doctors in our practice would perform an emergency c-section if Baby Joy was in distress. T18 babies typically go into distress during labor. The answer Melanie received as quite disturbing. The doctor basically told Melanie that there would be no need for a c-section because "IT" is going to die anyway.
Today, Melanie and I had an appointment with the NICU advocate and received further clarification... The OB doctors in our practice are "indecisive" as to whether they will perform an emergency c-section if Baby Joy is in distress. We will have a final decision next week when our advocate and midwife meets with the doctors to discuss our case... Please pray that the doctors will perform an emergency c-section if needed.

Melanie's midwife has been great and will do everything that she can to see that Baby Joy comes into this world. The NICU is on board and will do what they can to make sure she gets the care she needs. CHOP, DuPont, and John's Hopkins do work with T18 issues. The only problem is whether our delivery doctors will perform an emergency c-section if she is in distress.

On a positive note, we have been put in touch with 7 families that are raising T18 children ages ranging from 13 months to 23 years. This makes the above prayer request that much more distressing. We have a friend that works at Johns Hopkins and she is getting us contacts there with medical professionals that deal with genetic diseases. One of the families that we are in contact with is giving us contact information for doctors at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).
Melanie and I are in a spiritual battle regarding the sanctity of life... The medical community is split on how to handle children diagnosed with T18. She has been labeled and is not even referred to as a person. She is an "IT". It appears to me that the sanctity of life only applies to healthy children.

Please pray that Melanie and I keep our "cool" and can maintain a witness through this entire process. Please pray that we will be able to find another OB practice that we can work with if these doctors will NOT agree to perform an emergency c-section. We have had a lot of emotional ups and downs.

Well, I think I have sufficiently overloaded all of you. Please feel free to ask us any questions that you might have..

Thanks for Praying

Mike

A pregnant mom whose baby has Trisomy 18 is looking for information

Alyssa looking very compatible with life, Christmas morning with some of her gifts.
Can you explain T18 in 20 words or less? Neither can I and so I need your help! I just came in contact with a lovely Christian mom, who is currently pregnant with a baby girl diagnosed as having Trisomy 18. We had a long talk and this mom is on the ball with getting informed and preparing for her future little one. Melanie is a well experienced mom but is new to the world of T18. She still has questions and would love some encouragement for this journey.

I didn't know that Alyssa would have Trisomy 18 prior to her birth, so I am at a loss for helping another mom prepare. If you would e--mail me or leave your contact information I will get you in contact with Melanie. They do not have a website/Facebook. Melanie and Micheal's baby girl is due March 19th! So this makes Melanie about seven and a half months pregnant.

Melanie was recently seen by an OB in her practice and she shared with me the following experience:" He was recommended because he had birthed two Trisomy18 babies already.
I soon realized that he had just let them die upon birth and his statements to me are following: We do not need to do a cesarean if "it" has distress during normal labor"it" is not compatible with life and should just be left to die I WAS AND STILL AM ILL TO MY CORE with that Doctor's thoughts..."

Alyssa is 17 months old, my heart is overfilled with the joy that she brings to our everyday lives. I am learning more and more that this T18 community is strong. If you have information that would benefit Melanie and Micheal in their situation, please leave a message here and send along your contact information to me so I can forward it to them.

Thanks!