Medical Mistake: The Baby We Couldn't Keep and Our Choice to Deliver the Ultimate

In the spring of 2016, my wife and I were expecting our first child. We were overjoyed and couldn't wait to meet our little one. However, at our 20-week ultrasound, we received devastating news. Our baby had a severe heart defect that was incompatible with life. We were told that he would not survive birth.

We were heartbroken. We had already fallen in love with our baby, and the thought of losing him was unbearable. We met with a team of doctors and nurses who explained our options. We could choose to terminate the pregnancy, or we could carry our baby to term and deliver him stillborn. We also learned that we could donate our baby's organs to save the lives of others.

Inconceivable: A Medical Mistake, the Baby We Couldn't Keep, and Our Choice to Deliver the Ultimate Gift

by Carolyn Savage

4.6 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1056 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
X-Ray	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	317 pages

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We knew that terminating the pregnancy was not an option for us. We had already bonded with our baby, and we wanted to give him a chance to live, even if it was only for a short time. We also knew that donating his organs was a way to give him a legacy and to help others in need.

We made the difficult decision to carry our baby to term and deliver him stillborn. We wanted to give him the best possible chance at life, and we wanted to give him the opportunity to donate his organs.

On July 12, 2016, our son, Ethan, was born sleeping. He was perfect in every way, and we were so grateful that we had the chance to meet him. We held him in our arms and told him how much we loved him. We sang to him and read him stories. We took pictures of him and made footprints of his tiny hands and feet.

After we said goodbye to Ethan, we donated his organs. We knew that his heart, lungs, and kidneys would save the lives of other babies. We were so proud of him and so grateful for the opportunity to give him a second chance at life.

The loss of Ethan was the most difficult thing we have ever experienced. But we know that he is in a better place, and we are so grateful for the time we had with him. We are also so grateful for the opportunity to donate his organs and to help others in need.

We hope that our story will inspire others who are facing a similar loss. We want them to know that they are not alone and that there is hope. We also want them to know that organ donation is a beautiful way to give a loved one a second chance at life.

About the Author

The author of this article is a mother who lost her son to a medical mistake. She and her husband decided to donate his organs, and they are now advocates for organ donation. They hope that their story will inspire others who are facing a similar loss.

Resources

• Organ Donor
• Donate Life
• GriefShare

Inconceivable: A Medical Mistake, the Baby We Couldn't Keep, and Our Choice to Deliver the Ultimate Gift

by Carolyn Savage

4.6 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1056 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
X-Ray	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	317 pages

FREE