Washington Representative Jaime Herrera Beutler's daughter, Abigail, was diagnosed by doctors that she willl die before she was born but God had other plans.
Faithwire reported that Beutler learned the fatal diagnosis from her doctor only days after announcing she was pregnant. The doctors said her unborn child, which was at 22-weeks of gestation then, had Potter's syndrome. The syndrome is a rare disease that involves kidney deficiency and a lack of amniotic fluid.
Beutler recalled in an interview with Faithwire how shocked she felt when she learned her baby had no kidneys during an anatomy scan. She didn't know what that meant except that she knew it was bad.
"Your baby has no kidneys, which means there's no amniotic fluid in there, which means your baby is going to die. There is no chance your baby will live. No baby has ever survived this,'" Beutler recounted the doctor in saying.
"There is nothing to describe getting news like that," she said.
Beutler shared that moment was her worst, adding to it the fact that the doctor was suggesting abortion. Another doctor, she said, recommended inducing and the time to prepare herself to part with her baby. But the representative rebuked all that they said. She resorted to prayer for guidance on her next steps, determined to continue with her pregnancy.
"You are not getting that. I do not want to be the one who ends this. I want this baby. I don't want to end her life," Beutler disclosed her thoughts during that time.
It took some time for the representative and her husband to process the doctor's heartbreaking news. They sought solace and inspiration from the Bible during that dark time. Beutler said she received an email devotional on Jesus' supernatural healings, from which she felt God was telling her and her husband to fight for their unborn child.
"It was five different scriptures about healing--about Jesus and how he healed people. There was a little message about contending. 'You're to contend for her'," she said.
Beutler then did as she was inspired to do and asked for prayers publicly through a statement of what transpired since she announced her pregnancy. She stressed that she and her husband are praying for a miracle since there is no medical solution available to them for their unborn child.
Her announcement opened doors of support from her colleagues in Congress--both Republican and Democrat--who even shared their own stories of loss, as well as, of overcoming odds. She appreciated the humanity she experienced from co-legislators and total strangers who reached out to her giving support. She also persisted to fight even further for her child whenever she encountered people who believe the baby will not survive. During those times, she held on strongly to the belief that God wanted the child for her.
Beutler eventually found a doctor who would conduct a reverse amniocentesis on her baby. The procedure involved an ultrasound-guided procedure to save the life of her child. In particular, fluid was induced to the placenta and through the unborn child's mouth. Beutler said throughout the procedure, she saw how Abigail opened her mouth to receive the fluid and swallow it. The procedure taught Abigail to practice breathing through her lungs.
Beutler disclosed that it took about five infusions in five weeks before Abigail was born. When the first procedure was conducted, Abigail's head was squished and her feet was clubbed. These were corrected after the fifth infusion. After being born, Abigail had to undergo dialysis until age two since she had no kidneys. Her husband, Daniel, donated his kidneys and now, eight years later, Abigail is flourishing in the 9th grade.
"We have encouraged and wanted to reach out to other families who are in these situations. Don't take 'no' for an answer," Beutler concluded.
