Kaitlin's Mind-Blowing Surprise

Kaitlin has always been full of surprises, even in the womb. I didn't even know I was pregnant with her until I was 13 weeks. Imagine my surprise when the fertility doctor informs me that there's no need to do any further testing with me regarding fertility issues because I was already pregnant. The fertility doctor's office staff were all in shock to have a patient there that's so far along. They completed bloodwork and an ultrasound to see if it was a healthy viable pregnancy. She even waved at me during my ultrasound when I found out I was pregnant. Labor was very eventful. Kaitlin didn't want to wait one more day to come into the world until my actual OB/GYN came back from out of town and started these painful contractions. He was only gone for the weekend, but she was just that impatient. Then she decided to wrap the umbilical cord around her chest and become breach. She made everyone think that she was a big baby with how big my belly was with her and she came out a whopping 5lbs and 1oz. After all of that, Kaitlin had to have her lip and tongue-tie clipped because she was not able to latch properly. 

Once all of that settled, she had her six-week check-up and that was when I saw a sticky note on her file that said parents to contact St. Jude. In shock, I asked the doctor what the sticky note was about because my first thought was that she had some form of cancer. That's when the doctor informed me that she tested positive for Sickle Cell during her newborn screenings and that St. Jude will be contacting us to set up an appointment. My heart dropped. The next morning, the representative from St. Jude called to schedule an appointment for me, my husband, and Kaitlin to find out what type of Sickle Cell Kaitlin has and to start her course of treatment. I asked the representative if they could test her again, and she stated that, "she has been tested twice, Mrs. Blue, she has Sickle Cell." I felt like the bottom fell out of my heart and I couldn't breathe, but I held my composure and scheduled her initial appointment for February 29, 2016. I hung up the phone and told my husband what was said, then cried in his arms for what felt like hours, but it was only a few minutes. After I went through a mirage of emotions for about two days, I decided that I wouldn't be a victim of Sickle Cell but be a fighter with her and for her.