Her Face
After a few minutes, a nurse brought her baby back into the room.
She demanded to know what was going on. The nurse didn’t say a word as she handed the bundle back to her. She didn’t understand why they had rushed off with her only to bring her back now.
Abby knew something was gravely wrong. Them taking her child was clearly a bad sign. But she had no idea just how bad it was.
Dust Settled
All of the comments on social media were running through her mind.
She remembered asking them their opinion on her having a child. At the time, she just thought they didn’t want her to be happy.
But maybe they had a point after all? Once the dust settled, would she ever recover from this ordeal?
Doctor’s Opinions
Then she thought of the Doctor’s opinions. They had clearly told her that there were risks involved with her unique condition. But she still wanted to try. How else would she ever be happy?
But now she only felt selfish. What had she done to her child?
But as she unwrapped her newborn baby to take a look at her face, tears started streaming down her face. She couldn’t believe what she was looking at.
Abby Harris
Abby Harris felt like a normal young woman, except other people didn’t think the same. Abby had a unique condition called achondroplasia.
Achondroplasia causes the limbs to be much shorter and is the most common cause of dwarfism.
It was a condition that Abby was never allowed to forget when the world we live in can be a cruel place.
Aware Of The Attention
Abby’s mother had the same condition.
This at least meant that growing up she had someone who knew how the attention she got made her feel. But now an adult, she longed for someone other than her mother who would accept her.
But Abby wasn’t blind to the attention she got. But then one day she got attention from someone who understood her.
John Grey
John Grey always knew he was different. He saw the stares that he got and always felt like some kind of circus attraction.
After multiple failed relationships he really felt alone. He had a condition known as geleophysic dysplasia.
Geleophysic dysplasia affects many parts of the body but most notably the hands, feet, and height. It is a lesser-known cause of dwarfism.
Someone Like Him
John, much like Abby, had nearly given up on the idea of ever finding anyone that really understood him.
His parents didn’t have the same condition and never truly accepted him.
He felt like his life was something of a joke. Jokes were hard to come by and relationships were even harder. But one day John found someone that was just like him, and he knew it was fate.
Dating
After Abby and John met by coincidence they decided to start dating. The two of them felt like the perfect match.
No one that they dated before felt quite like the right match, but the two of them really saw each other as two peas in a pod.
But once they decided to take things further, they would be met with backlash.
The Next Step
The two fell in love with each other and things quickly escalated.
After only 1 year of dating, the two decided to take the next step and get married.
They knew they would never find anyone like each other ever again. But they had no idea what consequences their actions would have.
Seeking Advice
Abby decided that before the two of them go forward any further, they should ask the community what they thought.
She felt invincible with her new partner by her side, but how accepting would social media be?
She posted a photo of the two of them which took a great deal of courage. Then the comments rolled in.
Acceptance
The comments came in hard and fast. Dozens of people all over the world left wonderful comments promoting their relationship. Abby was over the moon with joy.
This gave the couple the newfound confidence they needed to go forward.
But she had no idea that her next social media post would be met with a very different reception.
Pregnancy
Just a few months after their marriage, Abby and John wanted to try for a baby.
But with their unique conditions, they wanted to make sure it was safe to do so.
They scheduled an appointment with a doctor to see if it was possible. But the news the doctor gave them was anything but expected.
Not Advised
The married couple was nervous on their way to the doctor, they knew that things weren’t normal for them but hoped there was still a way to have a child.
They were well aware of how crazy they looked, but they just hoped modern medicine would mean that they could get what they wanted.
But after both of their examinations, their doctor had bad news.
Couldn’t Believe It
The couple couldn’t believe what they were hearing. It was naturally the next step in any relationship after marriage.
He advised that they shouldn’t try to have kids.
They couldn’t believe what he said, they wouldn’t let him dictate whether or not they should try to start a family. But they should have listened to him.
A Hard Decision
After thinking about it for a few months the couple decided to go through with trying for kids.
It wasn’t an easy decision but they were willing to take the risks that their doctor had told them about. He even agreed to deliver their baby for them.
But they had no idea what their baby would look like when they were born. But only once they went through with it despite everyone warning them, they’d understand what they had really done.
Pregnant
Abby gave John amazing news just three months into trying for a baby – she was pregnant!
The two were over the moon but knew it would be a hard road ahead for them.
Abby decided to update her social media with the news. She expected more support, just like the first time she posted. But she had no idea what kind of hostile reception she would see.
Controversial Comments
People all over her social media comments section seemed to react differently from the first time.
One user wrote, “Pregnant? The two of you shouldn’t try for a baby! How can people be this irresponsible and uneducated about biology?”
The words stung Abby like nothing she had ever felt before. How could people be this cruel and unhappy with her? But the comments were far from over.
A Hard No
“That’s a hard no from me. Why would you get pregnant? Surely a doctor told you not to, but you did it anyway. Do some research, and you’ll know why you shouldn’t have kids.”
Even though there were many negative comments, there were a few people who seemed to understand things from Abby’s perspective, and they supported her decision.
A Difficult Choice
“It must have been a difficult choice for you guys. I send all my love to you guys and hope it turns out for the best! Don’t worry about what other people think. Everything will work out!”
Abby was happy to see a few people on her side, even if, as a whole, her post was a controversial one.
But would her validation be misplaced when she took a look at her baby for the first time?
Positive Thoughts
Abby’s pregnancy was more noticeable now. After three months, she had picked up considerable weight as her body prepared for the baby.
But Abby had no idea that even before taking her baby’s potential complications into consideration, she was at risk as well.
And she’d soon learn all about that in the coming months.
Difficulty
At six months pregnant, Abby’s small body was showing obvious signs of strain. Because her baby would hopefully be a normal infant, that meant her body would be under a lot of stress.
Trying to carry a baby with her condition was something she had never even considered.
But her doctors showed much more concern than she had up until that point when she had her next check-up.
A Check-Up
Abby and John went for their next check-up at six months. They hoped that it would go according to plan, but they were in for a surprise after the doctor examined Abby.
After finishing up his examination, the doctor looked at Abby with a frown.
He wasn’t happy about something, and they were both about to learn what it was. They just hoped it wasn’t their baby.
Impossible To Tell
The doctor started by telling him that it was still impossible to tell if their baby would have any complications from their conditions. But as far as he could tell, there wasn’t anything else wrong with the baby.
The couple breathed a sigh of relief. But then the doctor continued.
He said that the problem he had found wasn’t with the baby but rather with the mother.
Abby
The doctor explained that Abby’s small body was taking a beating with the baby in her body.
He told her that he feared she might be put in potential danger when it came down to her having to deliver the baby.
In short, he told her that she might not make it through the delivery. Abby’s eyes looked at the floor as John looked as if someone had punched him in the gut. But how did they actually feel?
Worth The Risk
The room was silent for what felt like forever until Abby broke the silence. Without looking up from the floor, she weakly said, “It’s worth the risk.”
John didn’t think that would be her reaction.
“As the mother of this child, I will accept the risk. It’s too late to go back now, and this little bundle of joy will be worth whatever I have to go through.” She said as tears rolled down her cheeks.
Coming To Terms With Everything
The couple left the doctor’s office and drove home. There they sat and spoke about all the odds that they were up against.
But when both of them had empty lives before meeting each other, they came to terms with what could potentially happen.
The two stood together in solidarity, but were they really ready for what was to come?
Ready For Anything
They told each other that they would be ready for anything.
They had both lived hard lives up until this point, so what was one more hurdle until they could forever be happy?
But Abby would remember the doctor’s fateful words just three months later when she was on the operating table. She’d be screaming in agony, and that wasn’t even the last hurdle.
Three Months Later
For three more months Abby carried her child with difficulty. Being smaller meant that proportionately the baby was a heavier load to carry.
It was all worth it on her due day when they rushed to the hospital to deliver her baby.
But she had no idea how much pain she was about to be in when the contractions were at their agonizing crescendo.
In A Bad State
It was clear to the doctors that Abby was in a bad state when she arrived at the hospital.
They rushed her into the delivery room and called one of the doctors and staff on duty to get to work.
Abby didn’t look like she could have carried the baby any longer. The baby wanted to come out now, and her poor body was more than happy to oblige. But how would things work out?
The Delivery Room
Abby was now in the delivery room with nurses and doctors quickly springing into action. They could tell that this would be a difficult birth, something Abby didn’t know at the time.
The dedicated staff told her that they were going to go into overdrive to make sure that nothing bad happened.
That reassured her, but in the back of her mind, she thought about the complications that could easily happen.
A Long Birth
Abby knew that childbirth would be unpleasant. But with her condition, ordinary birth would look like a cakewalk.
The doctors worked tirelessly while the nurses tried to assist in any way they could.
They tried making Abby comfortable, but she was far from it the entire time. She just hoped that everything would be okay for her baby, even if it didn’t end well for her.
Accepted The Risks
Abby remembered that she accepted the risks, so naturally, she was prepared for whatever happened.
She prayed to God that instead of her baby having any complications, rather let all the danger stay with her.
She accepted the fact that she might not make it through. But what about her baby? Would they at least be okay?
Making It Alright
After ten excruciating hours in the delivery room, the birth was finally over, and Abby had made it through the ordeal unharmed. But she could barely take a breather before looking at her child.
The doctors refused to let her see the baby. Why? What was wrong?
She screamed at them to give her baby back, but a nurse had other plans in store for her.
Taking Her Away
They would be sick to their stomachs when the doctor had to rush their child out of the room before she even had a chance to see her baby. Where did they take her, and more importantly, why did they do it?
She demanded to know what was going on and called the doctor over to her bed.
But she wouldn’t be ready for the answers she was looking for.
Good Reason
The doctor seemed distracted, and only half listening to her say. “They were taken away for a good reason, don’t worry!” He sounded nervous, and not a second later, he darted out of the room as well.
Abby gripped John’s hand tightly as tears rolled down her cheeks.
She had just gone through the most painful ordeal of her life. She wasn’t ready for something to be wrong with her baby.
The Birth
She felt her stomach twist into the knot after she watched the doctor’s expression on his face. They took her baby away after taking one look at him, what was wrong?
The doctor’s advice not to have children repeated itself over and over again in her head.
Was she suffering the consequences now? She felt dread creep over every part of her body.
Given Back
After a few minutes, a nurse brought her baby back into the room. She demanded to know what was going on.
The nurse didn’t say a word as she handed the bundle back to her. She didn’t understand why they had rushed off with her only to bring her back now.
Abby knew something was gravely wrong. Them taking her child was clearly a bad sign. But she had no idea just how bad it was.
Thinking Of The Comments
Abby thought about the comments on her social media page. Should she have listened to them after all?
She turned and looked at her newborn that they had just given back to her.
But when Abby unwrapped her newborn baby to take a look at her face tears started streaming down her face, and she couldn’t believe what she was looking at.
A Beautiful Face
Abby felt butterflies form in her stomach and tears stream down her face as she looked at her newborn’s beautiful face. She looked just a lot like her and had her father’s eyes.
If nothing was wrong with her newborn then why had they taken her away?
She asked the nurse again what had happened and this time she replied.
Tried Reassuring Her
The nurse reassured her that everything was going to be okay.
But that was far from what Abby was asking, she needed to know what was going on. If her child looked completely healthy, then why the fuss?
After what felt like asking forever, the nurse finally gave her the answer. Abby was ready to hear the explanation.
Just A Precaution
The nurse explained that it was just a precaution because of both of her parents’ conditions.
They needed to make sure she was healthy before doing anything else.
Once they could tell that she was in no danger they brought her back. But what of the consequences of Abby having a baby?
Dwarfism
The reason why the doctor didn’t advise the couple to try and have a child was because of their conditions.
He told them that there was a 75% chance that their child would be born with dwarfism as well. But that didn’t bother the couple.
They would teach their child that it’s okay to be different and that it doesn’t mean that life has to be harder for it.
Growing Up
Abby and John were now proud parents. Abby came out of it unscathed and her daughter was beautiful, just like her parents.
They took her home the next day and while Abby recovered, John took the lead looking after her. They named her Jennifer and embraced parenthood with open arms.
But that wasn’t the end of their story.
A Happy Life
Abby and John went on to have another 4 children together and never regretted it.
All of their pregnancies went well and without any complications.
They can’t believe how lucky they are. They didn’t have anyone just a few years before and now they have a family to look after.
No Complications
Their two daughters and two sons all have Achondroplasia but they like that they are just like their parents.
The family looks forward to a happy life together without any complications.
In order to protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblances to actual events, places, or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.