The gamble of life: 17 weeks to discover a birth defect, but they chose to persevere
The horror and despair of the first meeting
This day is destined to be the darkest moment in the lives of Xiaoxue and her husband, Mr. Fei. As a pair of elderly pregnant couples, they finally conceived the long-cherished baby after many hardships, but in a routine prenatal check-up, they heard the suffocating news - the fetus has a congenital diaphragmatic hernia, and the mortality rate is as high as more than 70%.
"The doctor said that the child was hopeless and suggested that we should quickly induce labor.
Recalling the scene of that day, Xiaoxue still remembers it vividly.
At that moment, it was as if her whole body had collapsed, tears welled up in her eyes, and her heart was full of helplessness and despair. And her husband, Mr. Fei, who has always been calm, also looked pale and incoherent at this time.
"We have gone through a lot of hardships to finally conceive this child, how can we just give up on him?" Xiaoxue said in a choked voice. For this elderly couple, children are not only their hope, but also a continuation of life. Faced with the doctor's advice, they chose to persevere.
Life's biggest gamble
Although doctors repeatedly recommended inducing labor, Xiaoxue and Mr. Fei firmly chose to preserve the fetus. For this pair of persistent parents, even if the odds of victory are slim, they have to fight for their children a chance to survive.
"All the doctors don't recommend it, I can't stand that feeling. But if I beat him out at 17 weeks, I would have stripped him of his rights. So we decided to stay the course and let the children fight their fate on their own. Xiaoxue choked up.
Such a decision is undoubtedly gambling everything. For congenital diseases such as diaphragmatic hernia, which has a high mortality rate, even if the child is born successfully, there is a huge risk of survival. But for this long-awaited parent, even if the odds are slim, they have to fight for the last time.
"We know how big the stakes are, but we'd rather fight than give up our children's lives. Mr. Fei said firmly.
In the doctor's disapproval, Xiaoxue and Mr. Fei began a magnificent gamble of life. They are betting on a little life on the verge of death, on the happiness of a family, and on whether the goddess of fate favors them.
A minimally invasive battle on the brink of life and death
On July 16, 2023, the doctor performed a caesarean section for Xiaoxue and gave birth to this destined child. However, at the moment of birth, everyone fell into a tense silence. Because this newborn little guy didn't cry and couldn't breathe on his own.
Seeing that this little life was on the verge of death, everyone's hearts were raised to their throats. Doctors quickly transferred the 5.4-pound baby to the Capital Institute of Pediatrics for his life.
The attending physician's name is Ma Lishuang, and she is the chief expert of the institute. Seeing the little patient in critical condition in front of him, Director Ma made up his mind that he must do his best to save this life, which was on the verge of despair.
"Mom's desire for treatment is very strong, and we will do everything we can to treat it. Director Ma's tone was firm.
After inspection, Director Ma found that the little guy's condition was even more critical than imagined. His left diaphragm was defected by more than 4 cm, and most of the digestive tract organs entered the left chest cavity, severely squeezing and crowding the space of the left lung. In order to save the child, an extremely difficult operation had to be performed.
Director Ma finally decided to use minimally invasive surgery.
Although this procedure is very tricky, it allows for much faster recovery and fewer complications than traditional surgery. During the operation, Director Ma needs to restore these organs that enter the chest cavity to the correct position little by little with the help of a robotic arm through a tiny incision, and then repair the diaphragm, which is undoubtedly a huge challenge.
Outside the operating room, Xiaoxue and Mr. Fei waited nervously. They knew how difficult the operation would be, but it was the only hope at this time. This is not just a medical treatment, but a life-and-death battle.
A small life is fighting against fate
The operation began. As the probe entered Fubao's chest, Director Ma once again realized how tricky this operation was. Misaligned organs are entangled and intertwined into a messy scene. And these fragile organs, only under her careful operation, can be restored to their original positions one by one.
In the operating room, the doctors were highly concentrated, and sweat was constantly flowing down their foreheads. Due to the small amount of space, every movement needs to be extremely precise, and the slightest mistake can have irreparable consequences. And on the operating table, Xiao Fubao struggled to fight against death, and his life was like a wavering fire, in danger of being extinguished at any time.
"I was really sad to see him so small and so fragile. But we must try to save him. Director Ma's frowning brow revealed her concern.
Finally, after 6 hours of difficult surgery, Fu Bao's diaphragmatic hernia repair was completed, and the severely squeezed lung was also freed. This little life has finally passed the threshold of life and death.
In the following 38 days, under the careful treatment of Director Ma and the medical team, Fubao gradually recovered his health. Seeing this child who was once on the verge of death recover day by day, Xiaoxue and Mr. Fei's hearts were filled with endless gratitude.
"I have a glimmer of hope for my children, and this is the most precious thing. Xiaoxue burst into tears.
A life on the verge of death has come out of a desperate situation with the benevolence of the doctor and the persistence of his parents, and has embraced the sunshine again. This heartwarming story undoubtedly brings strength and courage to everyone.
I am reluctant to give up because I believe in miracles
This story makes one wonder why the parents chose to persevere in the face of such a dire predicament.
For Xiaoxue and Mr. Fei, children are not only a carrier for extending their lives, but also represent their expectations and yearning for the future. When they learned that their babies were suffering from this fatal disease, they undoubtedly experienced great pain and struggle in their hearts. But in the end, I chose to persevere, stemming from my dedication to life and my endless expectation of miracles.
"We went through a lot of hardships to conceive this child, how could we just give up on him?" Xiaoxue's words reveal a kind of tenacity and determination not to give up. For this elderly couple, the child is their last chance, and losing him means losing all hope. So, even though doctors repeatedly persuaded them to induce labor, they still chose the courage to move on.
Perhaps, deep down, they also know that the chances of this child's survival are slim. But it was this glimmer of hope that gave them the motivation to overcome the desperate situation. As Xiaoxue said, "I have won a glimmer of hope for my children, which is the most precious." This glimmer of hope is like a guiding light, illuminating the path forward for the parents.
In the following surgical process, this persistence and perseverance were brought into full play. When the doctors faced many difficulties, Xiaoxue and Mr. Fei waited nervously and expectantly, believing that as long as the doctors did their best, a miracle would come. It is this unshakable belief that supports the doctors in the operating room to race against time and finally succeed in saving this little life.
For life, each person is unique. It is precisely because of such persistent parents that this child can be reborn. This warm and touching story undoubtedly brings strength and hope to everyone. The meaning of life lies not only in continuity, but also in all efforts and courage to do so.
Now, this little Fubao, who was once on the verge of death, is enjoying the joy of new life with his parents. Their story will undoubtedly become the most inspiring story in the hearts of many people. When you read this, you can't help but be moved by the miracle of this little life, and even more moved by this brave parent.
If you have any thoughts and feelings about this story, please leave a message below, and let us share this warmth and strength together.