Providence In Action

As many of you have heard, we are expecting another baby! However, not everyone may have heard about the story of God’s protective hand over this baby.

In early August, we found out that I was pregnant. Although we fully acknowledge the wonderful blessing of new life, I’m sure some of you can understand that it took us a little bit to get used to the idea, since we already have three little ones born within three years, we’re getting accustomed to a new country and our life is still not fully settled. But, in God’s sovereign plan, he saw fit to bless us with another child.

                However, only a few days after this news, I had some strong cramping and bleeding. I thought I was having a miscarriage. So, the next day I went to the clinic just steps down the road from our house. I had already been there once with one of our kids, so I knew that if I went in the evening, there was a friendly, English-speaking doctor on-duty. When I explained my story, he also thought it was probably a miscarriage, so he recommended an ultrasound to see if there was still life or not. I was able to go home while we waited for the radiologist to arrive at the clinic, and when they called me a few hours later, I went back. After the ultrasound, the doctors had unexpected news for me: they told me it was a hydatidiform mole (molar pregnancy). They told me there is no baby and never was a baby, and it’s just a (most likely benign) tumour that needs to be removed via dilation and curettage (D&C). He recommended doing it soon, since these tumours can grow quickly, but since we had flights booked for Canada the following week, he suggested I have it done there.

                After discussing my condition with various friends and family who consulted Google and Canadian obstetricians, I became a little worried that I might hemorrhage on the flights due to the altitude or the exertion of flying with three small children. I looked into having the D&C done in Mexico, but I was too late. So, with much prayer we flew to Canada on August 8. After the 24-hour ordeal, I slept in and then headed to the emergency room at Surrey Memorial Hospital, where I actually used to work as a Rehab Assistant. It was different being on the other end of care. I waited there nine hours in total, after having lab-work done and eventually another ultrasound. However, at the end of the wait, I was in for another surprise: there was in fact a heartbeat! The obstetrician that spoke with me told me that there was another mass within the uterus as well, but it was more consistent with a perigestational hemorrhage (bleed). Of course, he wanted to monitor the mass, to be sure it wasn’t a mole, because if it was, both I and the baby would be in danger. I was discharged and had more lab-work and ultrasounds done a week or two later in Canada.

                Through a friend in Queretaro, I was able to find an English-speaking obstetrician here as well, which was wonderful, because I was not feeling ready to navigate all of that yet. She had already done all the research for me, since she too is pregnant (and speaks Spanish fluently!). I got an appointment a little over a week after we returned to Mexico, and she did an ultrasound right there in her office, with the amazing image displayed below. It was an incredibly clear ultrasound, and I was able to see the baby rubbing its eyes! And… the OB told me that there is no other mass – just a healthy baby!

                In sum, we went through a bit of a rollercoaster of emotions in the last couple months and our time in Canada was not altogether relaxing. At first, we received the surprise that we were expecting, then the expectation that it was a miscarriage, then the confusion of finding out there was no life, but there was a tumour that in rare cases could cause harm. Then, the surprising, but blessed news that there is life, but still a mass that was potentially dangerous, and finally the news that all is well! However, we can only praise God for his sovereign and providential plan that we should go to Canada and receive care there, rather than inadvertently abort our child in Mexico.

Now you may wonder: do I trust the medical care in Mexico? Well, there seems to be quite a range of quality here. I no longer trust that particular doctor, but yes, I am comfortable with the obstetrician that I now have. And, medical care here is definitely a lot faster than in Canada!

While we want to be wise and take precautions with our health and the health of our children, in the end we must place it all in the hands of our good Father in heaven. This is easy in theory, and we have struggled with it at times: worrying, crying and fretting. God’s sovereignty and providence is a truth we believe and we are trying to make it shape the way we live, think, and act. It is also a truth which was so clearly on display for us these past couple months. And we wanted to share it with you as well.