For Lydia With Love
Donation protected
"A person is a person no matter how small." - Horton The Elephant
Dear Friends,
Our sweet baby girl, Lydia Dianne McDonald, was diagnosed with anencephaly. We have decided to carry her full term and let her live as long as possible. We believe that God has a purpose and a plan for all our lives that's greater than the plans we have made.
So, some information to help understand the diagnosis and baby. Lydia has a hole in her skull(we do not know how large yet), because of this her brain is exposed to the amniotic fluid. The fluid has caused part or most of her brain to separate. From the statistics, we have found it appears she has a 7% chance of passing before birth and a 75% chance of surviving her birth. If she lives, she could live moments, weeks, months, or possibly longer. The doctors believe she will pass before or at birth. In my life, I have seen God heal. I've always struggled with why God heals some and not others. It's a difficult question to answer or understand. I do know that God can heal, and that's really all I need to know. This gives us hope. We are glad God gave her to us, and that we can love her for however long He chooses.
Jason, my cousin and my Best Man at our wedding, wrote this beautiful piece about what we are going through, from Lydia's perspective:
"I want to share with you a story. It’s about me. I’m a little girl named Lydia Dianne McDonald and I am currently living right there in my mommy’s tummy. You see, I am not your average child. I am a very special and lucky child indeed! I have two wonderful parents who would go to the ends of the earth for me. I have a little brother, who is rambunctious and full of energy and cannot wait to meet me. I have grandparents and uncles and aunts and cousins and so many friends that care for me, I couldn’t name them all. What I know right now is that I am warm and that I am loved.
I am also a very special child for another reason. My parents just found out that I have something only 1 in 10,000 or more babies ever have. It’s called anencephaly. In short, a part of me did not develop properly which makes my life very difficult. The causes are mainly unknown but they do say that I, and my family, will require quite a bit of support because of my uniqueness. This love and support will be needed, not only from my family and friends, but quite possibly from others out in the world who just want to lend a helping hand.
I have to say that my parents are so brave! They are talking to so many doctors and people and they are reading and looking online to find out as much information as they can about what makes me so unique. They are putting forth so much effort for me. That is how I know I am so loved.
It’s amazing because all I have to do is be in this warm and cozy tummy and everyone else is doing so much tireless work. I am truly grateful for the tremendous amount of effort being put into my life!
Please let my parents know if you can do anything, no matter how small, to help my family. They sometimes have a bit of a problem asking others for help, but they have such big hearts and I know they would be eternally grateful for any kindness sent their way."
Please help us with our little princess, Lydia Dianne McDonald. Every amount helps. Every prayer helps. Please pray for her complete healing! We believe that nothing is impossible for our Mighty God!
- Love Miranda, Layne, and Whitson
Dear Friends,
Our sweet baby girl, Lydia Dianne McDonald, was diagnosed with anencephaly. We have decided to carry her full term and let her live as long as possible. We believe that God has a purpose and a plan for all our lives that's greater than the plans we have made.
So, some information to help understand the diagnosis and baby. Lydia has a hole in her skull(we do not know how large yet), because of this her brain is exposed to the amniotic fluid. The fluid has caused part or most of her brain to separate. From the statistics, we have found it appears she has a 7% chance of passing before birth and a 75% chance of surviving her birth. If she lives, she could live moments, weeks, months, or possibly longer. The doctors believe she will pass before or at birth. In my life, I have seen God heal. I've always struggled with why God heals some and not others. It's a difficult question to answer or understand. I do know that God can heal, and that's really all I need to know. This gives us hope. We are glad God gave her to us, and that we can love her for however long He chooses.
Jason, my cousin and my Best Man at our wedding, wrote this beautiful piece about what we are going through, from Lydia's perspective:
"I want to share with you a story. It’s about me. I’m a little girl named Lydia Dianne McDonald and I am currently living right there in my mommy’s tummy. You see, I am not your average child. I am a very special and lucky child indeed! I have two wonderful parents who would go to the ends of the earth for me. I have a little brother, who is rambunctious and full of energy and cannot wait to meet me. I have grandparents and uncles and aunts and cousins and so many friends that care for me, I couldn’t name them all. What I know right now is that I am warm and that I am loved.
I am also a very special child for another reason. My parents just found out that I have something only 1 in 10,000 or more babies ever have. It’s called anencephaly. In short, a part of me did not develop properly which makes my life very difficult. The causes are mainly unknown but they do say that I, and my family, will require quite a bit of support because of my uniqueness. This love and support will be needed, not only from my family and friends, but quite possibly from others out in the world who just want to lend a helping hand.
I have to say that my parents are so brave! They are talking to so many doctors and people and they are reading and looking online to find out as much information as they can about what makes me so unique. They are putting forth so much effort for me. That is how I know I am so loved.
It’s amazing because all I have to do is be in this warm and cozy tummy and everyone else is doing so much tireless work. I am truly grateful for the tremendous amount of effort being put into my life!
Please let my parents know if you can do anything, no matter how small, to help my family. They sometimes have a bit of a problem asking others for help, but they have such big hearts and I know they would be eternally grateful for any kindness sent their way."
Please help us with our little princess, Lydia Dianne McDonald. Every amount helps. Every prayer helps. Please pray for her complete healing! We believe that nothing is impossible for our Mighty God!
- Love Miranda, Layne, and Whitson
Organizer
Layne McDonald
Organizer
Lenow, TN
