October 31st, we went into our OB visit to see our baby boy for our anatomy ultrasound. We waited for the doctor to tell us he was perfectly healthy and that everything looked normal. Instead, our doctor looked at us with concern. We were told that we needed to go to Charleston and visit the high-risk center as soon as possible, and would be squeezed in for an appointment early the next morning. We put on some smiles, drove home, went trick or treating and hugged our sweet Delila a little tighter that night, unsure of what tomorrow would bring. The next morning we drove to Charleston for our appointment. It was a silent car ride, and a long wait before we were taken back for the ultrasound. I remember hearing the words come from the ultrasound tech’s mouth and was not able to believe it. Then the doctor came in shortly after and it sank in. “Spina Bifida”, the doctor repeated. There are a few types, and the doctor confirmed that his was the most severe of them. We spent the next hours sitting in that ultrasound room, talking to the doctor about our options. The best possible scenario, the worst possible scenario. He then explained that there is a fairly new procedure, if we even qualify, that would give us the chance to repair our baby boy’s spina bifida while he was still in utero. This could allow him to continue growing and developing with his spina bifida repaired prior to delivery. If that was something we were interested in, it would be a decision we would need to make very soon. Right away, Nick and I looked at each other in agreement. No matter what, we knew that we needed to explore all the options available and fight for our boy. After that decision, it all happened so very quickly. The next weeks consisted of tests, consults and a lot of waiting and praying. After several drives to Charleston and a flight to Texas, our prayers were answered. We qualified for the procedure! Our amniocentesis (genetic testing) came back normal, his heart is nice and strong, and he still has full movement of his legs and feet, which is such huge news! Our sweet baby boy has a strong kick; we can already tell he is going to be a fighter! And if we undergo this procedure, the doctors can repair the spina bifida in utero, and we can not only decrease the chance of him needing a shunt after birth, but we can also preserve that movement in his legs so that no more damage is done. A requirement for this procedure, however, is the need to stay nearby the hospital in Texas from the time that the procedure is done until the delivery. I will be on “modified bedrest”, meaning that I will not be able to walk or stand for longer than 15 minutes at a time. We have such a long journey ahead of us, and we know this is going to be a lot. We not only will have to move to Texas in just two weeks, but we will have to pay for housing to stay out there for the remainder of the pregnancy (5-6 months), but we will have to continue paying for our home payments back in South Carolina. I will be on bedrest until my delivery, which means that Nick and I will have to leave our jobs for that time, so that Nick care of both Delila and I in those months. With that being said, we have decided to start this gofundme to reach out to our family and friends and ask if anyone is able to help out financially in any way. We want to say thank you for taking the time to read through all of this. We truly appreciate all the love and support of everyone so far. Please keep our little family in all your thoughts and prayers as we make our move to Texas in just a couple weeks, mama and baby undergo a successful procedure to repair his spina bifida, and we make it to our March due date with a fully cooked, healthy baby boy. We feel so very humbled and thankful to have friends and family to reach out to in this time of need.

To learn more about Spina Bifida and the procedure Bri and baby boy will be undergoing, you can check out the links attached below:
https://www.spinabifidaassociation.org/what-is-spina-bifida-2/
https://www.aans.org/Patients/Neurosurgical-Conditions-and-Treatments/Spina-Bifida
https://women.texaschildrens.org/program/texas-childrens-fetal-center/conditions-we-treat/spina-bifida-myelomeningocele
https://women.texaschildrens.org/program/texas-childrens-fetal-center/procedures-offered/fetoscopic-repair-spina-bifida