Into The Beautiful Unkown With Paisley

Some of our biggest plans for the future include having a child of our own, for Abby this was a dream come true with a wonderful man who is already an exceptional father to a beautiful little girl. Their little family set out on a beautiful journey, hand in hand with hope for the future and a perfectly painted picture of what they were going to look like. Another heart to love, hand to hold, and miracle to watch grow. We also know that in the blink of an eye; everything can change and the unknown becomes all we really know. First the virus and all of the worry that comes with that, the plans they had made had to be changed in an instant. While they have a great support system behind them full of loving and wonderful family members/friends, they will be going into this alone due to the national crisis of COVID 19. To add to their fears, recently; Abby and Chris received news about Paisley (due In early June— now being induced on May 13th) that seems rather frightening. Upon an abundance of testing it has been discovered that Paisley has Septo-optic Dysplasia. This only brought more questions for them instead of answers. Due to this delicate condition, Abby and Chris will be welcoming their baby at the University Children’s Hospital in Minnesota, nearly 80 miles away from the comfort of their home and the hospital/doctors that they have come to be familiar and comfortable with. The reason for this change of birth venue is so that a neonatal neurosurgeon can be on stand by in case something were to go seriously wrong. The diagnosis Paisley has been given affects the formation of the brain and optical nerves but can have other affects as well. As we all know any diagnosis is scary but when it comes to organs like the brain, it is especially frightening as this can sometimes mean for a long and painful (but worth it) journey. Abby and Chris are trying to prepare for a long stay in the NICU following the arrival of Paisley. They will need as much assistance and support as they can get, this will be and has been a very trying time for them. They will need to budget for things like gas, food, the bills still due at home, and any other unforeseen expenses that could arise out of this situation. While donations are extremely helpful during this time, emotional support and prayers are just as important. Sometimes the strength in ourselves is hard to find when we are doing something alone, but when we have an army at home that’s full of love, understanding and support standing behind us; we can make it through anything. Anything you have to offer is beyond appreciated, even if it’s loving words and a reminder that somebody cares and is there. Help me bring all of the love together and help to support Abby and Chris during this time of unknown. -A long time family friend of Abby’s