A Full Term Baby

Dear Lord,

Thank you for granting me a full term pregnancy. It has been the most physically draining nine months of my life, but You gave me endurance.

You put people in my life to support me and encourage me. I thank you for my husband who is patient and kind, for my friend Ashley who is wise and encouraging, my parents who have been more understanding and tender hearted, my co-workers who were sympathetic, Dr. G who gave me a lot of knowledge and reassurance, Dr. Kimberly who gave me confidence and peace, Nurse Mary who called to check in on me and treated me so kindly, friends from my church who put me on their prayer list, my BFFs who texted or called or bought cute baby things for me just because they were thinking about me and the baby, extended family who have given me space and time to rest, blog friends who send emails and comments of encouragement to brighten my day, and kind strangers who have been helpful at odd times.

Thank you Lord for granting me the opportunity for superior medical care. I know prenatal care is a luxury in this part of the world. Thank you for giving me the chance for frequent or weekly visits to therapists, geneticists, ultrasound facilities, and nurses to prepare my body for this baby and to easy my apprehension with positive test results.

This is a prayer of thanksgiving. I breathe a huge sigh of relief and have some "evidence" now for how good is my Great God, and how in control of things He is.

1 in 200,000 Chance

That baby will be born with a chromosomal disorder, such as Trisomy 21 or 18. This means very little chance for Down's Syndrome or lethal chromosome related stillbirths.

So, good news!

Good (financial) News

At our last appointment, we had a "health care financing appointment". The practice does this routinely to inform clients about costs and discuss insurance benefits.

The lady from billing was especially helpful and friendly. Right away, she told us we had nothing to worry about - that the insurance was very generous with Pre Natal Care! I knew we've had more than three times the normal appointments, labs, tests, etc, and I was a little worried we'd have to pay for the recurrent lost diagnostic panel, as well as the metabolic and immunity screenings I'd had.

It turns out that I pay one $25 co-pay for ALL visits prior to labor check-in. At the hospital there is a $250 "cover charge" and 20% patient responsibility payment due at a later time.

This baby is cheaper than I had imagined, though not nearly as cheap as its Uncle Wes (long story, but he "cost" $10 back in 1984)