I started to share this story last night but I can't help but feel like I'm not going to do it justice. I say that because this meeting is more meaningful than I could ever articulate. I'll try....
To understand the significance of this meeting, we have to revisit what happened late January 2007. After a routine ultrasound, we were scheduled to go see a specialist. The specialist did not have good news...Lisa and the girls were diagnosed with Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS). If you want to read the blog post from that night, here it is....
In those initial days after we learned about TTTS, Lisa and I did a lot of internet research. For the most part, we were just managing to freak ourselves out but one positive was finding the forum on the TTTS Foundation website. The forum immediately gave Lisa a way to share our story and get support...and the main source of that support came from a very nice woman named Laurie. Laurie connected with Lisa, swapped stories, and even put her in touch with Dr. Julian DeLia. Hard to describe Dr. DeLia's expertise so I'll just copy/paste from wikipedia...
"TTTS can also be treated by laser therapy fetal surgery. Dr. Julian DeLia began investigating TTTS in 1983 and pioneered fetoscopic placental laser surgery in 1988 at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City. He subsequently brought his life-saving surgery to Wisconsin and Illinois. Dr. De Lia’s laser procedure is now performed (with some modifications) throughout the United States and the rest of the world."
The connection is that Dr. Julian DeLia performed this life saving surgery on Laurie and her daughters. I KNOW I won't do her story justice so I'll just leave it at this...her daughters names are Julianne and Leah!!
So Laurie helped Lisa (and myself) through the pregnancy, stayed in contact, and started following our blog. At some point, we realized that we're all from the same town!!!...and that Laurie and her family still live there! So we joked how some day we would finally meet. Well that day finally came this past summer when we met up for about an hour just minutes from where Lisa's mom lives. Amazing! Honestly thinking about this as I'm writing...it's truly amazing!!
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| Standing around getting to know each other...while our girls explore the playground. |
A slide??? Oh game on!! Not sure at this point that Katy knew her hair was sticking straight up. I think I had to show her a picture later for her to believe us.
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| Tag! |
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| You're it! |
Love this one!!!
Lisa noticed at some point that the donors and recipients paired up. Coincidence? Perhaps...
Laurie and family picked up sweatshirts from our high school for the girls. LOVED IT!!!
What a sweet woman! Thank you Laurie!!!
2 comments:
TTTS....a curse and then a blessing. It was the hardest time of my life, no doubt. After it was all said and done though, it brought me to my best friend (Audrey's Godmother), it gave me an idea of why I am here on Earth, and it has given me some of the most amazing situations that let me know without a doubt God has everything under control. :)
Loved meeting you, but it wasn't long enough. Someday I picture a nice vacation meet-up, with more time to get to know one another. Thank you for taking and sharing these lovely pictures of our girls.
xo
Laurie
Oh Andy...you did a wonderful job telling the story of this amazing family. Even knowing the story didn't keep the tears from flowing as I read your account. Such love between strangers. Well, strangers no more!! Thank you for sharing!
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