Help John raise money

We were given 2 weeks notice that there was a chance might have Down syndrome. This was on the back of a late term ultrasound given to my wife Melissa due to her massive pregnancy bump. It was at that ultrasound, where the tech asked if we had ever had the amniocentesis test. Oh ohh, WTH is going?  We were sent for a level 2 ultrasound because the level 1 just wasn’t cutting it. That was where we were delivered the gut to the punch. Your baby will likely have Trisomy-21 followed by the obligatory genetic testing questions. We had learned that Violet likely had a condition known as Duodenal Atresia or more commonly known as Double Bubble. This is where the duodenum is blocked or restricted which would cause no fluids to transfer through baby and mum. Not a Doctor so not entirely sure. In any event we knew our lives were going to change. 

When Violet popped out I am embarrassed to say I looked for the Down syndrome before I looked at Violet. The millisecond that I looked for the diagnosis before the baby will stay with me forever. The rest of my life I have never looked at the diagnosis. I look at Violet. The support we got from First Call was paramount to our longterm view of Down syndrome. Sarah Cullen and the team at first call were an absolute God send. When we met with Dr. Crocker he took Violet and did his thing uttering words in a way that only he could “you have a good one”. We didn’t have any clue how our lives would change or the relationships we would forge as a result of being on this journey. I have taken so much from the community and now it’s time to give back.