And we wait on results

The first results from the amnio known as FISH results would be available within the first 48-72 hours. They would tell us if she had any of 6 genetic abnormalities like Down's Syndrome and any other condition that could be the underlying cause for a heart defect.

I came home day 1 like usual and tried not to give it much thought because I had already been warned that these FISH results could give us false negatives. Meaning it could say she was fine and didn't have Down's when really the final results would indicate that she actually did.

Day 2 was a little more tense, I came in and saw the message light on the phone. Did I want to check it or not? Brian didn't have school that night so I could wait for him, but temptation got the best of me. I checked it and heard that all was clear on the FISH results. Now we really wait. Our baby's life was already different, how much were these results going to change things? Well the answer could be substantially if she had an abnormality that involved multiple systems or underdevelopment of her brain and so on and on. Anything that would take her out of the running as a heart surgery candidate would be deterimental to our entire outlook.

The weekend passed and people that knew of the test were starting to ask if I had heard anything. Of course not people! If we knew something you would hear it from us, it was a big enough deal that we would be forthcoming with results no matter how sad they may be.

Now a week has gone by and we're starting to talk about the following weekend's plans. It's time to start registering for our shower, but I'm thinking "Oh we are going to go register for this baby that might not ever come home with us depending on these results". Please let us get the results before the weekend because I can't think of how she'll look in this or that outfit and then never have her wear it.

Tuesday goes by, and nothing. Wednesday goes by and nothing, but then I look at the phone when I get home and there's the message light again. Oooh do I want to do this? Again I could wait for Brian but I think no, if the news is bad I want to tell him myself instead of letting him listen to the message. So I nervously pick up the phone and retrieve messages only to hear some charity message...ugh...message #2 Amnio results are in and baby is 100% genetically NORMAL! Thank God, this was a terrible fluke, but Olivia is all right otherwise and she is still a go for surgeries.

I can't even wait for Brian to come home, I call him at the office to tell him that she's fine and we are in the clear from the genetic perspective. He is proud and wants paper results so we can put an A+ on them and stick them on the fridge for her first test scores to be displayed for all to see. This cracks me up because I know that it was big deal for my sister and I to post our tests up on the fridge for all to see when we were little. Olivia will be a normal munchkin despite her rocky beginning and for now that's enough to sleep well at night.