Our Precious Ethan Carter

Ethan Carter Lane was born on March 12, 2010, perfectly healthy except for a rare congenital heart defect (Supravalvular Aortic Stenosis and Supravalvular Pulmonic Stenosis) that has been passed down through the generations in my family. His sister, Emily (born November 22, 2004), has the same defect. She had two cardiac catheterizations with balloon angioplastys and open-heart surgery, all before the age of one. She is a happy, energetic little girl who has never been sickly (you would never even know she has a heart defect) and has an incredible future. Her little brother Ethan was expected to follow a similar course. He was a "normal baby"... he never looked or acted sick, never struggled, never let us know just how severe his heart defect really was. On June 4, 2010, at two months and three weeks of age, Ethan underwent his first procedure--- a cardiac catheterization with balloon angioplasty. Only they never started the actual procedure. When someone is put under general anesthesia, their blood pressure drops. When the doctors put our precious Ethan under, his heart could not handle the drop in blood pressure. He went into sudden, unexpected cardiac arrest, and teams of doctors tried everything they knew to save him. But, Jesus did the saving that day in His Own special way... and Ethan went to live forever in Heaven. This blog is simply one mother working through her grief and reconciling a Loving God with One Who allows us to suffer the loss of a child. It is also one mother wanting the world to know about her incredibly special son--- and the God Who loves him.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Great Expectation

This time last year (well, okay, for my entire pregnancy with him!) we were awaiting Ethan's arrival with great expectation.

We knew it could be any time... as I mentioned in my last post, this day last year, Dr. Nelson scheduled his birthday for March 12th (my due date was March 21st)... but we knew he still might choose to make his appearance earlier. :)

(I had, after all, just gotten off bed rest and Brethine, and here we were only a couple of days later, me contracting and her thinking she might have to go ahead and deliver him.)

And although he didn't come earlier, this time was filled with incredible anticipation as his birthday drew closer!

Here are a few pictures from February 15, 2010.

Ethan would be born just a month later...




And Emily was more than ready to be a Big Sissy!
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2 comments:

  1. Amy B.March 3, 2011 at 1:04 PM

    At the time, all of the concern of early labor and delivery was a scary, intense time. Now the fact that there was so much worry, makes for vivid memories of that time of wonder and waiting. May these memories be a source of comfort and joy to you as you approach the first anniversary of the birth of your beautiful son.

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  2. BryanneMarch 3, 2011 at 8:38 PM

    You are right! Although I must say, God gave us so much peace while I was on bed rest with him... I worried (for sure!), and I was scared (at times, very!), but not the way I would have been without that peace. And the memories... they are beautiful--- and they are vivid, indeed. I cling to them... until I can cling to my baby boy again. Thank you for your love!

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