BVOV Magazine 2013 - present

Joe insisted Jessica see her doctor to be sure. “Your membranes have ruptured,” the doctor told her. “You’ll go into labor within the next 24 hours. The baby can’t survive. You’re only 19 weeks along. Viability for an infant is 24 weeks. If you don’t go into labor, you’ll develop an infection within 72 hours.” Then, she delivered the most staggering blow. “We’ll have to deliver the baby to save your life,” the doctor said. “Your baby won’t survive.” “Those were very dark days,” Joe recalls. “We’d never faced anything like it.” The only good news was that 24 hours passed, and Jessica didn’t go into labor. After 72 hours, there was no sign of infection. “Her doctor sent her for a consultation at the British Columbia Women’s Hospital,” Joe recalled. “Their Maternal Fetal Medicine Department handles all the high-risk pregnancies for Western Canada. After an additional ultrasound, we met with two doctors. One who had just become a doctor and was still in training, seemed to radiate light. When she heard the baby’s heartbeat she said, ‘What a beautiful, healthy baby!’” Then the other, a more experienced doctor, told them: “The ultrasound shows that you have only 2.5% of your amniotic fluid. At this facility we don’t recommend continuing a pregnancy unless there is at least 10%. You have a condition called placenta previa. That means your placenta is attached in the wrong place. It covers your cervix. If you go into labor, you run the risk of bleeding to death. “Thirty percent of the placenta is already detached,” the doctor explained. “It’s sheering off, and there is a large blood clot behind it. Your son is receiving 30% less nutrients and oxygen than he needs. If he was born full term, which he won’t be, he would only have a 15% chance of survival. He would only have a 3% chance of being healthy and normal. He could have club feet, facial deformities, be born blind, deaf, and be confined to a wheelchair and dependent on a lifetime supply of oxygen. His lungs can’t grow, and he could suffocate without oxygen.” Then came the most heart-wrenching words: “We recommend a medical termination,” the doctor said. “Do you have family you could call?” Surprised, and in disbelief, Joe responded: “We don’t have any family in Canada, but we have a church family.” “We have a termination team on standby,” the doctor said. “Do you need 15 minutes alone?” “No,” Joe replied, “we need to go home and pray.” At home, Joe and Jessica prayed for direction. After speaking with both their families, they called and scheduled termination for the following week. Life and Death Neither Joe nor Jessica had ever heard of Kenneth Copeland Ministries. But a co-worker of Joe’s, who was a strong believer, was a Partner with KCM. When she heard about their situation, the Lord gave her scriptures to share with the couple, one of which was Jeremiah 1:5: “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations” ("New Living Translation"). When the co-worker called to tell them, Joe politely told the woman, “Thank you, but we’ve scheduled a termination.” The woman hung up in tears, and the Lord gave her two more instructions. First, He told her to encourage them to attend an upcoming healing seminar at their church. Then, He told her to give Joe and Jessica a tape series by Gloria Copeland called, "God Can Turn It Around." Three days before the scheduled termination, Jessica was on strict bedrest. While she tried to keep still, the baby did not. He kept moving around, making his presence known. Joe had never experienced anything so bleak. That was his son. What would he have been like? he wondered. [photos: Caleb in NICU and at 6 months old] 24 : BVOV

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