Pregnancy is an incredibly emotional and exciting time, though it can also be quite stressful depending on the health of the mother and her baby. On Oprah’s show in 2004, a stunning story aired about a mother-to-be named Tammy who had lupus. As a consequence of her condition, Tammy had been through a miscarriage before and doctors were apprehensive about the health of her daughter. This story is an emotional one, so brace yourselves:
After an ultrasound at 15 weeks, doctors noticed that the baby was not growing at a normal rate. At that point, Tammy was confronted with a difficult choice: try to deliver the baby immediately or try to carry the baby up to 27 weeks and deliver then. The chances of survival for the second option were below 5%, although they were better than the near 0% chance of the first choice. Naturally, Tammy chose the second option.
As a result of the child being in such fragile condition, even safely carrying it to 27 weeks would prove to be a monumental challenge. As a result, doctors insisted on checking up on Tammy and the baby every other day. “I remember every day sitting in the car before we would walk into the clinic,” Tammy said. “You would take a big deep breath and you’d prepare yourself that there’s not going to be a heartbeat today.”
Still, every day the ultrasounds came back with a constant heartbeat. Tammy made it to that 27-week goal, at which the doctors forced delivery. Thankfully, Tammy and little baby Zoe were both ok, even if Zoe was born weighing only an incredible 10.8 ounces. Although Zoe was born safely, doctors were still not overly optimistic about her development outside of the womb given her fragile condition.
Still, as this story displays, Tammy and Zoe would not be counted out. Oprah checked in with the pair 12 years later and Skyped them into her live show. Sure enough, baby Zoe was now a healthy and active 12-year-old girl who could articulate her entire experience in her own words. What she has to say is worth watching all the way through and should inspire anyone who feels like the odds are stacked against them.
Zoe’s story is truly blowing skeptical doctors away as her amazing recovery is completely unprecedented. As this story shows, statistics can’t predict everything and the human spirit is stronger than we might think—especially in the presence of a mother’s love. Check out the video for yourself to hear Zoe’s amazing story.
https://youtu.be/3DOrdP4H8SA
