The POTW I have posted for this week is very special and extremely emotional for me.

In November of last year, my wife and I found out that our baby that was due on March 29 of this year had a chromosomal defect called Trisomy 18, the presence of a third number 18 chromosome half. It's physiology is much like Downs' Syndrome which is Trisomy 21. Unfortunately, Trisomy 18 is almost always fatal within a few weeks of birth, unlike Downs'.

When we received the original diagnosis, we were told that little Teresa would most likely go full term but due to her multiple heart defects that we would only have hours with her, once she wasn't receiving "life support" from my wife, before she died. Subsequently, after consulting with a cardiologist, we were told that the defects weren't as severe as originally diagnosed and that we should have days minimum, most likely weeks. While we still faced the loss of our child long before we could have imagined, we were buoyed by that diagnosis of a longer life.

This past Thursday 2/6, we went to the doctor for an ultrasound to confirm a few things to facilitate a birth plan for her. About 2 minutes into that ultrasound, we found that her heart was no longer beating...she had died sometime that week.

So, we began induced labor on Friday afternoon 2/7 and Teresa was stillborn on Saturday 2/8 at 8:45 a.m. The hospital staff was more gracious and accommodating than we could have imagined. We were able to bathe and dress her. Our parish priest came to the hospital and performed a naming ceremony. And, I was able to take some pictures since this few hours would be all we would have with her.

The photo I have posted as my POTW is one I grabbed as we were in the last few minutes of our time with her, I had the camera in hand and saw my wife with her finger in Teresa's hand. The photo has been the most poignant reminder of Teresa we have. The bend in Teresa's index finger is caused by the Trisomy 18...it's the thing that tipped the doctors off to her eventual diagnosis.

We used it on the program for her funeral yesterday which was attended by nearly 150 family, friends, and church members. The service was a beautiful affirmation of the short, seven month life of our little girl and her profound importance in our lives and the lives of so many who know us.

We buried Teresa Marie today on a snowy hillside in Mendota Heights, MN, two spaces down from her maternal grandfather who passed away this past September. While we grieve, we find strength in the Lord and the knowledge that there is some higher purpose in store for Teresa that we may never know until that day in which we join her.