Grateful for Folic Acid

I sit here on the floor watching Kathrynne kick and play. For the past few weeks one thing has been steadily on my mind. In a way it has been on my mind since Chad and I got engaged, maybe even before that. With my Spina Bifida Oculta, what is the chance that my children will have some degree of Spina Bifida?

I have been cautious. I taught myself to light many different types of greens. I have learned to really like asparagus. I eat a lot more beans. I still have more citrus (which isn't a huge problem because I love citrus... especially grapefruit). I have always liked broccoli, cereals and breads, avocados. And I have learned to have V8 juice, mostly the blended fruit ones though. I have done all of that and tried to eat a well rounded diet in the hopes to keep my folic acid levels high.

When Chad and I got engaged, I did everything I could to take prenatals as well as getting a birth control that was fortified with folic acid. I didn't want, by the stroke of luck, to find out that we got pregnant on our honeymoon just to realize that I had not been taking anything with folic acid.

I did all of that. I did all I could. When I actually found out that I was pregnant, I talked to my doctor about it. We were careful and I kept it up, until about the third trimester. The longer I was pregnant, the worse my memory got. I kept forgetting to take my prenatals. So at Kathrynne's 2 month check up and the doctor was concerned about her, in his words, asymmetrical gluteal cleft, I got worried. Dr. Pace wanted to just double check things out, given my history with my Spina Bifida as well as Chad's bad back history.

An ultrasound was going to tell us what we needed to know, did she have any signs of Spina Bifida? Had I not done enough to keep her from that? All of those feelings of inadequacy came rushing off and on until the appointment was made and over with. I hadn't seen anything personally on the monitor. I had convinced myself that everything was going to be fine. I had to believe that, because I had done all that I could. Right?

Well, a special envelope came in the mail today, and as I sit here on the floor watching my daughter play, smile, and (almost) giggle I can rest easy. My efforts were not in vain. All things were clear with her ultrasound. Kathrynne does not have Spina Bifida! Thank heavens!

I am so thankful. I could not be happier about this. I can let her grow up knowing that she won't have the same problems I did. I keep her as the bubble blowing, smile giving, active kicking, little girl for as long as I can.

Photos curtesy of my mom.