Posted on 08/21/2003 6:13:26 PM PDT by 2timothy3.16
Friday August 22nd, 2003
In Matthew chapter twenty five Jesus says: "Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to Me."
I want you to take a minute and read an article that appeared in yesterday's Advertiser Democrat. It was written by the paper's editor, Susan Arena.
The following articles originally appeared in Norway, Maine's
Advertiser-Democrat on August 21, 2003.
by Susan P. Arena
NORWAY - Sherry Mason is 15.
She enjoys hanging out with her friends, watching movies, reading R. L. Stine books and making latch hooked rugs. She used to have fun rollerblading and horseback riding, but those activities are off limits for Sherry now. Sherry is going through something no 15 year old should have to cope with - she's pregnant with twins.
Once named middle school Student of the Month, Sherry's a tiny teen. Although she's tall, she weighs only 104 pounds. Dressed in popular teen garb of low slung jeans and a tank top, her small rounded tummy protrudes.
Her long blondish hair is usually clean and tied back neatly, but some days Sherry's just too tired and sick to wash it. Moreover the babies are in trouble.
The twins, which doctors say are identical girls, suffer from twin to twin transfusion syndrome. In this condition one twin gets too much blood and one too little when blood passes unevenly from one baby to the other through connecting blood vessels within their shared placenta.
The baby who gets too much can have problems because its heart is overworked and the sac in which it rests becomes too full - the embryo produces too much urine. The other twin can become anemic because it gets too much blood and its sac has too little fluid because urine
production is slight.
Although it's complicated, Sherry understands much of what is happening to her and her babies. And she's, understandably, scared - frightened for her twins and of the pain she must endure to try to save them. Once or twice a week doctors - specialists in problem pregnancies - have
plunged a long needle into her abdomen to drain off some of the fluid from the sac that's home to the twin who is getting more than her share of the blood and therefore producing extra urine, making her sac too full.
It's not a pleasant procedure and Sherry had trouble tolerating the pain. Then there's severe cramping and nausea once the process itself is completed. Because the doctors feel it's the best chance to save the two tiny embryos the 15-year-old carries, they've decided to try to remove fluid
after Sherry is medicated to better help her bear the pain. So on Tuesday, she went to Maine Medical Center and, once again, doctors drained fluid, this time after making Sherry groggy with medication.
Sherry and her mom, Sheila Kimball of Oxford, are staying at the Ronald McDonald House in Portland between treatments, coming home only on the weekends. Both feel that this makes the situation a little easier, that Sherry gets more rests and isn't as uncomfortable. Doctors have told Sherry and her mom that the rest of pregnancy is normal, although Sherry is unable to eat because of constant nausea.
Sherry has followed recommended paths since she found she was pregnant. She visited a local obstetrician as soon as she realize she was pregnant. She tried to take prenatal vitamins but couldn't keep them down. After two visits, the local doctor sent her to a specialist in Portland
and the problem in blood exchange was discovered.
Now about all she can do is rest and make trips to the doctor. Her pregnancy is considered high risk on three levels: her age, her very slim body build and the fact that she is carrying twins. In spite of the problems, the doctors are working hard to save Sherry's twins.
The physicians hope to reduce the embryonic fluid to help keep the stress at a manageable level for both babies, but if that doesn't work, laser surgery on the blood vessels that aren't transferring the blood properly will be the only recourse. For that the slight 15 year old will need to travel to Florida. There are only a handful of doctors who perform the delicate procedure.
Sherry's about 19 weeks pregnant, not far enough along to perform the laser operation. If doctors can help Sherry continue to carry the twins, she an her mother will probably need to make the trip to Florida, but they'll need some financial help. For now they stay at the Ronald McDonald House, where their room is free but they must provide their own meals.
Most of Sherry's medical expenses are covered by state programs, but the day-to-day living costs are hard for the family to cope with. "I just don't have any money," says Sheila, who draws disability compensation and is divorced from Sherry's father. She has recently gone through another divorce and is in the midst of patching her own life together.
"I'm back to being a single mom," Sheila says. "These are my first grandchildren. I don't want to lose them and I don't know where to turn for help." Although Sherry lives with her dad, he can't help financially either. He is raising two small children and is dealing with monetary problems of
his own, Sherry says.
If you'd like to help Sherry, a fund has been set up to help her meet expenses. Even more help will be required if they must travel to Florida to try to save the babies. Donations to help can be made in Sherry Mason's name at the Oxford Federal Credit Union.
Although Sherry has given some thought to the difficulties she'll face as a teenage, single mom if the twins survive, she doesn't really have a plan at this point. She's sure she'll manage somehow.
For now Sherry - and her twin baby girls - are trying to get through one more day, every day.
(Excerpt) Read more at christianpatriot.com ...
Prayers for Sherry and her twin babies.
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