The nurse held a copy of the scan in her hands as she turned to the doctor. Everyone was eager to see the results, but the nurse still hadn’t revealed them. A clear look of surprise washed over her face, concerning everyone in the room.
When they called her name, she finally snapped back to reality. But when he saw the results, he understood her surprise.
Rob And Shelley Wall
Rob and Shelley Wall were a perfectly happy, married couple. Living in Cumbria, North West England, the couple lived comfortable lives, and they couldn’t be any happier. They had two, beautiful daughters together, and they always thought they were living an idyllic life.
They were proud of the way they were raising their children, there was always a lot of love in their home. But with so much love to give, they knew what they had to do to make their lives even better.
Another Child
They decided that they would have a third child. Shortly after making this decision, Shelley fell pregnant and they were overjoyed. They were desperately hoping to finally have a boy, they wanted their daughters to have a baby brother!
Rob dreamed of bonding with his son over football, which their daughters weren’t interested in at all. But soon, everything would change when they decided to go to the doctor’s office.
Regular Checkups
During the course of the pregnancy, they often went for checkups. They knew how important it was to keep a close eye on the mother and baby’s health.
Shelley and Rob knew just what they had to do during this pregnancy, after all, they’d done it twice before. But they had no idea that soon enough, something would present itself that they had never encountered before.
Horrifying Discovery
Their next checkup didn’t go as well as they had hoped. They soon discovered that the baby boy growing inside of Shelley had an abnormality in his head. They made the horrifying discovery that he only had 2% of his brain.
When they were given the bad news, the couple instantly knew what they wanted to do. There was no hesitation in their decision.
Birth Defects
They were beyond devastated. This meant that their baby’s quality of life would be a lot worse than they were anticipating. The doctor told them what kind of life the child would live, and it did not sound easy. You see, baby Noah’s birth defect was that he grew no brain matter and had spina bifida.
This meant that his spinal cord didn’t manage to form properly. But just then, the doctor revealed a radical proposal.
Discussing Options
The doctor felt that it was best for Shelley to get an abortion. Understandably, this was an extremely difficult decision for Shelley to make.
The doctor further explained that if they kept the baby, he would require around-the-clock care for the rest of his life. His life expectancy wouldn’t be very long either. Did they really want their child to live this kind of life?
Going Home
The couple thought long and hard about their decisions and choices. When they returned home, they looked at their beautiful daughters who had smiles on their faces. They didn’t know how to break the horrible news to their girls.
They loved their children more than anything on earth, and they didn’t want to upset them. But at that moment, Shelley and Rob had their answer. They would bring this new life into the world.
Going Through With It
Perhaps they would’ve considered abortion in their younger years, but after having their two daughters, they knew they would love their son no matter what. They would do anything for him. But during the course of Shelley’s pregnancy, she was advised to have an abortion five times.
But Shelley already made her decision and Rob stood by her. They were strong. Even when the harsh reality of raising Noah came to light, they stood together in their decision and didn’t look back. They knew what they had to do for their baby.
Never Looking Back
Shelley never doubted her decision, not even for a second. She went through her entire pregnancy without looking back once. From the very start, the odds were against them, and they were aware of it.
But the couple never stopped wishing or praying that their son would be strong enough to make it. It’s a good thing they put their hope in him.
Fighting The Odds
On March 6, 2012, Noah came into the world via c-section. Shelley knew what to expect. Doctors had warned the family that their son would be paralyzed from the chest down and could be born with other abnormalities.
Despite her fears, Shelley couldn't wait to meet her son for the first time. There were 12 doctors in the operating theatre, but as he came into the world, they were given a sign.
A Little Fighter
Noah let out a big, healthy scream the moment he was born, letting his parents know that he had arrived.
To give him a fighting chance, a doctor placed a shunt in Noah's skull to drain the excess fluid and relieve the pressure on his brain tissue. His parents could only wait and see how he developed.
Early Days
Shelley and Rob had no expectations for Noah in the early days of his life. They were simply happy that their boy was healthy and happy.
What's more, Noah was able to breathe, eat, and drink because his brain stem was intact. He was paralyzed from the waist down but this never seemed to affect his mood. He was a happy little boy. It made Shelley and Rob wonder how Noah could be thriving with so little of his brain.
Leaps And Bounds
Noah was developing at a rate that could hardly be explained. Before his birth, doctors warned that he would have severe special needs.
Yet he was coming on three years old and didn't seem to be behind most kids his age. He was aware of everything going on around him, appeared emotionally intelligent, and he was even starting to talk. Another trip to the doctor's office was required.
A Second Look
With Noah collecting milestones like leaves from a tree, his parents wanted to know how his brain looked. A second scan had to be taken.
The nurse came back from the other room with the scans and looked visibly shocked. 'You're not going to believe this,' she said.