39-year-old Suzy Mack was overjoyed with her pregnancy, but her happiness turned to despair when her unborn son was diagnosed with a fatal disease. Suzy and her husband Zachary were devastated, and Suzy couldn’t help but shed tears.
Little did she know, her story would one day save many lives.
The problem arose when she was 17 weeks pregnant, and her amniotic fluid began leaking, causing her to lose all of it. A medical expert examined her and found that her baby was smaller than a normal fetus.
The expert informed Suzy that most women with her condition would deliver within a few days.
“You have two options,” she recalled the doctor saying, “You can go home and wait for your baby to be born, then say goodbye. Or we can schedule an appointment for you to terminate the pregnancy.”
He added that abortion was the safer option because if Suzy chose to continue the pregnancy, she was likely to get an infection.
Upon hearing this news, Zachary knelt to the ground. Suzy looked around the room, unable to accept the heartbreaking news.
“We walked to the parking lot, we cried and cried, non-stop,” she told The Epoch Times in an interview.
Later in the car, through tears, Suzy gazed at the rearview mirror and turned to her faith, saying, “God, please save my child,” she pleaded.
Over the next few days, the Mack couple prayed in their Santa Barbara, California home. According to the doctor, Suzy thought she would deliver soon and lose her baby. However, two days passed, and nothing happened.
She went to see her OB-GYN, Dr. Sussane Ramos, who found the baby’s heartbeat strong, and Suzy showed no signs of infection. Dr. Ramos admitted it was great but pointed out to Suzy that her pregnancy was still risky, and if she wanted to continue, she needed close monitoring.
Considering this, Suzy decided to rest in bed under Dr. Ramos’ supervision since the hospital refused her admission due to the baby’s fatal condition.
During this time, the couple patiently waited for the baby to reach the age of viability: 23 weeks.
“Every single day, praying every single day, hoping that the baby would hit 23 weeks because we knew that if he hit 23 weeks, then ultimately people would consider him a real person,” Suzy said. “And we got the help that we needed in the end.”
That help ultimately came from the University of California, Los Angeles hospital. She was admitted to the hospital once the baby reached viability. For the staff at UCLA, Suzy’s pregnancy was a very unique case. She defied all odds, as most in her situation would choose abortion. This was a crucial rarity in successful cases post preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) diagnosis.
The medical staff excelled in Suzy’s treatment, repeatedly reminding her of the risks of continuing the pregnancy. Suzy and her husband had to defend their decision to carry on and express their desire to avoid termination.
At 29 weeks, Suzy woke up in the middle of the night feeling different. Tests showed everything was normal, but Suzy insisted she was in labor. Further investigations proved her right – she was dilated to 5 centimeters.
The next few hours were a whirlwind, and when she woke up again, she was a mother to a baby boy. Oz was born with his arms raised, crying as if he had already won a championship.
Oz’s next stop in his journey was the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
Upon finally going home, the Mack couple needed to use a special machine to help Oz breathe. Six months later, he no longer required oxygen, once again defying the doctors’ predictions – they anticipated he would need it for many years.
Today, Oz is a thriving two-year-old. The Macks were told he would be disabled, but he isn’t. In fact, cognitively, he is ahead by three months compared to other children his age.
“He’s already started reading, and he’s not even 3 yet,” Suzy, now 41, said.
Physically, he is a bit smaller than his peers, but he is developing well.
Doting parents, Suzy and Zachary cherish Oz, viewing him as a “scientific miracle” and an essential testament to their faith.
“It’s like it poured a whole bucket of endless faith over us,” Suzy said.
Suzy relied on her faith and the support of her Christian parents and in-laws to get through the ordeal. She also thanked her OB-GYN, Dr. Ramos, for encouraging her and being willing to extend a helping hand when others were reluctant to treat her.
Suzy still remembers the day she looked into the rearview mirror of her car, praying for God to save her child. She now realizes that as she pleaded to God, she was also asking him a deeper question – is God real?
Today, Suzy has no doubt about the answer. “I’m very secure in my faith right now,” she said.
Suzy, a busy recruiting professional, continues to share her story on social media in her spare time. She always ensures to connect with pregnant women in distress and pray for them.
Recently, a lady diagnosed with the same condition saw one of Suzy’s posts on Instagram. Inspired by Suzy’s story, this lady decided she didn’t have to terminate her pregnancy, even though doctors suggested it. Because of Suzy’s testimony, another life was saved.
The proud mother remains grateful for her beloved son and the way her story has touched others. “God’s work is always successful,” she said.