Coincidence or Providence? (Part 2)

This is going to be a long one so brace yourself.

Since the D&C in December up until about a week ago, there has been no significant length of time that I haven't been bleeding on some level.  I kept telling myself it was my hormones, that my body was just trying to adjust after losing the baby.  I WANTED to think that I was being paranoid.  As it turns out I wasn't being paranoid at all.

Back when I miscarried, the ultrasound that showed there was no fetal heart rate anymore also caused the radiologist to be suspicious I had a bicornuate uterus.  This isn't a life threatening condition, but it can be serious enough that it will sometimes inhibit the survival of a baby in the uterus.  To put it simply, a bicornuate uterus is heart-shaped uterus with a septum running down the middle that can cut the uterus in half, thus not leaving enough room for a baby to develop in the womb.  Sometimes, if it is severe enough, it will cause miscarriages.  So, back to my point.  When my doctor read the report and saw suspicion of a bicornuate uterus, he told me to get an MRI a couple months after the miscarriage when my uterus was back to its normal size to investigate this possibility.

On Wednesday of last week I had the MRI done, which uncovered the cause of all of my medical issues and miscarriage in the last few months. The results of that MRI have determined that I have what is called a Uterine AVM (Uterine Arteriovenous Malformation).

I'm sure you have never heard of this condition before. (If you have, I am astounded). AVMs are usually found in the brain or other parts of the body. Uterine AVMs are so rare that there have only been about 100 cases reported throughout the world. It is a life threatening condition in which a section of blood vessels lacks capillary network, resulting from an artery being delivered directly to a vein. This places pressure on the vein, which over time, may weaken and burst causing a hemmorage. It is believed this condition may be congenital or acqured. (This definition was taken from an excerpt at (http://members.tripod.com/~Cath_Fisher/uterineAVM.html). To put it bluntly, if not discovered quickly enough these AVMs can be fatal.

Now, let's back track.  Most likely, my miscarriage was caused by this Uterine AVM.  Here is the kicker though.  Had I NOT had a miscarriage and carried the pregnancy much longer, there is a very good chance, according to my doctor, that I would have hemmoraged and died.  Coincidence or providence?  (That's rhetorical).

Let's go back to the MRI now.  Pay attention now.  The reason I went for the MRI was because an ultrasound showed the possibility of bicornuate uterus.  Well, the MRI showed that there are NO signs of bicornuate uterus.  That MRI was COMPLETELY providence.  Had the radiologist not made the mistake of seeing a bicornuate uterus I may never have had that MRI.  Had I not had the MRI, I may not have discovered I had a Uterine AVM.  Had I not discovered I had a Uterine AVM...you get the picture.

Let's go back to the D&C now.  It is a well known fact that when a woman has a Uterine AVM, it is just about the riskiest and worst thing to do a D&C.  The results can be catastrophic.  My hemmorage after the D&C was most likely caused by the Uterine AVM.  As a side note, in all fairness to my doctor, there is really almost no way he could have known I had a Uterine AVM at this point.  This condition is so rare, that I do not know if any doctor would have thought my bleeding during this miscarriage was caused by it.  I am just grateful that God guided his hands so that he was able stop the bleeding.  Knowing now how a D&C could have been fatal for me at that point - I realize God spared my life yet again that day.  Coincidence? No way.

Sheer providence.  All of it.  I have left out several other examples, that are equally as incredible as those listed above, of God's providence during this time, because they involve other people.  I want to respect their privacy so I do not want to mention any names.  But isn't this enough?  My life was spared over and over again.  The only reason we came to my diagnosis was because of a "mistake" a radiologist made.  What a wonderful mistake that was!  After all of this, I just cannot understand how anyone could even WONDER if there is a God.  This post only covers a few examples over the last 3 months of His obvious existence and love and mercy.  I could go back throughout my life and list example after example.

Today, I am just overcome by Him.

"Fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
(Isaiah 41:10)