Monday, November 29, 2010

Disturbing

I watched a show the other night called "8 Boys and Desperate For a Girl". It followed 4 women who had all boys and BADLY wanted a girl. One woman had 8 boys and she and her husband were just trying the natural way to get pregnant in hopes of having a girl. I felt for them because their first born had been a girl but she had died shortly after birth. At the end of the show, she had not gotten pregnant.
Another woman had 4 boys and was pregnant for the fifth (and last) time. It followed her to her ultrasound where she found out the sex of the newest baby. She had tried all the "natural" ways of swaying the gender. When she found she was having another boy, she broke down crying. After a minute or two, she composed herself and tried to focus on the healthy baby she was seeing on the screen. In a later interview, she told how she was battling depression and was hoping it would lessen before the baby was born.
The story that disturbed me the most was one of a woman who also had 4 boys. She and her husband had chosen to turn to modern science to help them get their girl. They were undergoing their 3rd and final procedure of in vitro. Only it was with a twist. The woman's eggs are removed and them fertilized with the husband's sperm. After the embryos have reach the point of becoming 10 cells, one cell is removed and they do dna testing to determine the sex. Only the embryos of the desired sex are placed back into the woman. The lady they were filming had 8 eggs removes and six became embryos. Of these, only one was a girl. When the doctor came into the room to tell her (she was waiting to have them implanted), he told her they had one girl to place. She said "okay, great". He then said "Do you just want to dispose of the others?" and without the slightest hesitation, she said "Yes". I was literally sick to my stomach. Five boys were disposed of just becasue they were boys.
This just hits close to home. I admit, I'd love to have a little girl and a part of me is a little sad that probably won't happen. BUT I can't imagine my life without my precious boys. They are my heart and I adore them. I have never gotten pregnant to try for a girl. We just tried for a baby. I feel like God gave us what we were meant to have and I am truly blessed!
While I can somewhat understand those womens' desire for a little girl, I cannot understand throwing away the blessing of another precious baby boy. What message does that send to her other boys? In the end, the girl embryo didn't implant and the couple was not financially able to try again (each procedure ran about $10,000).
I just felt sad when the show was over. Sad for the women who are lost in depression and even more so for the baby boys who never got a chance. My boys are miracles straight from heaven and I pray that those women will realize how blessed they are.

3 comments:

  1. Oh, my goodness...how heartbreaking.

    I am reminded of a friend of mine. If anyone ever had a reason to try for a girl, it would be her. She carries a gene that makes any boy she gives birth to have a 50/50 chance of being born with a fatal disease. She has had 2 boys boys born with this disease--one died at age 3, one at age 2. She has also had 2 boys born without the disease. Twice she has been pregnant with girls--both times she miscarried. She grieves her 4 children in heaven, but she very strongly believes that God is good, He is sovereign, and that ALL children are a blessing from Him.

    I see in you the same sweet spirit she has. God bless you--and your wonderful family of boys!

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  2. Thanks Karen :) I am so sorry for your friend! I agree with her though and I thank Him for all children no matter how long we get to have them.

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  3. I completely agree. I don't know what I would do without my 5 boys and I truly feel that I have been blessed with boys. I thin God has a reason for everything and I just wasn't meant to be mom to girls, however I think Go will bless me with at least one grand daughter down the road, and I am fine with that, and if he doesn't I'm happy to have even more boys carry the name on. :) My boys are my world and I couldn't imagine any of them as a girl. I would have loved to have had one little girl, however I'm truly happy and blessed to have my 5 boys! :)

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