Wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers, Torrey Smith, recently shared a personal blog about the difficulties that he and his wife are undergoing with their current pregnancy.
The couple is currently pregnant with their second son and Smith wrote that the last few weeks have been very stressful. Chanel, his wife, received a phone call in relation to tests that every pregnant woman must undergo.
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Smith wrote, “So I walked over to hear what she was talking about and I heard ‘1 in 25 chance of Trisomy.’ I just assumed she was talking about Down Syndrome and my response was, ‘Ok, cool.’ I was wrong.”
Like Down Syndrome, Trisomy 18 is caused by an extra chromosome, however, for babies with Trisomy 18 there are far more medical complications and life threatening issues, according to the Trisomy 18 Foundation. Baby boys with Trisomy 18 have lower rates of live births and have higher mortality rates in the neonatal period.
After quickly learning what Trisomy 18 was, Smith shared how he and his wife stressed themselves out with worry. They became even more concerned after more tests were done that increased the chances of their child having Trisomy 18 to one in 10.
Finally, the couple was able to confirm that their unborn son does not have Trisomy 18.
“It was the best phone call I/we have ever received. Although we could be happy for that moment, we know that he isn’t in the clear,” Smith wrote. He added, “There could be more issues. We are excited to know that our child has a shot at life and nothing else even matters. My wife is fearless waiting for the final test results.”
Although they are still awaiting results, Smith is remaining positive, especially in terms of his son being born with a disability:
“We have been talking about what else it could be and have been preparing for whatever results lie ahead. I’m not worried about it a single bit! I always believed that it takes special parents to provide and show love to a kid with special needs.”
“I’m praying for life, not for his health. A disability doesn’t make you unhealthy; it just means you may have different challenges. We all have challenges, and we are ready for ours that will soon come. “
