Luke Steven Prothero

September 5, 2006 to September 8, 2006

Melbourne, Australia - Full Trisomy 13

Update on Luke: 9-10-06
Will send more soon, for now:
We're just getting ready for Luke's burial  on Tuesday, knowing the great wealth of support that we have had and continue to have from your wonderful site has sustained us.  We have had the most amazing experience with Luke. We are so lucky to have been chosen to love Luke for his brief time on earth, boy did he teach us a thing or two, and continues too.  I feel an absolute veil of love covering my body, and know that I've my sweet boy to thank for this.  He's even turned my husband into a believer.

We had a whopping 8lbs 5oz boy, 3 days passed term, who showered us with beauty and love for 58 hours and 13 mins, if I could do it over a million times I could ask for no more. Our kids are a marvel, your website has sustained us in the worst of times.

All our love and thanks  Carolyn, Steve, Damon and our beautiful Luke.

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8-28-06
Well we're at 39wks + 2days and all going strong!! Getting  about meeting Luke, I'm hoping that one day he'll get around to  thinking that he should make plans to come out and see us.

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Finally here's our little - Luke.
I'm Carolyn Harman and this is Luke Steven Prothero at 27weeks
Luke is due on September 2nd, 2006 and is full T13
We live in Melbourne, Australia

 
It's a lifetime since we were told that Luke had a "lethal genetic abnormality" that would not permit him to live - we've learned a lot in 8 weeks  and used up our share of the Brazilian Rainforest in Kleenex tissues too!!  Luke is so special to us, he's taught us so far that it's ok to cry, it's ok to laugh, work is fine, but family is the most important thing in the world, we're still learning everyday. We are the some of our life experiences not our wealth and status at the end of it, so even though my ears were hearing a "learned female doctor" telling me that we can schedule a termination as soon as next week (at 22weeks), I knew that I couldn't let our littlest boy down, just to hammer home the point incase I wasn't listening, Luke kicked and punched me so that I wouldn't forget about him.  Who says kids aren't smart???  
 
Luke is our most special joy, rumbling, tumbling, kicking and punching along with us everyday. I love feeling Luke move, we're all very excited about meeting him although, we're well aware that, one day our hearts will know a sadness like no other. However, he's a fighter, spot on in the growth stakes, 140bpm heart rate, with a special affinity for dancing like John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever after 10pm at night.
 
Luke is our 2nd son, Damon (17months) is his big brother, and Steve is my wonderful husband we're all on this journey together.  We're having another ultrasound at about 34-36 weeks to review Luke’s heart defects and their progress, and just maybe have a glimpse of our "littlest cheeky monkey" before opening night.
 
Thank you more than words will ever express for the untold emails, words of support, fabulous photos of your beautiful kids and a site/chat group that every time you log on you know that you've "come home".
 
Next Dr's appointment is in 2weeks, will keep you posted on Luke's adventures.
 
Stay well and live life to the fullest
Carolyn, Steve, Damon and little Luke.
  Carolyn@livingwithtrisomy13.org