Introducing Leah Grace Jarmer

We finally had another appointment back at the Perinatal Clinic on Thursday. Even with everything being the "same" as before, we felt like it was a very positive appointment. Leah is still growing - she's at the 25% in terms of size. She is now 32 weeks along (8 months) and is estimated to weigh around 3lbs. 8 oz. Her heart is still beating strong - 138 bpm, and it is so amazing to be able to see her actual heart on the ultrasound and watch it beating!
When we asked the Perinatologist to go back over with us a list of Leah's ultrasound markers that indicated Trisomy 13 - he mentioned the following things:
1. Cleft Lip/Palate
2. Brain Malformation (possibly Holoprocencephaly - he sees that the Corpus Collosum is not fully formed, and there is a gap present that is filled with fluid)
3. Leah's eyes are slightly closer together
4. Leah's feet are misshapen (often called Rocker Bottom Feet)
When these things appear together it points strongly to a chromosonal disorder - Trisomy 13 in particular. However, without having an absolute test result from amniocentesis, our doctor says it's still possible these markers are not due to Trisomy 13, but rather other causes. He shared that in his opinion it wasn't necessary to have amnio done, since we can test Leah's blood once she arrives to determine her exact condition.
Our doctor also said, that since Leah is still growing, and VERY active at 8 months - she's already beaten a good number of the odds for babies with Trisomy 13. In light of that, he is slighly less sure that it is Trisomy 13, he said maybe a 50% chance at this point. Irregardless of the diagnosis, her brain malformation is severe, and it is hard for him to predict the length of time she may be able to survive in light of it.
It is a good sign that Leah's already turned and is positioned head down for our upcoming delivery. It is still very possible that Leah will go to Heaven prior to her birth, but we are praying that God would give her the strength to survive birth so we can meet her and love her (even for just a short time).