(Minghui.org) I was of poor health when growing up. Soon after I was married at the age of 28, my family urged me to have a baby sooner rather than later, in anticipation that my health could deteriorate as I got older.
After a few months, I had a small red bump on the back of my neck. I thought it was just a mosquito bite and scratched it when it itched. Within several days, it developed into a much larger swollen area and the itching became unbearable.
My doctor diagnosed it as urticaria and prescribed some ointment. As I took the prescription to the hospital's pharmacy, I remembered that I had some recent lower abdominal pain and minor bleeding during urination. So I went to see the OB/GYN doctor. I was told, to my jubilation, that I was pregnant, although my progesterone level was low, which threatened miscarriage. Upon hearing the news, my family took me home and started caring for me like a national treasure. Other than getting my progesterone injection at the hospital every day, I was asked to lie down and rest.
What worried me most was the urticaria on my neck. In spite of continued use of the prescribed ointment, the itching worsened and the affected area enlarged and covered the entire back of my neck. I tried in vain various kinds of ointments that, similar to the prescribed one, were claimed to have no negative effect on pregnancy.
Then, I had a type-B ultrasound two months later, which was usually done to detect abnormalities at this point in gestation. The report showed that my baby had lymphangioma, a tumor on the back of its neck, edema all over its body, and nuchal translucency, which was higher than normal. My doctor suggested we go to a more prestigious hospital for a second opinion. After my repeated inquiry, the doctor told me that, if the test result were confirmed, he would recommend an abortion. I could not help but wonder whether my urticaria was the culprit.
The next day, several relatives accompanied me to a major hospital. On the trip to the hospital, they all tried to convince me that I must get an abortion to avoid unnecessary suffering of the baby. I was silent the whole way.
The result turned out to be exactly the same. I cried out loud and was tormented as I pondered the doctor's suggestion to end the life of my unborn baby.
My mother was a veteran Falun Dafa practitioner. She did not say a word as my relatives tried to persuade me on our way to the hospital. Now she came up to me and told me to recite, “Falun Dafa is good. Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good.”
At home, she told me many stories about non-practitioners, including pregnant women and their babies, who were blessed for their belief in Dafa. I had always believed the stories my mother told me about Dafa. So whenever I could, I kept reciting those two sentences, following her advice instead of getting an abortion.
When my mother did the exercise in our living room, I lay down on the sofa nearby to watch her, as I knew from what she told me before that the energy field near a Falun Gong practice site was beneficial to bystanders and could adjust their bodies for the better.
As I quietly watched her and listened to the exercise music, I suddenly felt it was so harmonious and her movements were so elegant. I had an urge to learn it myself. So I told her, “Mom, would you teach me how to practice Falun Dafa?”
Since then, I practiced the exercises with my mom every morning and read Zhuan Falun with her during the day.
One day, as we did the sitting meditation, my neck felt really itchy. I clenched my teeth and tried to endure the discomfort while continuing with the sitting exercise, thinking that Master was seeing me and taking care of me. With this thought, I felt a sudden cooling sensation on my neck and I no longer felt the itch. The redness also disappeared within a week and my skin was back to normal.
My mother told me that there were bound to be plenty of ordeals and tests along the way that were meant to test whether I was steadfast in my belief in Dafa. She was exactly right.
At the 35th week of gestation, I had another type B ultrasound exam. The doctor screamed at the image, “My goodness! The baby's lungs and heart are not formed normally. All the blood vessels don't seem in the right place either.” He had other doctors and nurses come in and showed them the image as well.
I was overwhelmed and at a loss upon hearing this. But another thought came to mind, “I believe in Dafa and have started practicing it alongside my mother. I am a Dafa practitioner now. This must be a test regarding whether I truly believe in Dafa or not. And I do. All this is a false appearance.”
No matter what they kept discussing among themselves about how bad the situation was, I treated the chatter as if it were not about me and continued to recite “Falun Dafa is good. Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good. I believe in Dafa and I am a Dafa practitioner. Master please help me and save my baby.”
At the moment, one of the doctors reviewed my medical history and said in the most serious tone, “When you were three months pregnant, the exam result showed abnormalities and it was confirmed by a second exam. On top of that, you kept having all kinds of other smaller issues throughout your pregnancy. Now the ultrasound shows even worse problems. You have to make a decision about what to do next.”
They asked me to transfer to another hospital. After I refused, they asked me to sign an agreement which stated that, since I did not accept their professional advice, I would be responsible for any consequences. I trusted that my baby would be alright. I believed in Dafa and that Master would save us. Therefore, I signed the agreement.
Around 38 weeks of gestation, I had a cesarean section delivery. Prior to the surgery, they did one last ultrasound and told me, “Your baby may not be able to cry or breathe upon birth.”
While lying on the operating table I kept reciting “Falun Dafa is good. Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good.” Under lower body anesthesia, I could feel when my abdomen was slit open and eventually they delivered my baby. And I heard a loud cry...
Then I heard the doctor and nurses talking amongst themselves, “It's so strange! Why is it different than what we saw on the ultrasound? This has never happened before.” As the nurse brought my baby to me, his little eyes were closed and his skin was so tender and beautiful. It is impossible to state in words how I felt. In my heart, I expressed my gratitude to Master.
My son is now five years old, healthy and smart. Master and Dafa saved him.