"I found out I was pregnant with my 2nd child in March of 2008! I was about 2 months into my pregnancy..."

It was just a another day, but something told me to take a pregnancy test. I wasn't sure if I would be or not, but daddy never had a doubt. He also knew with our first baby, Tyler Matthew, who is now 21 months. I soon went with my sister, who also thought she might be pregnant, to the pregnancy test center. Good news...I'm Pregnant! From the moment I knew for sure my heart stood still, unsure of what to think. Very excited but at the same time, a little scared. What was I gonna do with two babies? I wasn't ready for two. But that didn't matter. I knew I would love them both more than anything in this world. My love grew stronger everyday as I felt this beautiful little life growing inside of me.

My pregnancy was so far pretty normal. Morning sickness, the whole nine yards. Everything seemed to be going good. Attending every doctor visit and taking my prenatals as often as I could remember. I attended my first ultrasound to determine the sex. It's a Boy! Everything seemed to be developing properly. He was a healthy growing little boy! Later in my pregnancy, I started have severe pains in my right side, they seemed to be getting worse. No longer could I withstand the pain. I made myself an appointment to see the doctor. The Dr. came in to check me. She touched the right side of my back which left me feeling what I thought at the time was the worst pain I had ever felt. She then sent me to the emergency room for further evaulation assuming I had a kidney stone or infection. They gave me pain medicine and ran several tests the first night I was there.

The next day the doctor had finally came in and said they would have to do and ultrasound on my kidneys. They called my doctor and asked if they should do an OB Ultrasound. It was only by accident that they found that the baby had some fluid on his belly. They also noticed that he was 3 weeks behind in his growth. They were very concerned. They monitored his heartbeat for a while. It started slowing down, so they rushed me to labor and delivery. They finally got his heart beating at a normal pace. As concerned as they all were, they decided to send me to UAB. Not mintutes later, they were rushing me to UAB in an ambulance. There I was told that my baby may have a virus called CMV.

They told me they would have to run a few tests including an Amniocentesis. The next day the doctor came in to tell me that my son was postive for CMV. We estimated I contracted the virus from my son Tyler, my one and a half year old who attended daycare. A day or two later I was discharged from the hospital not having a clue on what CMV was and was told to follow up with the UAB comp clinic.

Every two weeks or so I was having to attend Ultrasound visits to monitor my babys brain liver and the fluid found on his belly. I attended my first ultrasound on August 28, 2008 after finding out my son was was positive for CMV and was then given the news on how serious CMV could be for my baby, when I found out that my son was at risk for hearing loss, vision loss, mental retardation, cerebral palsy, and even death.

I was like any other mother who finds out that their baby might not be normal. Shocked, scared, worried, and blamed myself. But no one knew that. I was always the strong one. Never had worries. I thought that if I was strong, he would be fine, normal. Each time I went they measured the fluid on his belly. Each ultrasound visit, the fluid found on his belly seemed to be decreasing. There was never any sign of calcification on his brain and he started to grow normally. But that didn't mean we were completly out of the water. Although everything was starting to look good in utero, he was still at risk for all the complications.

Tanner Braxton Craton was due December 27, 2008. I told everyone that I knew he would be here alot sooner, that following Saturday. And he was! I woke up at 6am and thought I had to pee. Well, I didn't. My water was breaking, but still no contractions. I walked around a few minutes trying to get things ready to go to the hospital. About 6:30, I got in the shower and thats when my contractions had started. I arrived at MEU at UAB Hospital by 7am and was sent back to be checked. They checked me and said you're in labor.

Tanner Braxton Craton was here, December 13, 2008! Born 12:47pm. Weighing 5lbs 6oz, 17.5in long. Tanner went straight to the NICU, only for a few hours, then to Well Baby. Tanner was sent to straight to NICU because everyone knew he had been positive for CMV. Tanner was born with low birth weight, petechiae, and Jaundice. Tanner also did not pass his hearing screen. Two days later, Tanner was healthy enough to go home. Tanner and I were discharged from the hospital December 15. Tanner was to follow up with his pediatricians in 3 days. There they noticed Tanner still had very low weight, weighting at 5lbs and 5oz but he was eating really good. The doctors also noticed he had a small heart murmur and a hernia in his testical area. Later it was noticed that his liver and spleen were both enlarged and still very Jaundiced. Tanner failed both of his hearing tests and has a mild hearing loss in both ears, his right being his better ear.

Tanner later got very sick catching a stomach virus then a really bad cold, getting sick after every feeding. Finally he was getting better then another cold. This time his cold was sounding like the croup, he had a kind of croupie cough and was gagging several times a day. Finally after time, everything had passed. I took Tanner to church for the first time. Everyone knew he was sick. The pastor and everyone in the church prayed over him. Ever since then I have kept my faith in knowing God was in control. I have put all of my faith in God. I know he will take care of my baby.

It is now April 12, 2009 and Tanner has been to the doctor and good news. Tanner is improving, more than I could ever imagine. God is healing my son. My son's liver and spleen have shrunk an inch and a half, his herina and heart murmur are gone, his yellowness (Jaundice) is fading. He is now weighing around 11lbs, and his height and head size are growing more in the normal range.

Tanner is happy and developing as normally as any other 4 month old baby! Talking, laughing, smiling, holding his head up, putting pressure on his feet, and even pushing up on his arms from lying on his belly. God has given me a Miracle Baby! I Thank God everyday for allowing me to be the mother to a CMV baby. Thank you to everyone who have kept baby Tanner in your prayers. And to all CMV Moms, don't lose hope and trust in the Lord! God can do all things. By His stripes, we are healed.

Have Faith!

- Submitted by his mother, Maegan Mcconnell