By Valerie Schmalz
Director of the Archdiocesan Office of Human Life & Dignity.
A moment of grace with a homeless, pregnant mom
The pregnant, homeless mom had been told her baby had no hands, among other abnormalities, and numerous doctors and medical professionals had advised her to abort.
Desperate, depressed and worried, she reached out to San Francisco’s Bella Primary Care clinic this spring. Nurse practitioner Tammy Mahaney described what happened next.
“Her fetal anatomy scan stated that her baby would have multiple deformities including no hands. She was encouraged by her [previous] doctor to abort her baby girl because she was ‘not compatible with life,’” said Mahaney, a former Army nurse and mother of six children.
Then, during the ultrasound, something wonderful was revealed.
“Tears fell from her cheeks when we saw her baby’s fingers dance across the screen for the first time,” Mahaney said. “She said, ‘Oh my gosh they said they couldn’t find the hands. They said there were no hands.’ This was a very big moment, it was huge.”
“Listening to her baby’s heartbeat and watching her baby move across the ultrasound screen was a sacred moment, truly a holy moment to be treasured,” said Mahaney.
A Christian and a believer, the mother had been told “it was best to abort,” said Mahaney, who said the mom also has a toddler. “She was very life-minded and did not want to. She just needed medical professionals to encourage her.”
For Mahaney, the moments she spent with the homeless pregnant mom who wanted life for her baby is one of the blessings of the path she has chosen. She works at Bella Primary Care and for Real Options, helping pregnant women. She was a second lieutenant in the Army as a nurse, and for the past decade has been going on medical missions around the world.
“I know that is where God has called me,” she said.
“I know the greatest spiritual warfare is abortion and it is after the souls of innocent babies. It is just hurting women. I have literally sat across from thousands and thousands of women and wiped their tears. The root cause is fear. The antidote is love,” added Mahaney. She quoted the First Letter of St. John: “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear.” (1 Jn 4:18)
Mahaney said she told the pregnant mom: “I believe in a God who does miracles. Even so, I can’t promise the outcome, but I know it’s going to be OK.”
The mother has found a provider for high-risk pregnancies and Mahaney told her to come any time she wants to connect with her baby, and she will give her an ultrasound free of charge.
“In those moments together, we experienced so much,” said Mahaney. “And most importantly we prayed. The most powerful thing is prayer. She was very sweet. She is so thankful. It was a very quiet visit.”
For more information about Bella Primary Care visit: Bella Primary Care
