A terminally ill woman from Wyoming, Mich. chose to neglect life-saving chemotherapy so that her unborn baby could live, only for the baby to die just 14 days after birth, the family announced Thursday.
Carrie and Nick DeKlyen, received devastating news when Carrie was diagnosed with glioblastoma in March, an aggressive form of brain cancer, the Washington Post reported. Carrie found out that she was pregnant in April, but chose to forgo the chemotherapy that could have extended her life, so as not to harm her unborn child.
Carrie’s family rushed her to the hospital in June when she suffered a massive stroke, and this was the last time she was conscious, Nick said. She remained on life support and was nourished through a feeding tube and oxygen while doctors closely monitored her unborn baby.
The DeKlyen’s daughter, Life Lynn, was born via cesarean at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 6, weighing only 1 pound, 4 ounces, and was immediately placed in the neonatal intensive care unit at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, USA Today reported.
Carrie was removed from life support the following morning and passed away Sept. 9.
“I told her, ‘I love you, and I’ll see you in heaven,'” Nick said.
While the family was initially hopeful that Life would pull through in intensive care, the baby died Wednesday evening, just 14 days after she was born, Nick wrote on the family’s Facebook page “Cure 4 Carrie.”
“It is with great sadness and an absolutely broken heart that I tell you Life Lynn passed away last night. Carrie is now rocking her baby girl,” Nick wrote.
Nick announced on Facebook that Life will be buried with Carrie.
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