Patient sacrificed herself for the life of her baby - but in vain

In the US, a woman has chosen her own death to give birth to her child. The 37-year-old quintuple mother refused aggressive cancer therapy as it would have ended her pregnancy. Shortly after the child was born by Caesarean section, the woman died. Only 14 days after the birth, the little girl died as well.

Woman was in a coma since July
The family DeKlyen from the US state of Michigan had to suffer within two days equal to two bad blows. First, on September 9, multiple mother Carrie DeKlyen died shortly after her sixth child was born. The woman had decided against chemotherapy during pregnancy for her child to live, and was in a coma following a stroke in July. The child was saved, but it came to a tragic end, because only two weeks after birth, the little girl died.

A woman from the US decided against a tumor treatment to save her unborn child. (Image: Tobilander / fotolia.com)

Physicians discover glioblastoma in the brain
According to a Chicago Tribune report, the family's sad story began in March this year, when Carrie DeKlyen suddenly had a severe headache. During the examination, the doctors discovered a brain tumor that initially seemed treatable. Further testing at the University Hospital of Ann Arbor University Hospital showed that it was a glioblastoma. Glioblastoma is the most common malignant brain tumor in adults and usually has a very poor prognosis. So in the case of the 37-year-old, who would have had five years to live with luck, from the perspective of the doctors.

Decision for or against therapy
According to the report, the tumor was surgically removed in April, but less than a month later, the cancer came back. When the then fivefold mother received the bad news, she also learned that she was pregnant with her sixth child in the eighth week. The doctors had two options: they could try to prolong Carrie's life with chemotherapy, but that would mean ending her pregnancy. Or they could save the baby, but the mother would not live long enough to see her child. The patient decided against the chemotherapy and the life of the child.

Child was brought by caesarean section into the world
Carrie DeKlyen had a stroke in the 19th week of pregnancy in July and has been in a coma since then. At that time, however, the fetus was still too light to be brought into the world. A few weeks later, the child had gained weight but no movement was evident.

The father, Nick DeKlyen, decided that a cesarean should be performed on his wife, and finally, little Life Lynn was born on the 6th of September on the 6th week of pregnancy. "Then I went to the surgeon and said my wife was tired, she had been in so much pain in the last five months," Nick DeKlyen said.

Three days after giving birth, Carrie DeKlyen died shortly after the doctors shut down the life support equipment. "I sat with her all the time, holding her hand, kissing her and telling her she had done good," says Nick. "I told her 'I love you and will see you again in heaven.'"

Baby dies two weeks later
But Nick DeKlyen had to suffer another stroke of fate. Only 14 days after her birth the baby died too. The terrible news was announced by the family on Facebook: "With great sadness and a completely broken heart, I inform you that Life Lynn passed away last night. Carrie is rocking her little girl in her arms now. I have no explanation why this happened, but I know that Jesus loves us and one day we will know why. The grief we feel is almost unbearable, please pray for our family, "says the text of 21 September.

Donations for Nick DeKlyen and his five children between the ages of two and 18 are now being raised via a crowdfunding site. So far, more than $ 170,000 have been collected in this way. (No)