His Perfect Plan

Alicia and her husband Mark were devastated. They had just found out that their third pregnancy was an ectopic one, and Alicia had to have surgery to remove her fallopian tube. They had made so many plans for their little one—brought out the crib again, put together a set of little clothes, and started thinking about names. Now, all they had to think about was surgery. The worst part was there was no baby to bring home.

“Would you like me to remove her other tube as well?” the doctor asked Mark as Alicia was under anesthesia. “Why?” said Mark.“You might as well now so you don’t have to get a tubal ligation later when you don’t want kids.” When you don’t want kids. When you don’t want kids. The words echoed in Mark’s mind. “No” Mark said firmly. “We want to keep it.”

Months passed, and although Alicia and Mark were saddened by the loss of their third child, they learned to accept it and move on. But little did they suspect the pain would return.

It was a Thursday and Alicia had just finished dropping off her six year old son Michael at school. She sat in the car, about to put the key in the ignition when her stomach started to turn. Turning, became churning, which led to twisting and finally burning. Frantically she called Mark, barely able to speak and he rushed her to the ER. The doctors performed emergency surgery, and there it was—scar tissue twisting and tying her intestines like a shoe lace. One by one Alicia’s systems started shutting down. The doctors worked quickly to remove the excess scar tissue and free her intestines. After a series of follow-up tests later that day, the doctors said three words that shocked Alicia and Mark: you are pregnant.

“Again?” they thought. They were overjoyed. They did not think they would have another chance, especially with just one fallopian tube left. But their joy turned to fear when Alicia went to the bathroom one Wednesday and saw what she feared most: blood. There was blood everywhere; she had never seen so much in her life. They went to the doctor already knowing—this was obviously a miscarriage. Why did they get so excited? Of course they couldn’t have a third child after such a traumatic surgery.  They went to two doctors who confirmed their fears: it was in fact a miscarriage. Broken-hearted, Alicia slowly mounted the hospital bed to prepare for the dilation and curettage procedure which would drain the contents of her uterus. It was to be done by Dr. Chang. Dr. Chang walked in the room, friendly and sympathetic. He knew these were classic signs of a miscarriage and knew what he was about to perform. But he said “let’s do an ultrasound, just in case.” Just in case. He placed the ultrasound probe to her womb, and the sound filled the room like thunder: lub dub lub dub lub dub.

That tiny beating fighting heart—it was mine. Alicia and Mark are my parents. Hello, my name is Melanie Kappadakunnel and this is my story.

If there was ever a moment in my life when I wanted to give up, I always think about this story of mine. Give up? Nonsense. God did not give up on me when He inspired Dr. Chang to do the ultrasound one more time. God did not give up on me when he inspired my dad to say no to the tube removal. He knit me in my mother’s womb at the very moment of my conception with His perfect design in place. And His perfect plan lives on.

NFP to me is not just a movement, a political issue, or even a way of life. It is the very reason for my existence. From conception, I feel that God has been calling me to guard life—in fact, to guard it with my life. As a future physician, my goal is to promote life for every single person God has called into this world, from the precious moment of conception to the tender moment of natural death.