So why does SeeBaby and Dr. Bootstaylor matter to Loving Brielle followers? Why am I so outraged? Why do I care if you care?

You all need to keep in mind that if Dr. Bootstaylor had not been an advocate for Brielle, if he had not been our doctor, that our standard of care would have been:

• Encouraged fetal termination
• Potential to be dropped as a patient and denied OB care because Brielle had anencephaly
• Denied routine maternal care
  • My polyhydramnios would not have been monitored closely and safely.
  • Basic, routine, care would have been denied or discouraged.
• Denied birth plan of my choice
  • This would have meant I could not have a family centered cesarean.
    • I would have never held Brielle alive, she would have been taken from me.
    • David would not have been allowed to video her birth.
  • I would not have been allowed to carry her as long as I did.
  • I would not have been allowed a bereavement doula (Lauren Bishop).
• Brielle would have been denied standard fetal care because she “would die anyways” and take time away from healthy babies.
  • We would have never been allowed to meet with Dr. Armand (DeKalb neonatologist) or Jamie Ray. We were connected to Jamie by Dr. B and his practice, SeeBaby. And Jamie coordinated everything on the DeKalb Medical side. Jamie made sure everything was perfect for Brielle and I.
    • Jamie loved on Brielle as if she were part of her own family.  I love this picture of them.

      

  • We would have never had routine or specialized ultrasounds.
    • We would have never had 3D ultrasounds of Brielle or watch her play in my tummy.
  • We would have never had a consult with neurosurgeons.
  • We would have never been allowed to believe Brielle had feelings and emotions of her own, likes and dislikes. In fact, we were laughed at by other practices.

And that’s just an overview of some of the ways Dr. Bootstaylor and SeeBaby took care of Brielle.

Sure, we can make this political, we can make this a woman’s rights issue (and it is), but that may make you uncomfortable. You may prefer to just stay out of it.

But what about Brielle? Will you care because of her? Will you help me fight for her legacy? Dr. Bootstaylor is a part of that. If it weren’t for him, none of you would know me or Brielle.

You don’t have to physically be in Atlanta to make a difference. Just talk about it. Share your outrage that this man has become a target, merely because he is a good man. Draw attention to the injustice circling Dr. B.

Dr. Bootstaylor wanted to help Brielle, he cared about her. Maybe that’s taken for granted, but for me? Brielle had a short amount of time here. And everyone who stood in her court and defended her, those people are precious to me. I will fight hard for those people. They loved my daughter. They valued her.

And all we, all I, have left is her memory and legacy. I’m not going to just throw that away, or turn a blind eye to another’s suffering, because it might make me or others uncomfortable.

It’s fundamentally wrong, no matter your personal or political beliefs, to let a good man be shot down and discouraged because he stood up for pregnancies like mine. Because he made other doctors jealous and uncomfortable.

What kind of people are we if we let this happen?

I can’t make any of you care, but I’m begging you to. I am begging you to recognize all of the good this man did for our sweet Brielle. I am begging you to help me stand up for him. Please, for a few days, just unite and join me in defending a man who gave Brielle her best chance.

Just Some of the Stories About Dr. Bootstaylor:

Introducing Dr. Bootstaylor

Family Centered Cesarean 

Brielle Has a Membrane!

What Happened In The Hospital (my hospitalization due to polyhydramnios)

Brielle’s Last Ultrasound

Part Two: Brielle’s Birthday Continued

Part Three: The Delivery