In the news:
Originally published February 12, 2012 at 8:14 PM | Page modified February 13, 2012 at 4:21 PM
Induced labor gives dying man opportunity to see his daughter
Diane Aulger was about two weeks from her delivery date when she and her husband decided there was no time to wait: Mark Aulger had only...
The Associated Press
AP
In this Jan. 19 photo provided by Diane Aulger, her husband, Mark, holds his day-old daughter.
DALLAS — Diane Aulger was about two weeks from her delivery date when she and her husband decided there was no time to wait: Mark Aulger had only days to live, and he wanted to see his child.
Diane Aulger had labor induced and gave birth Jan. 18. When tiny daughter Savannah was placed in his arms, Mark Aulger "cried, and he just looked very sad," his wife said. He died five days later from complications related to his cancer treatment.
The 52-year-old Texas man was diagnosed with colon cancer in April. He had surgery and, as a precaution, six months of chemotherapy, Diane Aulger said. With no signs of cancer showing up in follow-up tests, the treatment seemed successful.
Then in November, he began having trouble breathing. On Jan. 3, he went to the emergency room. His wife said he was told the chemotherapy had caused him to develop pulmonary fibrosis, which causes scarring and thickening in the lungs.
Initially, the Aulgers were hopeful. But on Jan. 16, the doctor said his condition was fatal. When Diane Aulger asked how long he had, the response was five or six days.
"Mark said, 'I'd like to see the baby,"' the 31-year-old mother told The Associated Press on Sunday.
Their baby was due Jan. 29, and Diane Aulger had planned a natural childbirth, but when the doctor suggested an induced labor, she immediately agreed. She was already experiencing pre-labor symptoms, and they scheduled the birth for Jan. 18.
Mark Aulger held his daughter for about 45 minutes after she was born. For the next couple of days, though, he was so tired he was only able to hold her a couple of times for a minute or so. She said he slipped into a coma on Jan. 21 and died two days later.
