“Neither do I,” I admitted.

A neonatologist came by later that afternoon and explained the next steps.

The preliminary examination suggested a form of spina bifida, but the precise type and its implications required specialist review.

Hope might need surgical care.

There would be discussions about movement, bladder and bowel function, and ongoing monitoring.

No two children were exactly alike, the doctor emphasized.

A diagnosis was information about care, not a verdict on the value of a life.

I watched Hannah listen.