That’s just what Suze Lopez, a 41-year-old nurse from Bakersfield, California, recently undertook on an extraordinary medical journey. She has overcome incredible odds by birthing her son, Ryu Lopez, during a life-saving surgery to remove a shocking 22-pound ovarian cyst. This out-of-the-ordinary case has caught the attention of doctors and onlookers around the world, as Lopez proved resilient through her health hurdles.
Lopez incurred these growing cyst discomforts and abdominal pain for years herself. Earlier this year, she was surprised to find out that she was pregnant after taking a standard pregnancy test before her scheduled surgery. After 17 long years of unsuccessful attempts to conceive a second child, she was surprised to find herself pregnant again. Even she was surprised at the miracle that was unfolding before her eyes.
I was just accustomed to an extremely erratic cycle and sporadic cramping. I could hardly believe it! After 17 years of prayer and effort for a second child, I was finally expecting, Lopez posted.
After determining what was wrong with her, Lopez immediately informed her husband Andrew of the pregnancy. Immediately afterwards, she made a beeline to Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles to seek treatment. Shortly after her arrival, she successfully whelped Ryu, who was 8 pounds at birth. But there were complications during and after the delivery that followed.
Dr. Michael Manuel, one of the attending physicians, described the rarity of the situation: “It was profound to see this full-term baby sitting behind a very large ovarian tumor, not in the uterus. In my entire career, I’ve never even heard of one making it this far into the pregnancy.”
The medical team at Children’s National Hospital met intense challenges during the delivery. They had to navigate the complexities of delivering a baby while addressing the attached placenta and blood vessels in Lopez’s abdomen. Dr. Manuel emphasized the urgency of their task: “We had to figure out how to deliver the baby with a placenta and its blood vessels attached in the abdomen, remove the very large ovarian mass and do everything we could to save mom and this child.”
Despite these advancements, after Ryu’s birth, Lopez experienced dire complications—including a life-threatening hemorrhage that still necessitates her daughter’s intervention. The surgical team pumped 11 units of blood to bring her stabilization back from the brink. Dr. Michael Sanchez noted the critical nature of the situation: “I had already powered up a special machine that delivers blood products fast because every second matters.”
Despite these challenges, Lopez’s attention was on her healing so she could get back to caring for her child in the NICU. Ryu declared victory in only two weeks, accomplishing every major milestone to guarantee his survival. He wowed the world, breaking all the records set by his formidable start. Dr. Sara Dayanim praised Ryu’s resilience: “The following day we were able to remove the breathing tube, and over the course of his two weeks with us, Ryu quickly reached all of the important benchmarks for surviving well.”
Lopez gives much of the credit for her care to her team of medical professionals. She particularly singled out nurse Carmen Chavez as her “guardian angel” during the entire ordeal.
Instead, God gave me this baby as a walking, breathing testimony to His faithfulness and existence. In short, miracles—even in this day and age—actually occur! Lopez remarked.
Andrew Lopez expressed gratitude for their family’s miraculous turn of events: “He is our gift. And Ryu and Suze are my miracles.”
Looking back on this life-changing experience, Suze Lopez told us what she learned about appreciating life. “I appreciate every little thing. Everything. Every day is a gift and I’m never going to waste it,” she concluded.
As Suze Lopez continues her recovery journey, her story serves as an inspiring testament to hope and resilience amid extraordinary circumstances. Over 30 medical specialists all collaborated to bring this miraculous and ground-breaking medical feat to life. Their partnership was a demonstration of the miraculous ability of contemporary medicine, powered by faithfulness and prayer.
