After struggling for years to have children, there are no greater words to hear than, “You’re pregnant.” Add to that the joy — or maybe shock — of the words “with twins,” and parents-to-be John and Stacy Ash felt doubly blessed.
Everything was going well with Stacy’s pregnancy at mid-term, but not with John. During a routine eye exam, the doctor noticed pressure on John’s optical nerves. While he had no symptoms, an MRI revealed a tennis ball-sized tumor near the optic nerve in his brain.
Within hours of the diagnosis, he was admitted to Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Plano for neurosurgery. The procedure carried many risks, including the chance of blindness. The circumstances threatened to overwhelm the Ashes, until they met Jo-Anne Mastor, a retired nurse-turned volunteer.
“I’ve had two brain surgeries, so I could talk them through the procedure,” she said.
When John tearfully asked her, “What if I never get to see my babies’ faces?” she had an answer for that as well.
“I was able to get Stacy booked for a 3-D ultrasound at the pregnancy center where I also volunteer so John could ‘see’ his babies before surgery,” Jo-Anne said.
Those pictures would be a turning point for John.
“Once I saw those pictures, I knew I had to fight for my babies,” he said.
Jo-Anne was at the couple’s side for the surgery, which was successful. Not only was the tumor benign, but John’s recovery was nothing short of a miracle, with no loss of sight or other functions. Seven weeks later, the babies — a boy and a girl — were delivered by emergency C-section. After a few weeks in the NICU, they went home thriving.
The Ashes still stay in touch with Jo-Anne. She regularly receives pictures and texts and also attended the twins’ christening — a testament to how much Jo-Anne, or “Saint Jo,” as the Ashes call her, means to the happy family.
About the author
This content has been written or reviewed by a member of the Baylor Scott & White Health medical staff.
