Father Figures: Reluctant Dad

“I spent years convincing myself that I never wanted to be a dad. I had such strong feelings about the poor relationship between myself and my own father that I feared ever being viewed by someone in that same light.
I worked diligently to build a great career and pay off all debt prior to even thinking about having kids, thinking that maybe setting them up for a life free from those hardships might help me avoid the same pitfalls that my own father encountered.
Finally came the news from my wife that we were expecting. I was nervous and apprehensive. My greatest fear had always been being a bad father and now I was going to get my test.
We went to our ultrasound extremely naĂŻve, already planning for how our lives were about to change. The tech calmly put down her equipment and told us that there was no heartbeat and the pregnancy wasnât viable.
I was devastated. Devastated for my wife. Devastated for our plans. Devastated that I couldnât do anything to ease my wifeâs pain.
We went through three consecutive miscarriages and dozens of tests, all to be diagnosed with bad luck. With our fourth attempt my fear of being a bad father had shifted. My greatest fear now was never getting to be one.
Finally: a heartbeat. Hope.
We endured one more miscarriage scare during our fourth pregnancy but it proved to only be a hiccup.
Iâm now 6 months into this dad thing and I can honestly say Iâve never been part of anything better than this. I canât imagine not being this little girl’s daddy.”
– Scott Dillon
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