Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Hold on

Life continues to startle me with it's powerful beauty and ecstatic moments intertwined with intense tragedy and torment. It's random nature still throws me. The knowledge that we cannot prepare terrifies me even more. It's the extremes that get me.

An old friend of mine lost her baby today. Full term beautiful baby girl. Non-eventful pregnancy and easy labour. They were full of joy when they brought their baby home. She sounded elated and proud, said the baby was beautiful and healthy. During the night, she started to have trouble breathing. Brought her to the hospital where they discovered she had numerous holes in her heart. She lived for 4 days. Her name was Hope.

The well-wishes are still filtering in from people who don't know. The nursery is empty. The flowers are still fresh.

I have no words for her.

9 comments:

Unknown said...

We had a still-born, full term baby girl on December 10, 1980. 11 pounds. This December should would have been 28 years old. My wife still cries for her dead little girl. As do I.

My son was born a year and a half later. I felt it was important for her to have a successful pregnancy as soon as her head started to clear a bit after the tragedy of our Sarah.

There's that oldsaying about getting back on the horse that threw you. Otherwise you'll never ride again. The key is to be supportive. To encourage counseling. And to encourage her to get back on that horse a soon as is practical. Have a successful pregnancy. But know that the special little child who was with them for so short a time has left a HUGE whole in their lives that is going to take a LONG time to heal.

vinny said...

Oh my god. It's when I hear news like this and I wonder a little more so about our God.

It never heals, I would imagine. It eases.. but it never heals.

Anonymous said...

Having been blessed with two healthy children, I find it difficult to understand how things like this can happen. It's heartbreaking.

On a sidenote, your post was beautifully written. Especially the second to last paragraph.

Joe said...

That is really sad.

My sister has a daughter, Lucy, who was born with a life-threatening congenital heart defect.

At age 6, a few months ago, she had her 15th(?) and hopefully final procedure, and is out of the woods.

The odds of someone surviving with what she had are something like 1 in 1000.

Fate can be cruel. Life can be a fragile whisper.

You may not have words for your friend, but you probably don't need them. Sometimes just being there is enough.

Angel said...

how sad.....you just don't realize how lucky you are when your children are born healthy.

my heart goes out to your friend.

Anti-Supermom said...

My heart just aches in reading this, it feel so unfair that this happen, to anyone, ever.

Soge shirts said...

That is so sad. That is just the worst.

Tara R. said...

My SIL lost her son a few years ago. Full term, relatively easy pregnancy... Christoper was stillborn. Prayers to your friend and her family.

Eve Grey said...

I'm so sorry to hear those other sad stories. Tara & Lou, I can think of no greater tragedy to a parent than a still-born baby.
Joe, that is wonderful about your niece.