Today, October 15, is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. Being a mother, I can think of no greater pain than losing a child. I am angered by individuals that don't look at life as starting until a child takes his/her first breath outside of the womb or make comments such as "it's better this way" to mothers who have suffered miscarriages or lost infant children. Our MOPS group listened to a Grief Counselor speak last week and she confirmed that people often just don't understand how hurtful their words can be to someone who is suffering.
I have been so blessed to have three pregnancies and three healthy children. However, during my first pregnancy I went in for the first ultrasound and they didn't see anything. They concluded that I had a blighted ovum and a fetus would never form. I was advised to go home for the weekend and stay off my feet and return to their office on Monday to discuss a D&C procedure to clean the walls of my uterus. My husband and I were devastated. I had to call friends and family and let them know that the happy news we had only recently shared might not come to be. I spent the weekend on the couch crying for the child I might never hold and prayed that God would make it all right. When Monday came, they checked my hormone levels and they had doubled - a sign of a successful pregnancy! They did another ultrasound and there, tiny as could be, was a tiny peanut shape, but a magnificent sight as it concluded our baby was indeed there and growing. They had merely miscalculated how far along I was.
From that experience, I may have moments of exhaustion with my children, but I NEVER fail to see how blessed I am to have each one of them and I value each one of them for the special individuals they are. A life is formed the moment sperm meets egg, a parent is present when he/she accepts responsibility for a life other than his/her own, a child is forever with us, even when we are not able to hold him/her. Remember families that have lost that most precious gift today, and always, as their pain never ends. For more information, visit http://www.october15th.com/
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3 comments:
Yes, I remember well our little "peanut"! Funny how we even called the other 2 little "peanuts" when you'd bring home the ultrasound pictures. Yes, we are truly blessed!!!!
You are so right! People often act like it is not really a loss yet which is the worst part of dealing with it. You are made to feel like you are making a big deal out of nothing and that is just not the case, it is a BIG deal and it should be treated that way! Thanks so much for your post today, it really means a lot!
Thank for that great post.
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