For Janice and Baby Angel
- Posted by MetropolisMom on June 9th, 2008 filed in Rants
It was supposed to be a happy Sunday afternoon to welcome baby Angelica in this world. Janice, my friend, asked me to be with her in the hospital during her delivery. Although it seems so odd to see Janice’ sad face that day, I gave her my encouragement that everything will be all right. I did not know that something was wrong with her baby and everyone knew, except me. I was inside the delivery room while waiting for her safety delivery and when the doctor said it’s time, Janice asked for me. The doctor told me that I can’t stay long and Janice would just like to say something to me. So, I went to her delivery bed and asked what I can do for her.
She clasped my hand and cried. I was shocked to see her face so pale, pale almost like a ghost. I asked the doctor if she is okay and the doctor assured me that she is fine but her delivery would not be smooth for her. She told me about her baby’s situation. She told me there is something wrong with her baby and they knew all along. She is delivering an anencephaly baby. I was shocked and could not believe what I am hearing. I have read articles about anencephaly babies when I was pregnant, but I cannot believe that my friend would be delivering one. I tried not to cry in front of her. I even swallowed my sobs, but my tears betrayed me.
She said, “When the baby comes out, I do not want to see her, please tell the nurses and the doctors not to show her to me.”
I said, “Yes.” I do not want to ask why. I cannot bear seeing the pain in her eyes. It’s my first time to see emptiness and pain in those beautiful brown eyes.
She said, “I would like to keep her in my mind as a healthy looking baby girl, just the way I imagined her for the past 7 months.” I just nodded. I can’t speak, I am afraid my voice would betray me, too.
She said, “I want you to picture her and post her in your blog. Discuss what anencephaly baby is, let other mothers and soon to be mothers be aware of this kind of congenital abnormality. In this way, my baby Angelica would leave in this world making a mark by telling future moms to be careful during their pregnancy.”
I just nodded. ‘Though I know Janice to be a strong and willed woman, I never thought she is as strong as she was that day. How could she think of this idea putting her baby’s picture in my blog in order to make future moms be aware about anencephaly? She told me that she already asked her doctor to discuss with me about what anencephaly is. She even requested me to picture the baby.
When Baby Angel came out, the doctor let me in again in the delivery room to take pictures of her. I can hear Janice’s sobs on the other connecting room. My hands were shaking while taking baby Angel’s pictures.
For Janice and Baby Angel’s goal, I will be discussing what Anencephaly is on my next post.
June 10th, 2008 at 12:58 am
mommy, i will wait for your updates about anencephaly. i think the information would be very helpful especially to us who are trying and preparing to conceive…
i feel for the mother and for baby Angelica… and i admire your courage! eke ata agyung kwanan picture but i think it boils down to knowing the reason and the goal for doing that.
June 10th, 2008 at 2:13 am
Hi Arlene,
Thanks for visiting metropolismom. Yes, I will post articles about anencephaly.
Cheers!
Metropolismom.
June 10th, 2008 at 3:51 am
That’s sad :(
That reminds me of the stories that my mother used to tell me: She was a nurse and worked with newborns, prenatal care maybe? I can’t recall offhand, but she used to talk about how sad it was having to take care of the babies that weren’t going to do to well.
I don’t know if this is the same thing exactly, but it just reminded me of that. She used to say that some babies wouldn’t have a fully formed skull and their brains weren’t protected at all. Is that the same thing as anencephaly?
Well, this made me totally sad before work…
June 10th, 2008 at 8:11 am
Hi Charles,
Thanks for visiting again. Yes, that is anencephaly.
Take care
Metropolismom
June 10th, 2008 at 8:58 am
Hello there,
That is so sad, I can’t describe the sadness that I feel as I look at the picture. Please I wanted to know everything about anencephaly too, what are the causes of it and the probability that it will going to happen as well as the precautions. I too will be a mother someday and this informations are really important to us…
Thanks for sharing this.
Micgui
June 10th, 2008 at 6:28 pm
I don’t know what to say. Tell your friend that I’m thinking of her and her family.
June 10th, 2008 at 7:29 pm
oh, I am so sorry for your friend Janice. It must be hard to know what to say to her, except that you are sorry.
June 10th, 2008 at 10:07 pm
Hi micgui,
Yep, It will be my next post.
Thanks for visiting.
Metropolismom
June 10th, 2008 at 10:08 pm
Hi Chris,
Thank you.
Do visit me again here.
Thanks again,
Metropolismom.
June 10th, 2008 at 10:09 pm
Hi Elizabeth,
Yup, you are correct.
Thanks for visiting
Metroposlimom
June 11th, 2008 at 7:59 am
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http://frugalwahmstalkradio.com
Thanks so much have a great week!
Angie
June 12th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
Hi Metroposlimom,
First I want to say your fried is blessed to have a friend like you that was with her and stuck by her during such a difficult time. This is sad indeed and I’d really like to thank you for sharing this and thank your friend for allowing her story to be shared. I am so sorry for you friend. I will be looking for your post on anencephaly.
Parents Overnight
June 15th, 2008 at 7:27 pm
Wow, this is certainly a powerful blog post. Even though I had a little idea what anencephaly was, I was not at all prepared for the photo. My thoughts and prayers are with the mother and her family. She certainly is a strong woman and her baby angel is most certainly that, an angel.
June 16th, 2008 at 1:32 am
Hi Angie,
Thank you so much for visiting Metropolismom. Thanks for inviting me in your site. I will surely visit you as often as I could.
Cheers!
Metropolismom
June 16th, 2008 at 1:36 am
Hi Parents Overnight,
Thank you for visiting Metropolismom again. Thank you for your sincere post. I will post the article today about encephalitis.
Cheers!
Metropolismom
June 16th, 2008 at 1:40 am
Hi Melinda,
Thanks for visiting Metropolismom. Thank you for your prayer.
Cheers!
Metropolismom
June 16th, 2008 at 4:04 am
[...] This post is dedicated to Janice and baby Angel. [...]
June 17th, 2008 at 9:41 pm
My heart is just aching for thier lose! And how hard it had to be for you to take those pictures of that poor baby! Please know my thoughts are prayers are with all of you in this awful hour!
God bless and look forward to more posts in the future!
Angie
June 18th, 2008 at 12:08 am
Hi Angie,
Thank you for visiting metropolismom again. Thank you for your sincere comment.
Love Lots,
Metropolismom
June 27th, 2008 at 8:46 pm
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