The year was 1977 and in my 8th month of pregnancy I developed Toxemia. After 36 hours of labor, I was given gas and was unconscious for the delivery. Matthew Alan was taken with forceps and soon he was critically ill. Suddenly without being able to see my son, he was taken to a nearby hospital equipped with intensive care for babies. Within a day and a half my son was gone, having died of Hyaline Membrane Disease or respiratory distress syndrome. This is the same condition that took the life of President & Mrs. Kennedy's son in 1963. It is a disease that medical science has corrected today.
Psychologists tell us that the best way of dealing with this type of grief is to talk. After 30 years my silence is now broken. Today, I continue to feel uncomfortable with pity from others as I begin to freely tell my story. But I feel I must tell the story of a boy who will never: walk for the first time, talk about his school day, drive his first car or bear his own son. My only glimpse of this dark headed child was of him lying in a casket. Though I never held him, he will always remain in my heart until one day we meet in heaven.
Peggy W
It is hard to understand why things happen the way the do, specially when dealing with death in our society. Each of us deals with loss in different ways. Some look for religious support, others mourn in silence and visit the grave of their love ones every time they have a chance, like my mother in law who lost twin boys a week after their birth. Bringing flowers and taking care of their grave is a way to show her love towards the boys she was never able to raise.
ReplyDeleteAlex.