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( We are still in the process of writing our story, but here is a quick version, please excuse any bad sentence structure, grammar, etc..., my anal husband is not here tonight to proof read).. |
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Madeline Rachael Parker was born August 6, 2000, at 27 weeks 2 days gestation due to an incompetent cervix and placenta infection. She weighed 2 lbs 1oz and was 13 1/2 inches long. She came out kicking and screaming. The doctors had given her a 98% chance of survival. Maddie battled many preemie problems in her short life. She developed pneumonia from the placenta infection, she had an opening on her heart (PDA), unstable blood pressure, immature lungs that required ventilation from a ventilator called an Oscillator, BPD, circulatory problems in her fingers and toes and her heart was pumping blood in the wrong direction. All of which, is called normal preemie stuff!!!! When Maddie was a few weeks old, a missed artery stick in her right arm resulted in a blood clot (Preemie's are prone to clotting, or at least Maddie was). The blood clot traveled causing her to not get oxygenated blood to her upper right body. That night we were told she would not survive. Our prayers were answered that night and she survived. Unfortunately, she would lose her right arm. She was put on a blood thinning medication for the clot and her arm improved and she was only going to lose her right hand or possibly just the fingers. This was wonderful news. A few days later a head ultrasound was done. This is routine in Preemies, especially ones on a lot of medication like Maddie. We were not concerned because her first two head ultrasounds were normal. To our disbelief, she had a drastic change. She had severe brain bleeds, cysts and the signs of a stroke. After several opinions we were told she had severe brain damage from a blood clot that had caused the stroke. She would have no chance of a life beyond the ventilator and feeding tube. It was the hardest decision my husband and I ever had to make. We decided to pull her vent tube and hold her in our arms until she died. We did not want her to have to suffer any longer or die alone. She had been in pain for weeks for her arm and lungs. September 14 we removed her ventilator tube. The next eight hours were ones we will never forget. She fought so hard that day and we got to hold and love on her like we had wanted. She died asleep peacefully in her mommy's arms. It was the worst day of our life and the best day of our life. We finally got to hold our daughter alone for the first time and tell her just how much we loved here and would always love her. She had her mothers mouth and eyes and daddy's nose. She was beautiful. We did not want that day to end. But when it did, we held her tight until we had to let her go. They say God only picks the most special babies to be his Angels, but you can't help but wish she had not been quite so special.
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