| > | | | | I remember a mother had her baby the same |
| Children are the most special part of life. Losing a | | | | time as Katie. She said to me," I'm so glad it was |
| child is something that few really understand. Even | | | | not my daughter". My oldest daughter is growing |
| a brief life offers so much that is special. My | | | | up and it's starting to get scary cause I know Ill |
| Daughter Katie Lindsey Rose, died July 1992. She | | | | never see Katie get married or have children. I |
| was just five weeks old. I held Katie after she | | | | feel Angry, like I have been let down by Katie. Its |
| died and can never, would never, forget Katie as | | | | normal to feel let down by the person who died |
| a person or my daughter. I also found out how | | | | or when you are looking for someone to blame |
| hard it is for so many to talk about the death of | | | | for his or her death.I blamed God for the longest |
| their child. Children are the most special part of | | | | time and I blamed myself. |
| life. Losing a child is something that few really | | | | Anger is very common following the death of a |
| understand. Even a brief life offers so much that | | | | child. In fact following any death you may find |
| is special. My Daughter Katie Lindsey Rose, died | | | | yourself angry, angry at the world. You will often |
| July 1992. She was just five weeks old. I held | | | | find that you take out this anger on those closest |
| Katie after she died and can never, would never, | | | | around you. You find yourself saying my child |
| forget Katie as a person or my daughter. I also | | | | should not of died. |
| found out how hard it is for so many to talk | | | | How do you imagine life without your child? "They |
| about the death of their child. | | | | were too young", "They were too good", "They |
| Many people find it easier to talk about the death | | | | were too healthy, "They never sin" "Why God |
| of your mom, dad or your wife or husband than | | | | Why?, "I can't survive without him or her". All |
| their child. But, this is often a time that you do | | | | of these are common feelings. Your fear is, you |
| want to talk or share feelings. You often get | | | | are afraid it will happen again, that you will loose |
| from people she doesn't want to talk about it. But | | | | another child or someone close to you. You begin |
| it helps to talk. After your child dies you have | | | | to be a little over-protective of your other |
| feelings of disbelief, denial, anger, depression, | | | | children.Please know that you are never alone, It's |
| hopelessness, guilt. Loss of appetite, sleep | | | | ok to say I hurt, to say I'm scared, to say I need |
| patterns change, we cannot get through the | | | | a friend. No matter how old your child is when |
| mourning alone. It is important to talk about the | | | | they die, the pain of loosing your child is still the |
| death, what you’re feeling and it’s | | | | same. Its very difficult for most to find the |
| ok to cry. | | | | words of comfort to say to you, but there are |
| The doctor came into the room. The operation | | | | places you can turn, people you can talk to when |
| was over. He sat down and started to tell my | | | | you feel your loosing it. You can't do this on your |
| husband and I about the surgery. The surgery | | | | own. |
| was over but during the surgery there was a | | | | Katie had suffered from congenital heart disease, |
| blood clot that burst and Katie died instantly. How | | | | Congenital means inborn or existing at birth. |
| could I go home without my baby? Shock was | | | | Among the terms you may hear are congenital |
| not the word for what I felt. Katie's been gone 11 | | | | heart defect, congenital heart disease and |
| years now. I remember just after she died | | | | congenital cardiovascular disease. The word |
| everyone was right there offering to help me. | | | | "defect" is more accurate than "disease." A |
| (Now I'd be lucky if they remember). Then the | | | | congenital cardiovascular defect occurs when the |
| people stopped coming, calling, I would see people | | | | heart or blood vessels near the heart don't |
| in the grocery store, and they would look at me, | | | | develop normally before birth. Katies' story is just |
| turn their head, and walk off, as if I had | | | | one of a million parents' stories out there. As I |
| something contagious that they could catch. | | | | surf the net I found so many, but there is help. |