ramenth
Gratis persona
Well, Noel, you asked if this day had something to do with Katherine. Yes, it does, my brother.
I'll set a little background for you. I was working at a local Ford's dealership's body shop when I got a call from Sarah. She was at the doctor's office after experiencing a few things which weren't normal for her and had just discovered she was pregnant! I was on cloud nine. I had a Ranger on the frame wrack, and didn't do a damned thing the rest of the day. Flat rate. I was burning time I otherwise would be getting paid for, but I didn't care! I'm a poppa!
Sarah lost her job about a month later. No big deal, my insurance picked her up. The doctor's visits were going well. We were doin' good.
Two months later I lost my job. On a Friday. Stopped by my pastor's place on the way home to talk a bit. I hadn't told Sarah, yet. But the baby was still doing well, we had just moved into a new apartment, things were still all right.
Skip forward to the next Tuesday. February 11th. I was at the church cleaning the sidewalks after a snow storm and had just gone inside to warm up a bit and talk to the church's secretary, who was going through a hard time of her own. The pastor had just come in to check on a few things when the phone rang. It was my sister. Something was wrong with Sarah and the baby. I needed to get home and quick.
The pastor and I climbed in my truck and sped up the hill to the apartment. Something was wrong. While I tried to calm Sarah down the pastor made the 9-1-1 call. The ambulance was there in less than five minutes. In the whole time Sarah kept crying, "I don't want to lose my baby!"
With two lives on the line they didn't take the time for the usual set up. The radio calls and the stats were being administered on the gurney as they carried Sarah out of the house and into the ambulance.
At the hospital the ER doctor did what he could while they called our OBGYN. And I mean he did what he could. His efforts were heroic as he tried his best to save Katie. By the time the OBGYN came, it was too late. Katie was gone. Her chord had prolapsed. She couldn't get oxygen and suffocated.
The pastor's wife brought my sister and my mother to the hospital when she came to pick up my pastor. The church secretary came shortly after and stayed with us the rest of the day. My in-laws caught the quickest flight they could from MN. My dad was on the road with the truck and we had no way to get ahold of him. When he got home he came up.
I can remember every detail of that day. The failings of having a photographic memory. Seven years ago today and it's still fresh in my mind.
Her funeral was the following Saturday. At times like this you find out how good people can be. The local funeral home donated the services when he found out Sarah and I were both on unemployment. We just needed to pay for the casket. A casket which looked like a little white bassinet. My father and father-in-law and pastor handled a lot of the details for me. I was walking around like a zombie, a friend told me. Our families rallyed close to us. Our church rallyed around us, making us meals, donating food. Another church we weren't even part of send us a donation in money to help with expenses and held a concert in honor of Katie. I wasn't able to attend, but a friend told us they raised the roof.
I know many of us have had to deal with loss. Many of us have lost children, many of you have lost children far older than Katie. My heart goes out and my prayers will continue to go out. It's not right when a man has to bury his child. I've been searching my soul for the better part of a day as to whether or not to say anything in the threads, but I've had an experience today which convinced me that perhaps I should.
Katie weighed .7oz and was 9 inches long at birth. She had my look of determination and her mom's nose.
I look at a child now and rejoice that the parents haven't had to suffer the same pain, thank God that child is smiling, laughing. I love to hear a child laugh. It's the closest thing to Heaven God has given us.
Sorry, didn't mean to depress anyone or scratch any wounds. Some of us take children for granted. If you have children, give them a nice big hug.
I'll set a little background for you. I was working at a local Ford's dealership's body shop when I got a call from Sarah. She was at the doctor's office after experiencing a few things which weren't normal for her and had just discovered she was pregnant! I was on cloud nine. I had a Ranger on the frame wrack, and didn't do a damned thing the rest of the day. Flat rate. I was burning time I otherwise would be getting paid for, but I didn't care! I'm a poppa!
Sarah lost her job about a month later. No big deal, my insurance picked her up. The doctor's visits were going well. We were doin' good.
Two months later I lost my job. On a Friday. Stopped by my pastor's place on the way home to talk a bit. I hadn't told Sarah, yet. But the baby was still doing well, we had just moved into a new apartment, things were still all right.
Skip forward to the next Tuesday. February 11th. I was at the church cleaning the sidewalks after a snow storm and had just gone inside to warm up a bit and talk to the church's secretary, who was going through a hard time of her own. The pastor had just come in to check on a few things when the phone rang. It was my sister. Something was wrong with Sarah and the baby. I needed to get home and quick.
The pastor and I climbed in my truck and sped up the hill to the apartment. Something was wrong. While I tried to calm Sarah down the pastor made the 9-1-1 call. The ambulance was there in less than five minutes. In the whole time Sarah kept crying, "I don't want to lose my baby!"
With two lives on the line they didn't take the time for the usual set up. The radio calls and the stats were being administered on the gurney as they carried Sarah out of the house and into the ambulance.
At the hospital the ER doctor did what he could while they called our OBGYN. And I mean he did what he could. His efforts were heroic as he tried his best to save Katie. By the time the OBGYN came, it was too late. Katie was gone. Her chord had prolapsed. She couldn't get oxygen and suffocated.
The pastor's wife brought my sister and my mother to the hospital when she came to pick up my pastor. The church secretary came shortly after and stayed with us the rest of the day. My in-laws caught the quickest flight they could from MN. My dad was on the road with the truck and we had no way to get ahold of him. When he got home he came up.
I can remember every detail of that day. The failings of having a photographic memory. Seven years ago today and it's still fresh in my mind.
Her funeral was the following Saturday. At times like this you find out how good people can be. The local funeral home donated the services when he found out Sarah and I were both on unemployment. We just needed to pay for the casket. A casket which looked like a little white bassinet. My father and father-in-law and pastor handled a lot of the details for me. I was walking around like a zombie, a friend told me. Our families rallyed close to us. Our church rallyed around us, making us meals, donating food. Another church we weren't even part of send us a donation in money to help with expenses and held a concert in honor of Katie. I wasn't able to attend, but a friend told us they raised the roof.
I know many of us have had to deal with loss. Many of us have lost children, many of you have lost children far older than Katie. My heart goes out and my prayers will continue to go out. It's not right when a man has to bury his child. I've been searching my soul for the better part of a day as to whether or not to say anything in the threads, but I've had an experience today which convinced me that perhaps I should.
Katie weighed .7oz and was 9 inches long at birth. She had my look of determination and her mom's nose.
I look at a child now and rejoice that the parents haven't had to suffer the same pain, thank God that child is smiling, laughing. I love to hear a child laugh. It's the closest thing to Heaven God has given us.
Sorry, didn't mean to depress anyone or scratch any wounds. Some of us take children for granted. If you have children, give them a nice big hug.
