Hey,
So this is going to be a hard blog post to write. But I feel the need to write this blog for the reason of one of my dear friends, Ally, had to go through it. Last year on 2/12/10 my friend Ally went to go get an ultrasound of her little one. She was so excited to be able to see the little one. She was going to find out if it was a male or female. Ally, was hoping for a little girl as she already has a perfect little boy Brayden. That day she went with so much excitment, she was posting status updates as she waited to go back to meet her little one with so much love. A couple hours later her friends found out the worst news that a mother could recieve. Ally, found out that she was having a little girl but something was wrong. Her little girl Emma Marie had anencephaly. Ally found out her little girl wouldn't make it very long after she gave her daughter birth. Ally decided to give birth to her little girl on Febuary 15th, 2010. Which means today is Emma Marie's first birthday. When Ally gave birth to Emma Marie she was lucky enough to be able to spend not the one hour the doctor told her how long Emma would be able to stay alive but five hours. Ally was able to take pictures of her little girl and able to get footprints of her and spend time with her little girl before she left the earth.
Ally is still heartbroken for her little girl. I know that she will still be twenty years from now. She will always remember her little girl Emma Marie. A mother doesn't forget their child. Ally though is wanting to pass information about the diease her little girl had to help other mother's prevent it from happening to them. Soon after she found out about her daughter's illness the day before she went to give labor to Emma she posted a facebook note telling all of us to ask our doctor's questions early. For all women who are child-bearing age to take at least 0.4 mg of Folic Acid even if they are not pregnant right now. To be able to prevent this diease as well spina bifida. Taking folic acid that small amount could prevent up to 50 to 70% of pregnancys that could have this.
So what is anencephaly? Anencephaly is a defect in the closure of the neural tube during fetal development. The neural tube is a narrow channel that folds and closes between the 3rd and 4th weeks of pregnancy to form the brain and spinal cord of the baby. It occurs when the head end of the nural tube fails to close, resulting in the absence of a major portion of the brain, skull, and scalp. Infants that are born with this disorder are born without a forebrain and a cerebrum. The remaining brain tissue is often exposed. The baby is usually born blind, deaf, uncounsious, and unable to feel pain. Although some infants with anecephaly may born with some brain steam, the lack of a functioning cerebrum premanently rules out the possiblity of ever gaining consciousness. Though they do have reflex actions such as breathing and responses to sound or touch. The cause of it is still unknown though it is a thought that the mother's diet and vitamin intake may play a role. If the infant is not stillborn, like Emma, then they will die within a few hours or days after birth. Research is being done to understand how the brain and nervous system normally develop. These studies are contribute to a greater understanding of neural tube disorders, such as anencephaly, and open promising areas to treat and prevent neurological birth defects.
My friend Ally had to go through some of the worst pain a mother could go through and that was saying goodbye to her little girl. So women who are any child-bearing age please take some folic acid no matter if you are waiting to have children right now or is starting to try to get pregnant. You can give yourself and your future offspring the chance of a life. Because I don't want to see another friend go through this pain.
To Ally, all of your friends love and support you today. We are all grieving with you for the loss of Emma. We are all celebrating her few hours of birth today by lighting candles, letting balloons go in to the sky. Because in those five hours that she was here she changed our eyes. I love you Ally.
To Emma, Happy First Birthday little girl. You are so loved by everyone. Your mother misses you a ton and so does your older brother. I know you are watching down from above wishing that your mommy would be okay. You can trust her friends and family to be here for her. I love you Emma.
This is a poem that is written by Ally for her daughter.
We went to the sonogram expecting the great news,
that our baby was secure growing in the womb.
We heard her little heartbeat,
and we felt her move,
we ended up getting the worst possible news.
Our little girl was perfect but she wasn't going to survive.
She had an Anencephaly,
there was no way she could stay alive.
Our baby girl is in heaven an angel in the sky,
filled with joy and laughter growing as time goes by.
Our life will eventually go on the tears will come and go,
It will only take time now to heal our broken souls.
We'll never forget,
We'll always wonder what could be,
We'll always love her so much,
Our Baby girl,
Our Emma Marie.
by Ally
*The picture and the poem are from Ally's facebook page.*
With deepest sadness,
Kk
P.S. Please light a candle in honor of this sweet little girl and others infants who were born with anencephaly today. I know I will.
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