An Angel's Story, Emily Hope
"Some people only dream of angels, she held one in her arms"
If you are the owner of the above graphic please email me so I may give proper credit, this was found on a free site.
My 4th child, Emily Hope, was born about 6
weeks premature and wieghed in at 4lb 14 oz. 17 1/4 inches long.
At birth, she was diagnosed with multiple heart conditions although none
needing urgent attention. The scenario presented to us was that if
repair would be needed, the probable timing of that would be between her
first and second birthday I always treated her as especially fragile because
of these things as well as the fact that she was probably my last baby.
When our Emily was just 6 months old and about
10 lbs, the Doctors found yet another heart defect only this one required surgery the following week. She had her surgery and returned home
in an amazing 3 day turnaround. We breathed a collective sigh of relief after making it through this sudden urgency for repair.
However, the worst was yet to come. During the weeks following her surgery, our concern grew as she continued to have daily vomiting and decreased appetite
even with a Dr's reassurances we were still worried so when she screamed the whole night before Labor Day, that was the last straw.
A trip to the ER was made several hours later, they discharged our Emily with a Diagnosis of a Urinary Tract Infection and a script for antibiotics 17
hours later, we arrived back to that ER with our little Emily in RESPIRATORY FAILURE 2 hrs of the trauma room and they had our baby stable intubated
and iv'd and transfered to the Pediatric ICU.
As we were waiting 2 more hours to be reunited
with our Emily she suffered a major episode of Cariac Arrest. Due to lack of oxygen, she sustained massive global brain injury 21/2 weeks later she left that hospital with an unplanned tracheostomy and g-tube
many medications medical equipment and home nursing to allow us to sleep at night.
We tried our best to make her comfortable and keep her
out of the hospital neither of which were successfully. However, her life had meaning, joy, and love she found comfort within herself and showed affection and love especially for her mom.
I lived, ate, and breathed my Emily. The bond
between us became far stronger than that normal one between mother and child unfortunately, after many hospitalizations and valiant battles, our
Emily's system weakened and failed her 8 months later.
You need to know, however Emily was the strongest willed, most beautiful, inspiring angel I ever had in my life. The months between September and May were not
those spent waiting for that end it was totally unexpected We were LIVING,
LOVING, and full of HOPE!!! Emily touched many lives in those months. It is with great sadness that life goes on....The nights still come and the days go by......and as tempting as it is to let it pass and stand still and alone--we cannot. As difficult as it is we must go on--for Emily. She will forever inspire us as she always did. If Emily tought us anything,
it was STRENGTH, and LOVE, and HOPE.
She took a part of me with her and that is
sacred! She will keep it safe with her until we are reunited! I have to keep hold of that faith in order to go on. Someday I will hold my Emily again and be whole! I CHERISH the thought!!!!EMILY ANGEL..with me
always.
