Monday, October 13, 2008

Remembering a Loss


Many people know that October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, you probably have noticed alot of pink shirts and pink ribbons all around you.

What you may not know, is that October is also Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, with October 15th (this upcoming Wednesday) is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Rememberence Day.


On September 3rd of last year, I lost my first pregnancy at 9 1/2 weeks. Though still early in the pregnancy, it is a devastating thing for any woman to go through. And I am certainly not alone. It is estimated that 20% of pregnancies end in miscarriage, most occurring in the first trimester. Most miscarriages are unpredictable and unpreventable as much of conception and fetal development still remains a mystery. 983,000 babies died in 1996, from miscarriage and stillbirth. The numbers are staggering, with many women experiencing more than one loss, though having one miscarriage does not necessarily increase your odds of having another.


While I have moved on in my life, both physically and emotionally, I still think of my angel baby almost every day. I never got to know this life that was growing inside me, however, I felt an immediate attachment. It makes me sad, but I have grown to realize that these things happen for a reason as hard as that may be to comprehend.


If you have not read my blog on my myspace about the importance of butterflies to me, I hope that you will read it. I'm not a religious person, but I do believe that my angel came back to me, the morning after being released from the emergency room in the form of a butterfly.


On October 15th, I urge everyone to please light a candle at 7pm in whatever time zone you are located in. This way, there will be a continuous wave of candlelight throughout the night in memory of the people affected, and babies lost. I have included some links below for anyone interested, as well as some songs that have been a huge part of my healing.


Thank you from the bottom of my heart to those who have been there for me the last year, and to all of you who read this blog.


Songs:

Slipped Away- Avril Lavigne http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSW0oVouxXg


Tears In Heaven- Eric Clapton http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngpZaECKaBM


Literature and Links


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