Sad Day

Today has been a sad day. Sad because we went to our friends baby's funeral. Lillyana was born Friday, August 22. She was born with a condition called Trisomy 13. Babies that are born with this condition usually don't make it past the first 48 hours, and if they do most of them don't make it to their first birthday. Her parents and our friends Joe and Becca have had hope from the moment they found out. Hope that God would do a miracle in Lillyana's life. Becca, and I, along with another friend of ours became pregnant within weeks of each other, and have compared aches, pains, sickness, and all the other crazy things that happen to your body when you are pregnant. I remember when they found out about her condition, and all the sadness that came along with it. Due to the fact that Becca developed high blood pressure Lillyana was born in August instead of October. I can tell you that from the beginning she beat the odds. She was so much healthier than doctors expected her to be. They had said she would only live 2 hours after birth, but they were so wrong! Tests were run and it turned out that her brain, lungs, and kidneys were in full working order. She did have a heart condition, but it was minor. Since she was 6 weeks early she was in NICU and on a respirator. I remember going into the NICU the day after she was born to see her. Her eyes were covered because she was jaundiced and they had a light on her. My initial thought was that she looked big, she didn't look like a frail premie. She looked big for 4 pounds even though she was small. I remember Joe her dad was there with me, and while we were in there she started crying. I will never forget the picture of Joe taking her hand, her grabbing on to his finger, and him telling her "Don't cry baby, daddy is here." At that moment I had to walk away. The next day around noon she passed away. Today Pastor David reminded us that she is in a better place, that she is looking at her parents saying I'm well. I try to put myself in their shoes, and wonder if I would have been as strong as they've been. The thought of losing this child that I've carried in my belly, felt move, and have really bonded with makes just break down in tears. I can't imagine going through it knowing that my baby wasn't going to make it. I pray that in the time that now comes that we (my husband and I) can be there for them, just like the rest of our friends. We've rallied around them and shown them we are here for them. I pray that they not lose their faith, but that this makes them stronger. Even though Lillyana's life was short, she made a big impression, and she touched many people's lives. I hope that we never forget the value of life and how precious it truly is.