A few years ago, I met a friend over Freecycle. This is a website that allows you to give away what you don't need and get things you do for free. It's a great system. This woman and I arranged over the phone to meet, so I could give her car seats my kids had outgrown. We bonded over loss. I had lost a child who was four months old, then had had a series of miscarriages. She had delivered a stillborn at about 22 weeks. We were both mothers of angels. That was something that cemented our bond.
My family has since moved into her area. We continued to chat as often as we could with our respective families and work keeping us busy. I had no rainbow baby. She continued to have several. At first, I was a little envious. Now, I'm well past wanting another baby, and my two teenagers would vote me off the island if I were to somehow get one. I'm happy for her and was delighted to hear she was expecting a little girl.
Then, she started to bleed and have contractions at 23 weeks. She rushed to the hospital, I'm sure with nothing but terror of a repeat experience of her first stillbirth. Instead, she delivered a live preemie at 23 1/2 weeks. I can only imagine the stress and fear, especially in someone who knows she's fully capable of losing a baby. Many of those who have not joined the empty-arms club somehow feel it could never happen to them. To many of those who have lost one, the loss of another seems more possible.
Now, all those who know her family are praying for a miracle. It's a rare thing for a baby to survive such an early birth. It has been known to happen, but it will be a miracle. For those who believe in prayer, I ask that you treat this story as more than an abstraction. Pray for this family. Please pray for this baby. They're going to need all the prayers they can get. I believe in miracles and will continue to pray for them as well.
