Beverly Ann

On this National Day of Rememberance for pregnancy and infant loss, I wanted to tell you about someone near and dear to me that lost a baby girl. Her story is similar to mine. She spotted throughout her pregnancy. Then some time after 5 or 6 months her spotting got worse and she had to go to the hospital. She ended up going into labor. Her doctor offered something for the pain, but said it may harm the baby, and if that happens you will blame yourself. So she went through the pain of delivery--knowing that the baby likely wouldn't survive due to the extreme prematurity. She delivered her beautiful baby girl who was alive. The baby lived for a day and a half. Yet, she never got to hold her precious baby. You see, it was 1952, times were different, and that woman is my Grandma Rose. After she delivered, Grandma said, she propped herself up so she could see her baby and she was very pretty. However, they didn't let her hold her. My grandma said that there is not a day that goes by that she doesn't think of her Beverly Ann and wonder what she would be like, where she'd be, and how many children she'd have. I know that while my grandma's arms have been aching to hold her baby girl for 56 years, Beverly Ann has been resting in the arms of Jesus, along with Faith, and all the other babies that spent too little time here on earth.
Grandma, while this is a journey that I never wanted to take, I am honored to travel it with you.

Beverly Ann
June 21, 1952-June 23, 1952