Precious Life

I've just read a friend's blog and realised about her miscarriage. In fact, her miscarriage happened only 4 days after Charis' birth. I felt so touched and had to hold back my tears as I read it.

This is from her blog, and I hope it will encourage every mothers to love their children more, and for those mothers who had lost theirs, to be able to move on courageously.

"After my miscarriage last Saturday, there was one book which I really wanted to read - "Jesse - Found In Heaven" by Chris Pringle. Thanks to Steven and Lydia, who went to church early Sunday morning to get the book for us. I've given mine to a friend's sister, who had lost her twins before they were born.

Reading that book again brought much comfort, encouragement and healing to my heart. A line from the book that brought tears to my eyes says, "...even miscarried infants were raised in full angelic care and couldn't wait to meet their mothers in heaven one day."Last Saturday, before I was being pushed into the Operating Theatre, I asked the nurse what they would do to the foetus. For a split second, she hesitated, and then said gently, "Usually we'll just put everything into a jar and it'll be discarded."

There are people who think that a foetus in the womb is not really considered a life, or a human being, yet. That's why there are people who think nothing of miscarriages or even abortion. I've read that women who have a miscarriage after they're 20 weeks pregnant (or 20-something, I can't really recall), are encouraged to hold their infant after she's been removed from the womb. They can even hold funerals or memorial services for these infants. But not so for those who miscarry before 20 weeks. The foetus is simply discarded.This is the ultrasound image of Baby Kae, on the first day of my bleeding, which was also the day we first heard her heartbeat. This is also the only 'picture' we have of her. She was only about 1 cm long. So tiny.

Interestingly, on that same morning, a few hours before I started bleeding, I read a weekly newsletter from Baby Centre, which I'd subscribed to. The newsletter provides a week-by-week decription of the development of a foetus. In week 5 of pregnancy, the foetus' heart has already began to beat and pump blood. The intestines are developing and the appendix is already in place. In week 6, the foetus' facial features are already beginning to form, with dark spots where the eyes are, openings where the nostrils will be, and pits to mark the ears. The hands and feet look like paddles. The heart is now beating at 150 beats per minute. The brain has already started to develop. In week 7, the foetus' fingers and toes are more distinct. Her liver is churning out large amounts of red blood cells. The teeth and palate are forming! That's how much Baby Kae has grown so far...

To say that a foetus is not a life, nor a human being? Nothing could be further away from the truth. For the past few days, I have been grieving. Tears will just flow, as I go about my daily activities. While playing with Isaac and Jaden, I will try to hold back the tears. Friends, colleagues and family members have been wonderful. I want to thank all of you who have sent us SMSes, emails and notes to encourage and comfort us. Your words of kindness have brought warmth and comfort to our hearts.We're feeling better now. In a sense, our life is somehow changed, because we will always remember the child whom we've lost. Yet, there is a comfort and a hope, that she is happy and well. In heaven, raised by angels. And we will see her one day, when we enter into heaven... where...

"Our lost children are there.Safe. Whole. Healed. Growing. Nurtured.Waiting for us." "Safe in angels' arms,far from here.Our children run and playthrough streets so fair."(Chris Pringle, "Jesse - Found In Heaven")
"Nobody speaks of the tiny souls lost,
too small to hug and too small to say goodbye to.
They are but a whisper on our breath."
(Chris Pringle, "Jesse - Found In Heaven")"