Wanted to share another sweet mama’s story of loss and remembrance…..
I had the opportunity to meet Elizabeth during our Rainbow Baby Event on October 16, 2016. This is her story…..
Thank you for asking us to share our stories. I’m glad to share mine.
Our first daughter, Eva, was born on December 9, 2013. She was 8 lbs., beautiful, and healthy.
She had surgery at 2-days old to repair a mylemeningocele (she was born with Spina Bifida). We spent a week in the NICU, where she amazed everyone with her gentle, sweet, but determined and fiery spirit!
The time we had with her at home was amazing and so full of promise.
On Christmas Day, Eva got suddenly sick. She never ran a temperature or developed a rash or threw up, but she was very fussy and later became listless. We took her to the emergency room, and we then spent the most harrowing six days at Children’s Hospital’s PICU. Even there, our incredible daughter Eva gave us love, laughter, pride and beautiful, intimate time.
Eva passed away from Meningitis on December 31, 2013. She developed Meningitis from late-onset Group B Strep, the origin of which remains a mystery, as she had a c-section delivery and we didn’t labor. This devastating infection had nothing to do with her Spina Bifida or surgery. The maternal-fetal medicine specialist called it two different lightning strikes.
I can not describe our time with Eva as a storm though; that is too dark, and the twenty-two days we spent with her here were among the most beautiful and treasured of our lives. They were bright. They were sacred.
But the grief of child loss is a storm, and one that never completely dissipates. Our amazing rainbow was born in April of 2015, sixteen months after her sister. We knew her name had to be Hope, and she is a gift beyond words; she brought my smile back and gave us sunshine after seemingly-endless rain!
I was so glad to celebrate Hope today; I celebrate her every day. She is a happy, sweet, and smart little girl, and we couldn’t be more grateful to call her ours! Having her in our family and watching her grow is an ineffable joy.
To read her entire journey please follow this link :Â http://musa.org/eva-kay-ackerman/
Thank you Elizabeth for sharing your story!
