The Sleep - Chapter 23

Pam and I slept like rocks.  We were dead to the world.  When I awoke the next morning, my mother-in-law was there and Pastor Wilson had left already.  My mother-in-law had said that she had gotten there about 6 am and Pastor Wilson had left when she arrived.

During that day we again talked with our visitors and proudly showed off Ashley.  She was our first baby and even if she wasn’t going to live we were very proud of her.  I finally got out of the hospital room and went and got something to eat at the hospital cafeteria.  They did have fairly descent food, so I was by no means going hungry.  Plus, we had quite a bit of food in the room.  I would always eat what Pam didn’t want from her tray.

I can’t remember exactly when but either Thursday night or Friday morning they took the epidural out of Pam’s back.  I decided to go down the hall, because that was not for me!
Late Saturday afternoon, the pediatrician approached us about feeding Ashley.  Even though she would pass away, the pediatrician wanted her to be as comfortable as possible.  So we decided to give her some food through a stomach tube.  We did let them take her to the nursery to do the feeding though.  They said it would be easier to feed her that way.  So we let her take our Ashley.

Lessons Learned

  • If your baby is anencephalic and you make the decision to deliver, make the baby as comfortable as possible.  It is possible you may have to feed her before their life is over.
  • If you know someone whose baby has no brain, just be there for them.
  • Bible verse for this chapter: Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. Matthew 18:3