Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Families.
Mommy to an Angel
2011 was by far the most traumatic event in my life. My daughter, Grace, was stillborn at 39 weeks and 3 days. My pregnancy with her was great and completely normal. I had my 39-week appointment on March 14th, 2011 and while the doctor flubs her heartbeat, I noticed it was 30 bpm slower than usual. I questioned her about it and she dismissed my fears. We were going to induce that day, but I wasn't dilated at all, so my doctor decided to wait three more days. Induction was then scheduled for March 17th, 2011, St. Patrick's day🍀 The night before my induction, I noticed that she wasn't moving. I figured she was sleeping. I was 21, I really wasn't educated about kick counting or normal fetal behavior. That night I had a dream... My daughter was dead. I woke up crying but dismissed my fears because babies don't die, right? I never thought it was possible. Naïve? Yes. I woke up at 5:30 the next morning and packed my stuff in the car. The whole 20-minute ride, I knew something was wrong. My mom and my cousin came with me to the delivery room. I changed into a hospital gown and sat on the bed while the nurse got the belly monitors ready. She tried for a good 5 minutes to find my daughter's heartbeat, nothing. She found my heartbeat and said, "I hear her in there, I know she's there." That was the biggest lie I've ever heard. She exited the room and another nurse came in. She also tried to find the heartbeat. The second nurse tried the fetal Doppler incase the belly monitors weren't working correctly. Again, no heartbeat was found. I knew something was wrong by the look in her eyes. She said nothing as she left. Both nurses entered the room a couple minutes later with my doctor. My doctor also tried to find the heartbeat with no luck. She called for an ultrasound machine. Something was very, very wrong. For what seemed like an eternity, the machine finally arrived along with my doctor and three nurses. She spent 10 minutes attempting to find my daughter's heartbeat on the ultrasound, but her face said it all. Tears came rolling down her cheeks. She touched my leg and said,"I'm so sorry, sweetie. I can't find her heartbeat." At that point, everyone in the room started crying. My baby was dead inside of me. I failed her, my body failed her. It's not fair! I begged for a C-section just to get it over with. I was told that I couldn't have a C-section because it was not medically necessary, so we started a regular induction with pitocin and a cervidil pill to dilate me. My grandma was supposed to come to the delivery after her hair appointment. My mom called her and told her what was going on. All I heard was, "oh my god, oh my god, oh my god." This was fairly significant because my grandma is very religious and never takes the Lord's name in vain, nor does she swear. About an hour later my grandmother arrived with three angel necklaces, one for me, one for my mom and one for my two-year-old daughter. She was crying, and it broke my heart even more. My pastor was called and sat with all of us until an hour before I delivered. I attempted to nap and while I was sleeping, I woke up screaming and crying. "She's dead! She's dead, Mom!"
By Jessica Leigh8 years ago in Families
Life Is Full of Tests
You know that feeling you get when you think about something horrible happening to the ones you love most? You never think that something could actually happen to them because of how much you love them, right? Well, it happened to my father. My father, Ron Stephens, has always been a family oriented man. He does whatever it takes for his family and to pay the bills. Around 2014 he started his own business. 'RJ Stephens Trucking Inc.', where he was hauling logs for local logging companies. So, with that being said... He was gone for sixteen plus hours a day, totally wiped out when he got home, but still had to make time for his kids and wife. And he did. No matter how tired he was. He always pushed to do everything he can and most times he would overdue himself.
By Caitlin Faith8 years ago in Families
I Miss You
It's true what they say; losing a loved one changes you in ways you never know until it happens to you. Once upon a time, I was a happy young girl with a world of possibilities and a smile that never left. My family was my rock and my life was perfect. My parents both worked so hard so that my little brother Daniel and I could have everything we would need in life and grow up with a happy, big home. I was so lucky. I was always a daddy's girl and looked up to him always. Despite that, I never stopped loving my mum. She was always there for me, to give me a hug, to give me a kiss, or to answer my many many questions about how long rabbits live.
By Carrie-Ann Oliveira8 years ago in Families
Her Life
Everyone has seen those movies where you have a picture-perfect family. Well, that's how Miharu's family started out. The father was happy, she had an older brother, mom was happy, everything was joyful and outgoing. Until her mom started leaving more and more. Her dad started to drink because he was depressed that the mother kept leaving. Her brother was always quiet. Soon her mom stopped coming back, her father started to get abusive and drunk, and her brother ran away leaving her with a monster.
By Tiffany Maultsby8 years ago in Families
A Mother's Pain, Don't Pass It On
Have you ever felt unloved in your life? Unloved and alone? I have felt this way my entire life. I have always given my love freely but I have always felt like no one saw me. Growing up I promised myself never would I make my children feel second best to anyone. The love I felt I never had as a child, I gave my kids all the love and affection they can stand. But as my daughter grew up, somehow, she began drifting away from me. Being my only girl and having been raped and molested in my younger years, I swore I would teach her everything no one bothered to teach me.
By Raven Starr8 years ago in Families
Living as a Caregiver
I have been a caregiver to my grandmother for almost eight years. Back in my late teen years, I saw the signs, I giggled at the silly things she did, I blew off her strange behavior and mood swings. But I never imagined that I would spend my 20s tethered to the family home, missing out on some of the most important experiences of my life for almost eight years straight.
By Zaney Vayne8 years ago in Families
