Thursday, March 28, 2013

Our Surprise Gift

James and I just downloaded the forms required by the Vital Records Unit in Raleigh, NC to receive our Certificate of Birth Resulting in Stillbirth.  We have our Certificate of Fetal Death mailed to us back in 1975.  I was so hurt to read back then, that our son was called a fetus instead of the baby he was.  He was a full term baby weighing 7lbs 14oz and was 21 inches long.  He had a head full of brown hair.  Every inch of him was beautiful.  None of us could help it if his cord decided to tighten into a double knot as he moved down into the birth canal.  He was hours from making it home free into our wanting arms.  He never made it into our arms because he was whisked away to somewhere in the hospital to be alone, without his parents to hold him and kiss him and take pictures, foot molds and hand molds.  We had no idea to ask for these things.  I was in that hospital from Tuesday - Saturday morning and not one nurse or doctor ever suggested we might want to have these moments, minutes, hours with our son.  We were broken into a million tiny pieces of heaviness and hurt.  We didn't have a tear drop posted over our door.  We had to explain our situation to each nurse that walked in thinking we were experiencing a blessed event.  I saw my son for less than 3 minutes in the delivery room, never being able to touch him.  James saw him with his parents in a hallway outside of delivery for just minutes, possibly longer than me.  Our son's image is forever burned into my soul and eyes.  We did share time with him at the funeral home, but again we were rushed.  I will never forget how beautiful he was is his blue outfit with the white kite on it and his white babies booties.  He simply looked liked he was sleeping.  I was so proud that he was so beautiful. 

Then the letter arrived at our home.  The one from the Vital Records Unit informing me that I had a fetus.  Certificate of Fetal Death.  It came to our attention recently that in 2005 the laws in North Carolina had changed.  Babies in North Carolina that are stillborn can now be recognized as a real birth!  It was a real birth!  But legally my son is now just not a statistic!  He will receive a Certificate of Birth Resulting in Stillbirth.

Tomorrow we are going to Raleigh to spend the Easter Weekend with our son, his wife, and our glorious three grandchildren.  Before arriving at the home, we will go to downtown Raleigh and visit the Human Resources Office and the Vital Records Department to present our original Fetal Death Certificate which will allow us to get tomorrow, our long awaited Certificate of Birth for our son, James Collins Fitts, Jr.  I hope I have the courage not to cry when I finally see it in print!

Our daughter, Reita Gale, will not be getting one of these certificates.  It grieves my heart so.  She was the baby we got to hold and spend time with while still in the hospital.  She was born before the so called "cut off date."  Back when she was born in 1982 we still called how far along we were in months instead of weeks.  She was a fully formed beautiful daughter, weighing at 1lb 4 oz.  Even though she was stillborn, she was before the 24th week.  I do believe in years to come, she too, will be recognized with her certificate.  For now, we wait until her turn.

Thank you North Carolina for changing the laws!  What a wonderful surprise gift for us!

Easter!  A time of rebirth!  A time because of Jesus Christ, the sting of death is gone!  Through Him, our King of Kings, our babies live on in His Kingdom!

Glory be to the Father, Glory be to the Son, Glory be to the Holy Spirit!

6 comments:

  1. Oh tears I am so happy for you!

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  2. Hi I just got all the setting finally right on my blog, would you mind resigning up again this is the instructions:)

    Go to my new address http://teshastreasures.blogspot.com/

    Go to Google friends connect
    and sigh in,
    Then go to options, sight settings hit stop following this blog (on the right hand side)
    Next refresh the page
    last re-follow the blog

    You will no longer get updates if you don't re sigh up:(

    SORRY for the inconvenience I so appreciate our friendship!

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  3. How wonderful that baby James is finally remembered in this way. Somehow it means a lot to see their existence confirmed in print, doesn't it? I am sorry though that Reita, because of a random number, is recognized; my son was also born/died before the magic 24, and is thus recognized as 'just' a miscarriage, not even recognized in any statistics anywhere. Did you know you can ask for a certificate and to have your baby remembered here: http://www.innocents.com/shrine.asp

    Remembering James and Reita with you Gale.

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  4. No I didn't know that, Sadie. I will check it out. CarlyMarie made us a Recognition of Life Certificate for Reita Gale. Sadie, I am so sorry about your son. I believe with all my heart that God does not create a soul just to dismiss it. All of the souls will be in heaven to greet us. Are you by any chance Lisa's sister?

    Gale

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  5. Thanks for your kind words about my son.

    Sorry, I guess you're thinking of a different Sadie, I don't know any Lisa! But you have visited my blog a few times in the past.

    Wishing you all the best Gale.

    ReplyDelete