Just when I felt every avenue had been explored and I was ready to give up, The MISS Foundation popped up on my computer screen. Their goal is to help bereaved parents! I quickly wrote them a message. Within an hour I heard from North Carolina's MISS volunteer, Daryl Logulla. As it turns out, Daryl helped to write the legislation to be passed in NC to give parents their rightful Certificate of Birth Resulting in Stillbirth. He knew the law! He knew I legally had the right to this certificate for my son. Daryl also got the run around, but knew the right words to say and what to say. Within a few weeks, the very person at the NC Department of Vital Statistics that told me I could not get a certificate for my son, called me to say my certificate was on its way to me! Also, since I had to work so hard to get the Department of Vital Statistics to get their act together, the $36 fee was waived! She also told me that upon talking to the NC Attorney General, she was told where the files were that had all of the babies born to stillbirth in the 1970's era. My son's records on file were found at last! I knew they were there somewhere! I feel so proud that through my son's death part of his legacy will be opening up hundreds if not thousands of forgotten files needed for other North Carolina parents who lost a child before or during birth can now have the birth not just the death of their baby on file with the state. This helps to validate that we as mothers actually did go through labor and birth our children, even though they never took a breath on this earth. They were human beings born not breathing, but born just the same. They had to be named and a funeral home called. To have a funeral, you had to of first died. You can't die unless you were first alive. Also, as a result of the struggle to find James Collins' records, the NC Department of Vital Statistics has improved its application form to make it easier for parents to get their certificates. Also, this department has to recognized ANY Fetal Death Certificate issued by the counties of NC with the proper seal. These new and improved changes came about because I wouldn't give up on my son's rights. His rights to be counted. His right to have his name in the Vital Statistics Records. James Collins Fitts, Jr was here in my womb for nine months. He was and still is very much loved. His life counted even though he never lived outside of my body. I am so proud that because of him, other parents will not have to go through what I did just to get a simple certificate, the Certificate of Birth Resulting in Stillbirth.
So Happy For You!!! <3 :)
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