Miscarriage

Arlene’s Story

Aria

I was just 16 when I found out I was pregnant. I never thought I would go through loss. I found out I was pregnant with a little girl, Aria.

When I was around 15-16 weeks pregnant, I had a ultrasound done. I thought nothing of it until it happened. I remember the doctor came in and sat down and told me that she needed to talk with me. By the look of her face, it wasn’t good. She told me she thought my baby had something called Dandy-Walker syndrome. I cried and cried for the next couple weeks until I could see a specialist. Around 18 weeks, I saw a specialist. I remember how dark the room was and I was sitting there alone. I remember the ultrasound technician telling a student that it did not look good. 

A few minutes later, the specialist came in. She said it was much worse than Dandy-Walker syndrome, it was something called Alobar holoprosencephaly. I went to a couple more different specialists and there was not much they could do. No one was sure what was going to happen until she was born. Most babies do not live with the case she had.

I got induced and she was born alive! She was in the NICU for most of her short life. She got to come home for around 3 weeks on hospice. Her condition caused her to have seizures constantly and her body temperature was hard to keep up and she had to have oxygen as well. Her brain did not divide into two parts like ours. It was the hardest thing to do she was hurting and screaming and crying in pain. Hospice sent us to the hospital and we all slowly watched her pass away.

After she passed away, I found out I was pregnant. I was so scared and hurt. Feeling so many emotions. About a week later I said my finale goodbye to her at her service. The hardest thing in the world!

The next morning I started bleeding and went to the ER, only to find out I was having a miscarriage. I am now a grieving mom of two – at only 18 years old. 

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Coping With Loss

A letter to my baby

December 27, 2024

Every year, near the anniversary of my miscarriage, I write a letter. The first year, I was pregnant with my oldest daughter and made a video for her. In 2021, I wrote it to my pre-miscarriage self. In 2022 and 2023, I wrote letters to Anthony; my son I miscarried at 10 weeks and 5 days in January 2020.

Here’s this year’s letter.

______

Hi baby,

Five years.

I cannot believe it’s been five years since I met you.

Lost you.

This year feels like a milestone for us. Not a good one – milestones just mean I’m further from you. This year has me feeling like I’m being carried forward but my arms keep reaching back for you. My grief used to consume and bury me. Now that I’ve resurfaced, I’ve learned to swim, but I swim on my own.

This year, you will turn the age I always have pictured you as; five. The tall little boy with brown hair and blue eyes I see in my head every time I hear an earth side boy say “mama!” continues in my imagination. And this year, he feels real.

I have been hit recently with the harsh reality that I get to watch your sisters grow up because I never got to watch you. It is so strange to love all three of you more than anything in this world, and to know that the three of you can never coexist in the same place. The family of five I pictured in my head forever incomplete, forever wondering if you were the third baby I was meant to have.

I know, mommy’s gettin’ all serious. You’re only 4 and a half. Let’s talk about something else.

Let’s talk about how much I miss you.

I miss you when I desperately search for rainbows when it rains and the sun peaks through.

I miss you when I see your name.

I miss you when your sister grabs your giraffe stuffie Mima and Papa got you for Christmas. The one I cried opening knowing my pregnancy symptoms were fading, knowing something wasn’t right.

I miss you when someone asks about the letter A on my necklace, the flowers tattooed on my back, the number of times I’ve been pregnant.

I miss you every day.

As time continues to separate us, know my hand will always be reaching back for yours. Now more than ever, I know my place as your mommy; to continue to speak about you, uplift other families like ours, and continue to love you and your sisters with all my heart.

I love you so much, buddy.

Love,

Mommy

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Coping With Loss

Our Second Birthday

Two years!

Two years ago, I finally did it. I took a leap and launched The Understanding Heart not quite knowing what I would do with it, but knowing it would not only help to heal my heart, but hopefully heal the hearts of the women and families looking for solace in their darkest moment; the moment they lose their babies.

We lost our son Anthony at 10 weeks and 5 days in January 2020. As if losing him wasn’t difficult enough, the experience we had afterward with the professionals who were supposed to be taking care us was something out of a nightmare. I was shocked to find how easily birthing parents are cast aside once they’re told their child no longer has a heartbeat. How babies that don’t make it earth side are suddenly not as important as they were a week ago when they could be seen on an ultrasound. How the disregard of the grief we feel at 6, 10, 20, or 40 weeks makes us feel so small, and makes us miss our babies even more.

I both love and hate so much that you are here with me. I am so grateful for this community and am continuously honored and privileged to share the stories of your babies, but also wish this “club” never had to exist. Worst club, best people as they say.

Thank you so much for being here for two years of sharing stories, discussing grief, being vulnerable and most importantly, remembering our babies. I can’t wait to see what’s to come in the years ahead.

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I asked some of my followers to share their baby’s names to be honored on the blog. Names put directly next to each other are siblings.

We remember…

Rohan Unnithan-Rinella

Mera Maimone

Leilani Rose Martinez & Little White Butterfly

Milo James

Jedah Rhodes

Liam Rodriguez

Carter James Ritchie

Aiyana Hope & Myles Trase

Baby Blouin

August, Willy & Baby #3

Noodle

Baby Ahovey

Maggie Giesbrecht

Lincoln & Sweet Pea

Christian & Alexander

David Vaugh & Ellarie Jane

Mercy Emmanuelle and Zachariah Ransom

Emerson Zion Sommerville

Baisley Juno Pangelian Nededog

Wren Elyse

Adrian Iselle Canseco

Stella Lee Simmers

Claire Foster

Rosie Grace

Kassandra Melia Trejo

Pio and Zelie

Gabriel Danayan

Rionnach Ryan

Henry, Luna, Estella and Arthur

Emily

Shiloh

Hazel and Baby B

Emilia Lolmaugh

August Wynn Visicaro

Frances and Milo

Lyra Rose

Gordon Edward Bryan, Cole Maverick Nontell & Harlow Elle Nontell

Selah Veta

Bryson Brooks Foell

Kingston

Luka

Anthony.

“I carried you for every second of your life, and I will love you for every second of mine.”

– Unknown
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