Anna and Logan

July 21, 2001

In December o 2000 I found out I was pregnant. Had a terrible time with morning sickness, was an all day thing for me. My AFP test came back abnormal and I was scheduled for my ultrasound a few weeks early. At the ultrasound I learned I was carrying twins, a boy and a girl. The tech was out of our room for a long time, now we know it was because she was trying to find the doctor. We went home excited about the two little babies' I was carrying.

The next day my OB notified me that we would not be able to bring one of our baby's home but did not know which.

Later that week, I went to a specialist. There I was told my baby boy was healthy and my girl had anencephaly. They gave me the option to terminate the whole thing, which was not an option, or do selective termination. I choose the third option: to carry to term. At least I was going to have the joy of carrying her.

It was fun to watch them interact on ultrasound. They needed each other and that was my time with her.

I went on bed rest, at 35 weeks. 5 days later, on July 21, 2001 I went to the hospital. I was not having contractions but felt very constipated and was miserable. Upon arrival I found out I was dilated to a 6. They had planned to do a c-section since my girl was baby A. The doctor feared that I would only have to dilate to 8 and maybe her shoulders would get stick or maybe I would have troubles delivering my boy baby B breech.

Anna Jean weight 4lbs 6oz was born at 2:21. She did not cry but the nurses said they heard a heart beat. Logan was born at 2:22 and weighed 6lbs 6oz. He came out screaming and for the first 8 to 9 months of his life, he had to be in our arms, a vibrating bouncing or a swing. It seemed as though he was used to movement.

Anna lived for 73 minutes. She held on until I was out of the delivery room area and back in my room. My husband Aaron pretty much held her the entire lifetime. We got wonderful pictures of them.

We miss her.

This was Logan's 5th birthday. Logan released a balloon for Anna and told he loves her. Big sister Alyssa who is 10 wishes she had a little sister. We also have little brother Nathan who is 2½. We are done having kids. We will always feel incomplete but know that some day we will all be together again.

Angela

Last updated March 19, 2019