Gina Christie
When I carried Gina, I felt her movements the whole nine months and back
in 1967, they took no tests or ultrasounds and there was no indication that
there was anything wrong. Doctors monitored her movements and heart beat at every visit.
My due date came and went and I started to get very ill, filled up with fluid
and pains in my chest and back. I was put in the hospital and a x-ray was given.
They told my husband that something was terribly wrong with the baby which indicated
a birth defect.
Because of all the fluid around my heart and lungs, they induced labor, a c-section
was out of the question. The labor was terrible, I was in labor for 33 hours.
My husband was informed of the severity of my problem but they never told me.
I knew after being in labor for over 20 hours that something terrible was going
wrong. Doctors informed me they would have to give me something to knock me out
for the delivery.
After the delivery, the doctor was at my side and said that the baby was alive
and breathing but never cried. They told me, it was anencephalic. The doctor never
showed me the baby. I screamed to see it and hold it, but he said "you would never
forget what it looked like". My daughter was never brought to me, even though, it
was my request to do so. I wanted to hold her and tell her she was loved and I
did not want her to die alone.
I asked for a priest to baptize her which one came immediately.
Back in 1967, the thoughts were different than they are now, but so very cruel.
After three hours they came to me and said she had passed away.
I could not believe what the doctor said to me. He asked me if I wanted the
hospital to dispose of the baby like it was nothing and what my intentions were.
I said I wanted a Christian burial.
Because of the condition I was in (I had to remain in the hospital for over a
week or so), my husband and the funeral director buried my baby without me.
I was devastated and broken hearted, and even until today, I cannot forget.
I have gotten help to cope with it, but I want to say, yes, my baby responded
to my singing and talking and had movement throughout my pregnancy. The doctors
never expected anything until my due date.
Virginia
Virginia can be reached trough the webmaster
Last updated July 9, 2019
