March for Babies, Misery, and Ash

Sunday was the March for Babies!  I was sad to have to leave WAY too early, but I walked for my little man, and I suppose that's all that matters.  My dear new friend, Jaclyn, is the one who started our team "No Life Too Small" in honor of her son, Zachary.  She had shirts made (WHICH I LOVE!), and we looked fabulous in them!  (I'm wearing mine now).  She also did another thing, which I don't even know if she realizes, meant the WORLD to me.  She had made a logo for the team with her son's footprints/name on it, and she made me a pin with the same logo, replacing Zachary's name with my Trevor Michael!  I had been completely upset with the fact that I am a procrastinator and hadn't gotten anything to wear in memory of my son.  But Jaclyn saved the day!  I now have the pin hanging in my car, and it reminds me every day that I am not alone; and that my son is being remembered.  I was really upset at one point about having to duck out early, and then missing church later on that night.  But then I remember that the March was still a success, regardless; because Zachary and Trevor's little lives were honored in such a big way.

On another note, I'm not so sure I'm doing well these days.  You would think, after being able to be open about my son, the wound would heal a little.  I feel like it's getting worse.  I'm also starting to dwell on things from my past that haven't mattered all that much before.  I have been thinking a lot about "Nicholas" (Trevor's father).  But about the bad things.  I try to give him credit, but the not-so-good things are starting to resurface in my mind.  Also, I've been thinking about another ex-boyfriend of mine, Ash.  Quick background: I was 15, he was 19...I thought he was the love of my life; I was the love of his.  The story's a bit complicated, but he was no longer in my life after 2001.  Then, in 2006, while Nicholas and I have been trying to recover from the loss of our Angel...Ash comes crashing back into my world like lighting.  He tells me we should have never been apart.  He was the one who made me realize that Nicholas was no good for me.  He honors my son's memory more than Nicholas ever will.  It was a dream come true to have him back in my life.  He would marry me, in an instant, no questions asked.  But something doesn't feel right.  I can't get out of my head that he's too good to be true; so I tell him, we can't do this.  He BEGS and PLEADS and tells me I'm the only one he'll ever love.  He's PERFECT.  But for some reason, I can't do it.  So here I am, almost 10 years after originally meeting him, and I'm alone, and miserable.  He only lives 45 minutes away.  He wants to get married; he wants to have babies.  He's everything I could ever ask for.  But still, I can't do it.  AND I DON'T KNOW WHY.  I miss him.  The day before March for Babies was his 28th birthday.  It made me wonder what we could be now.  I could be "decorated in babies" (as someone cute once said) ;-), I could be throwing him a huge birthday party.  I could be his wife.  Still, something holds me back.  WHY?  I don't know, either.  It's almost as if I have a hard time believing he's real, and subconsciously, I'd spend our entire life together worrying that one day, he'll just vanish; and again, I'll be alone.  I know it makes no sense, but it's what inside my head.  I was going to send him a birthday wish e-mail, but I'm not sure I'm ready to open up that can of worms.  So I'll say it here.

"Happy birthday, Ashman.  Hope you've got everything you've wished for.  I'm sorry."

Please Pray for Kayleigh!

I'm sure many of you are followers of miracle baby Kayleigh's blog. I have been following her since just about my first day of blogging. She has truly been an inspiration to many of us! Sadly, little Kayleigh has taken a turn for the worse in the past few days. She is showing signs of a serious and possibly life-threatening or irreversible neurological problem. I just wanted to share this little miracle's amazing story, and ask you all who believe in prayer to PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE pray for Kayleigh! Your prayers and hopes have always helped in the past, so please keep this little miracle in your hearts! (Click on her name above to read her story).

Coming Clean

I did it!  I finally told my mother about Trevor.  It was honestly so much easier than all the pain I've put myself through over the years wondering how it would go.  I wasn't sure I was ready, but it just came out.  I was going up to my Mom's on friday night to pick up my brother for our usual friday night festivities.  I always practice how I would tell her on the drive up, but never expect that I'll have the courage to tell her.  I saw her, and I just couldn't take it anymore.  I shut her bedroom door and said "I've got to tell you a story."  I thought I could remain strong, but I started crying before I even spoke.  She looked concerned, and I said, "It's okay, I just have to tell you something.  When I was 19, me and 'Nicholas' had a baby, and he died."  Not the most eloquently worded thing in the world, but at least I got it out.

I think about it now and there's a million things I would have said differently, but such is life.  I told her we named him Trevor Michael; and that he was born alive but he was just too little to survive.  I told her that Trevor is what made me want to start going to church and finding God.  I told her that's why I am doing the March for Babies (which she then sponsored me for...I have reached my fundraising goal!)  I told her she can tell anyone she wants, and that I am just so tired of hiding him.  I showed her Trevor's Name In The Sand, and she thought it was beautiful.  She cried, and I'm sure she's grieving now, too.  But I am so relieved to be able to be honest with her.  She told me (though I already knew) that she also lost a baby, and she was only 19, too.  I never thought my own mother would be the one who could relate to me.  She's glad she has a grandson, and she's only sorry that I felt I couldn't tell her.  She said that she can't believe I've been going through this alone for so long.  Neither can I.  She also said if she ever sees "Nicholas" again, she's going to make him wish he'd never gotten out of bed that day.  I don't blame her.

I'm exhausted; and I've got a long day tomorrow.  But I had to share the news!  I am so relieved, and I want to thank everyone who has encouraged me to get this far.  I don't know what I would have done without your kind words and advice.  I'll update again soon!

Peace, Love and Me!

I'm having a great day today!  I have thought about my little Angel, all day, and smiled!  I'm trying to cherish the 22 minutes I did get to spend on this Earth with my baby boy.  I have basically been a hermit lately.  I've been getting up around 3pm, staying home all day until my best friend gets out of work; and then going to her house and crying with her.  I'm sure she's getting tired of it; as is her husband.  I have been doing nothing.  I haven't gone out, cleaned my apartment, cooked a meal, or even really lived in quite a long time.  So today, I woke up around 11:30 (which is good for me), got dressed, went and got myself lunch (which I ate at the Sea Wall, beautiful!), went grocery shopping; and I'm going to cook a chicken/asparagus casserole to have my sister and her boyfriend over for dinner.

I know these things sound common and simple, but for me, it was a great big step in the right direction!  I had no fear of being alone.  I accomplished daily tasks without having a meltdown.  I saw a little boy with his young mother in the market, and was able to speak to them and compliment her on how beautiful her son is, without being in a fit of jealous rage!  I know these days only come every once in a while, but I like them.  I feel like myself again, at least for now.

On another note, spring is here! I actually took this picture two years ago with a crappy digital camera.  It was the day my cousin's daughter (my goddaughter), Helena, was born; and on my way out to visit them in the hospital, I saw this single, beautiful lily in (then my house) my mother's front yard.  I took a picture, and it came out amazing!  I can't use it for this week's spring/Easter theme at I Heart Faces, because, well, there's no face in it.  But I like it, so I wanted to share!

P.S. - I need sponsors for March for Babies!!  The walk is in 12 days!  If you have even an extra $10 to spare, I would truly appreciate your donation.  You can sponsor me online on My Personal Page; or send me cash or check; for which, you can email me at Jacquelyn925@aol.com for the address.

I hope everyone is enjoying spring, wherever you are!

Conflict and Progress

So, I almost told my Mom yesterday.  (If you're confused, read "My Story, My Son; How My Angel Earned His Wings" -----> to the right.)  It was Easter, and I practiced all the way up to my Mom's house.  What I would say, how I would help her understand.  I had it all figured out.  My brother would be upstairs playing video games, and she'd be in the kitchen, making Easter dinner.  We'd have some time alone and I could tell her all about the little light in my life I call Trevor.  I want her to love him like I do.  I want her to be able to know she has a little grandson up there with my Dad in Heaven; and that they're having the time of their (after-)lives.  I want her to know, that even though she had a stillborn daughter before even I was born, that she's not alone.

I got there, and chaos it was.  My mom's upstairs, yelling down, asking my brother what the hell he did with all her laundry.  Bro's in the living room, running back and forth with the dog like a crazy person.  My uncle is there, making some food in the kitchen, singing a tune.  It just didn't seem like a good time.  So I think, I'll tell my Mom and brother when we're visiting my Dad's grave.  We go to my Grandma's house, and on the way back, stop at the cemetery.  We were planting flowers, but the wind chill is like negative 40,000 degrees for some reason, and we're all too busy swearing at how cold it is, and trying to dig up dirt to plant tulips, that it's just not do-able (welcome to my family, by the way).  I never ended up telling Grandma about my little Angel.  There just wasn't a good time.  But I realized later, there never really is a "good time" to have a conversation like that.  I was thinking of writing her a letter about it, and just giving it to her and not being there when she reads it.  I know that's the chicken way of doing it; but I've been keeping it from her from so long I almost don't know if I want to tell her.  I remember reading on a blog (don't remember where), how sad this mother felt because her mother, Angel's grandmother, was also grieving for her child's loss.  I don't want my mother to even know I'm suffering like that.  I don't want her to see the pain in my eyes; and she will.  I know what it's like to see your child in pain, and not be able to help them.  I don't want her to have to grieve another person, her grandson; her only grandchild so far.  I  AM SO TIRED OF LYING!  I AM TIRED OF HIDING MY SON FROM THE WORLD!  But then again, if I tell my family, I have to go through it all over again.  For the third time.  I am making progress, and I feel like I'll end up taking a step back.  I am so conflicted.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On a sort of brighter note, I have made more progress.  Just a little thing, but I feel great about it.  My friend (who has two children) and I were in the drugstore on Saturday, and she was trying to get some last-minute things for her kids for Easter.  She looked at me, and knew I was upset because I have no little boy to buy an Easter present for.  She said something that changed my views completely.  She said, "You know, you do have a son.  He might not be here, but you do have him.  If you want to get him something for Easter, you should get him something for Easter."  So I did.  He would be four-and-almost-a-half right now.  I was thinking, he's a little old for stuffed bunnies, but I think these are cute.  I said, "A four-year-old boy would think this was stupid."  She said, "Not a sweet one."  Trevor would certainly be a "sweet one"!  So I got a baby blue stuffed bunny with a plastic container full of jelly beans, that says "Happy Easter".  

I wrote the date and occasion (in case some day it's not obvious what holiday the bunny was for, lol) on the back of the tag.  From now on, I am going to get Trev something for holidays.  I DO HAVE A SON.  I AM A MOTHER.  We just have a different kind of mother-son relationship than others.

Demons

I feel like it's been a few days since I've posted.  I don't know what to say, really.  I'm still miserable, still waking up every day almost wishing I hadn't.  The little "signs" from my son have really quieted down...and I don't like that.  I almost never catch the clock at 22 past the hour anymore, which I always have...and I definitely don't like that.  Just as I felt that Trevor was always with me and close to me, now I feel like he's slipping away.  I know that sounds stupid to begin with, because, well he never was really here at home with me, anyway.  But to me, I feel like he's fading over the past few days.  I want his little Angel spirit with me always!

Also, I had the most heartbreaking, terrible, horrifying nightmare of my life, the night before last.  I dreamt I was in a giant black "room" (felt like a black hole to me), and way on the opposite side is the tiniest bit of light shining on my son.  He's curled up in a ball, sitting on the floor and crying.  He's SCREAMING for me.  "Mama, HELP ME!  Why won't you help me?  Mama, please help me!"  Then these very tall, frightening "men" wearing all black robes and black wings come to me and say "If you speak, we'll hurt him.  If you move, we'll slowly and painfully kill Trevor"  They used his name!  The thing is, as much as I wanted to save my son, I physically couldn't move or speak.  Trevor just keeps saying, "Mama, why won't you help me?  Why won't you come save me?"  ...and I can't even speak to tell him that I can't even move!  But I manage to ask questions to these "men".  I ask who they are, "We're angels," they say.  I tell them "No you're not!  Angels wouldn't hurt my baby!  Where is Jesus?  He'll tell you.  He'll tell you you're not Angels!  He'll fix this! Where is Jesus?"  But they laugh and laugh at me, all the while Trevor is SCREAMING for me, and I can't help him.  They tell me, "if you wake up, Trevor dies."  So I try to stay asleep!  The weirdest thing is, I slept almost all day! It definitely ruined my day yesterday, I'll tell you that.  It was so real!  I woke up drenched with tears!  I don't know what that dream was about, but I sure as hell don't like it.

Then, the little "signs" from Trevor die down, and I stop seeing the 22 after the hour.  I just don't like it, at all.

I Heart Faces: "My Friend and I"

Adult Category

My best friend Kaleigh and I.

We've been friends almost 10 years,

and I don't know what I'd do without her.

If you haven't seen it yet, visit

http://www.iheartfaces.blogspot.com

Very cute, highly recommended!

Bi-Polar!

Wow, what a topsy-turvy day!  I'm happy, then I'm sad; I'm okay, then I'm falling apart.  I don't know from one minute to the next where I'll be mentally!

Church was great tonight. I cried my eyes out, but I always do.  I always end up thinking of Trevor somehow.  Someone always says something!  But, I'm okay with that.  If you can't lose it in church, where can you feel safe?  So, we had a guest speaker, Brother Gibbs.  What a great guy!  I was so moved by his words.  I only wish I was a better person for it.

I have got to change something in my life.  I'm not right.  Really.  I have no job, I can't ever finish a semester of school, I barely see any of my friends except one anymore; I go to bed at 6AM and sleep until 3PM, I've been getting wasted every weekend.  I am so unhappy with myself.  It's like, I'm spiraling downward and I can't stop it.  I blame it on being a grieving mother; but really, that's not the way to handle this!  I am just so lost.  It seems like every time there's prospectively something good coming my way, it's gone in the blink of an eye!

Like this guy.  He goes the to the church I've been going to.  We've only spoken once, but I'm completely smitten!  It's ridiculous!  From the first day I started going there, I was all distracted and told my friend I thought he was cute.  It's so weird, because her and I have both agreed he is so not my type!  He's apparently younger than me, which is not something I've ever been okay with.  He's kind of a dork, but he's so cute to me.  There's something about him that makes it impossible not to melt every time he looks at me; and it makes no sense! I have a crush like a 12-year-old!  Well, anyway I found out he's been with the same girl for years.  He loves her.  Of course he does.  My friend has convinced me that he smiles and stares and mildly flirts with me; which I thought too.  But once again all my hopes came crashing down.  He's just a nice kid, it ends there.  I got excited...and look what happened.  Even though I know he's untouchable, I still can't help but smile back.  I suppose I'll have to settle for that.

This entry is a perfect example of my mindflow today.  All over the place, up and down.  I've got to get out of this rut I'm stuck in.  Something's got to change.  I've got to change.

Angel Always With Me

So today is a little bit better than usual.  Bittersweet, I guess.  It's cold and rainy out and I hate this weather.  But for some reason there is a stillness and peace about it.  This morning I was sitting here on the computer and something in my bathroom down the hall basically threw itself off the counter.  It made a HUGE noise!  I talk to my son frequently, so I said "Trev, is that you?"  Right after I asked, my alarm went off in the bedroom!  It wasn't set or anything!  It's almost like he had me chasing him around the apartment for fun.

It was fun.  Call me crazy, but I know my little boy is trying to show me he's okay.  Ever since I started honoring his life, he's been giving a little bit back.  Even just a few minutes ago I heard giggling.  Which is not odd, since there's a daycare in my apartment complex...but there are no children outside today, it's raining!

Believe what you will, I know these things don't make sense.  But I believe them;  I believe my son is with me.  So at least I can find comfort in these little signs.  Either way, I'm having a good day because of it...and I haven't have many of those lately.

All The Little Ponies: The new normal...

All The Little Ponies: The new normal...

This captures EVERYTHING I feel about life after Trevor.  Anyone who hasn't seen this needs to read it.  It will let you know you're not alone.

In response to your help...

Thank you all for your help and concerns.

I don't know anything about them sending his placenta away.  I know Nicholas didn't even give them my real name.  They had no history on me, nothing.  In a way then, it is my fault, too.  But at the time I was 19, stupid, and not realizing how later on in life I would regret these things so much.  As much as I want to know the truth, I almost don't (does that make sense?)

Gestational diabetes is something I didn't even know could cause weight gain in a baby.  Three of my cousins went through that with almost all of their children, so it's possible.  This is the thing, I hate being uneducated on the topic, but I don't even know where to begin the research.  And I only recently started letting my son's memory into my mind, unfortunately...so even if he was born four years ago, it's all new to me.

The thing that made me so mad was seeing all these stories and videos of 22-weekers (and even one 21-weeker!), who survived.  The thing is, even if it was procedure not to save a baby at 22 weeks, wouldn't his bigger size warrant them at least a try?  1lb. 6oz. is a big boy for 22 weeks!  He might've been 9+lbs. at full term!

I don't know, but over all I am under the impression that no one even tried to save my son; and that, infuriates me.

What REALLY happened?

I feel the need to write tonight.  I don't know where to start or really what the exact topic is, but I have to get something out.  I've been thinking a lot about the night my son was born/died, and a lot doesn't make sense.  I'm starting to think that Trevor's father had ulterior motives, and maybe things could have been different.  I really was out of it on all kinds of medications that night; a lot of things are fuzzy.  Most of it, actually.  My ex was the one who told me a lot of what happened; and I'm beginning to wonder if he was totally truthful.  First of all, I know I did a lot of things to probably harm my son while I was pregnant:  I drank wine the night I found out, I drank a lot of coffee, I didn't go to doctor's appointments, for fear my Mom would find out, etc. He was a preemie, that's for sure; and that couldn't be Nicholas' doing.  But the only thing I'm sure the doctors told me was his weight, 1lb. 6oz.  Which, I'm coming to realize is almost too big to be a 22-weeker.

It was Nicholas who told me I was 22 weeks along.  Trevor could have been more developed than that; he could have lied.  Which means, my son may have been plenty big enough to put on breathing machines!  I've heard stories of 13oz. preemies who were put on breathing machines!  If that's the case, I almost wonder if Nicholas told them not to save our son?  I wonder if he thought it would be better for everyone?  I'm not saying he did it for malicious reasons (though he may have); he may have thought he was saving little man from suffering.  But in that case, even if I'm drugged, does the hospital have the right to do that without my permission?  My problem is, I wasn't coherent and before we got there we made the decision that we didn't want anyone to find out if Trev didn't make it.  So maybe Nicholas thought he was doing the right thing?  Or maybe, most likely...he didn't tell them not to save Trevor?

But judging from other stories I've heard, it makes NO SENSE for: a) a 1lb.6oz. baby to be only 22 weeks along, b) for a baby that size to have lungs not big enough to expand, or c) for the hospital not to take footprints/pictures, and give me no memory box?  It seems everyone else has those things!  I vaguely remember Nicholas saying "We don't want any evidence."  EVIDENCE?  That's what you call our son's footprints and belongings?  EVIDENCE!?!?!?!  Little things like that make me realize that maybe he didn't want our son at all.  What if he made the decision not to save my little Angel?  What if my son could have survived, even for a while longer?  What if Trevor could be here with me today?  

I know this all sounds crazy, but I don't know enough or remember enough to perceive what really went on that night.  I feel like a terrible mother for not knowing enough about my own son's premature condition to know what actually happened to him.  All I know is, I've recently lost trust that Nicholas is a good guy; and a lot of things about my son's death don't add up.  If you, readers, know anything like this about preemies and age/size/breathing machines, please let me know.  I would rather be hurt by the truth than not know what really happened to my son...