Oct. 08, 2007 - 22:23 MDT

HAUNTING MEMORIES

There is an article in today's Rocky Mountain News on SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) which pretty well explains what is known and not known about said tragedies, and probably might help parents of babies prevent such a thing from happening to their baby.

But oh, it does take me back to Stephanie, our oldest daughter's baby who died of SIDS.

Our daughter herself was recovering from great stress already. Her aunt was taking care of the baby overnight at her house, was sleeping in a recliner near the baby's crib, and being a mother was used to waking up when a baby stirred or cried.

It almost did Heather's sister in from guilt, Heather had her share as well.

Stephanie had been cosseted, coddled and loved to the extreme by us all and everyone was trying their best to protect her. She had been put to bed on her back, blanket tucked in, no pillow. Yet she was taken from us in spite of the love and care we tried to exercise for her.

Heather and I think that is what eventually put Stephanie's mother in a decline that drove her to attempt suicide. So Stephanie's Mom is living in an assisted living residence run by the Brain Damaged Foundation here in Colorado (Or whatever it is called) she is happy but will not bring herself to think of things serious. She enjoys company and has fun with her Mom and me, yet she distances herself from serious things. I remember one time going to see her and told her that her Mom was in hospital, she clouded up, a tear trickled down her cheek and then as if a light had been turned off, her attention went elsewhere.

In the paper it states that SIDS is a diagnosis of exclusion - - - after all determinations, autopsy and every test has failed to explain the infant's death, it is then classified as SIDS.

Seems that not much progress has been made in finding out what causes it, what to do to prevent it and how to determine if the baby is suffering the preliminary symptoms of SIDS. A diagnosis of exclusion it seems to remain and all we can do is mourn those who leave us early in life and ourselves, suffer HAUNTING MEMORIES . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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