Shelby's Story

"On November 28, 2015, our lives changed forever. We found out we were pregnant with our first baby, and we couldn't have been more excited. My doctor cautioned us not to share our news until after 13 weeks because of a risk of miscarriage so when that week hit, we breathed a sigh of relief. We were excited to hear we were having a girl, and we already had her name picked out: Eva Elizabeth. We enjoyed talking to her and watching her kick, and we counted down the days to her arrival. I was having a very smooth pregnancy, no gestational diabetes, no heartburn, no stretch marks, pretty much everything that could go right, did.

On June 2, 2016, I was 31 weeks pregnant. I was off of work that day and decided to get some errands done. I super-cleaned the inside of my car to get the car seat ready, wanted to go order the cake for her baby shower the following week, and prepared for a visit with the pediatrician I wanted Eva to see. As I was sitting at a red light waiting to turn into the grocery store, a tractor trailer hit the front end of my car and fled the scene. God must have been watching over us then because so many people came to my aid. Another driver chased down the truck, and because of him, the police were able to catch the driver that hit me. I was taken to the closest hospital and patiently waited to see if Eva was okay. After a short visit in the emergency room, we were sent home. I had a concussion, and Eva had a strong heartbeat and good activity. We went to bed thankful that Eva and I survived. The next morning, I couldn't feel her move which was unusual for her. I ate and rested and waited to feel any kicks, but when I couldn't feel anything, I called my doctor. Inside the emergency room, we heard those dreaded words, "There is no heartbeat."

I knew I had to go through labor and delivery, and I wanted to stick to her birth plan as much as possible. It was all I could do for her. After thirty-six hours of labor, Eva Elizabeth was born still on June 5, 2016. She was 3 pounds, 11 ounces and 18 inches long; she had dark blonde hair and blue eyes. Her daddy and I spent the whole day with her, holding her, talking to her, reading her books. The hardest moment of all was giving her back to the nurse. I knew after that, I would never be able to hold her again.

Every day is a hard day even if I don't show it. I sit in her nursery from time to time, and I am sure to tell her every day that I love her so much. It's difficult knowing that I have to go through this life without her, but I live with the hope that one day we will be together again. "

#PregnancyandInfantLossAwareness