Sherry Ann

Name:            Wendy Shepard
Email:           blondi@hpnc.com
Location:        Commerce, TX
Title:           Sherry Ann
Type:            Angel
Date:            Sunday, February 20, 2000
Time:            09:00 AM

In 1988 I was pregnant with my second child. I had my son a year earlier and wanted a little girl more than anything else in this world. My due date was September 15.

During my first pregnancy I was very nervous. I had felt as if something was going to happen and I was going to loose the baby. So I prayed constantly that I would have a healthy baby. I was already at least two weeks late but the doctor said I must have given him the wrong date for my last cycle. I had small labor pains for about a week, decided I better go to the doctor and find out if this is normal. He told me it is normal that it is not time, go home and rest. I did as he said and two days later went to the a spa with some friend just to relax for a while. My friend talked me into getting in to the hot tub for a while to ease my back which constantly hurt from carrying the extra weight from the baby. I was in the hot tub about forty five minutes when the labor pains got worse. My friend and husband rushed me to the hospital. They called everyone from there and told them I was going to give birth. My mother came to the hospital to be with me. Well, seems the doctor didn't think it was time yet and was going to send me home again. My mother told them she thought my water had broken because I kept going to the restroom. The doctor didn't think so but had a nurse check just in case. Of course mom was right. Well about two hours later I was giving birth to my son. Which as it turned out was at least three weeks late. I was told had I not gotten in the hot tub I would have lost him. Thank god for answering that prayer.

With my second one things went a little different. After having my son I was no longer worried that lose the baby, I had one now I will have another healthy baby. No prayer was ever said by me. (Something I now regret). During this time I should have been buying things for the baby. But for some unknown reason I never did. No problems with the pregnancy at all. I went to the hospital about a week before she was due with some labor pains. They went through the routine checkup and told me I it wasn't time go home and come back when the pain is three minute apart. I lived thirty minutes from the hospital but did as I was told. On the night of September 14th I couldn't sleep very well because the baby kept kicking me. About 3:30am she settled down so I got some rest. The next morning I awoke with horrible labor pains. Mom said its time so we go to the hospital again. This time during the checkup they do an ultrasound. They can't find the heartbeat of my little girl. The doctor storms in asking what kind of drugs have I been using. I told him I don't use drug and didn't ever drink. But he thought I was lying. So they took me to delivery gave me a shot to make my labor come on even stronger. He wouldn't give me any pain medication. I think he was punishing me thinking it was my fault. But I had to give birth anyway. Mom again the only family with me at the time. Stayed with me and tried to comfort me during the ordeal. Finally my little girl comes into the world. The doctor told my mother to come see. He had a shock! My little girl had no skin covering her abdominal area. Her insides were exposed. She weighed in at 4lbs. He apologized about the drug thing. And the nurse took the baby away. I never got to look into her little face. We now had to get in touch with my husband. We had been trying throughout this time but there was a big storm going on and the phone lines where down. Get this the next thing we knew after the birth the phone lines where up again. So mom called him. Not telling him what had happened. He came to the hospital. After asking the nurse where the baby was she brought him to my room. I had to break the news. We cried and cried. I didn't think I would survive this. I had always said I couldn't handle anything like this. Watch what you say. I think he was showing me I was stronger than I thought.

Now my mom (God bless her) made all the funeral arrangements. They finally released me from the hospital. So I went straight to the funeral home. I sat for hours in front of her closed casket. They said they couldn't embalm her there- fore they didn't want me to see her. Everyone left the funeral home except me and my husband. This was the only instant in ten years of marriage I ever seen my husband cry. I was feeling like I was going to loose my mind. We were both hurting very much as you can imagine. Then all of a sudden I felt something. I sat there and this feeling of peace washed over me like never before and might I say never since. I was told this "mom I am fine, better than before please don't cry we will be together again one day. I looked at my husband who had also stopped crying and he had a strange look on his face. I ask him if he felt the peace I was experiencing he just nodded his head yes. He took my hand and we walked out of the funeral home leaving the truck there and walked all the way to my mothers. Since mom was the only one who laid eyes on her she became her namesake.

I know Sherry Ann is now watching over her brother and two sisters and myself. I thank God for my little angel even if we did spend only nine months together. I will never forget the peace I felt with her.

This is dedicated to you Sherry Ann. I Love you so much!