By Christina, Great Bend, KS USA
PROM at 14 weeksDelivery at 24 weeks + 2 days.
Story added: 2005-02-13

We were shocked around New Year's Eve to find out we were pregnant with our 3rd child. Nevertheless, we were excited to be welcoming that baby into our lives. I went skiing February 14, 2004 at 14 weeks (dumb, I know). I feel 5 feet off of a ski lift flat on my face. I felt a gush of fluid between my legs as I lie there in the snow. A nurse tried to convince me that I just "peed" my pants, but I knew better. The ER doctor did nothing but make sure the baby still had a heartbeat (he did). No ultrasound, nothing. In March, after some routine blood tests, my AFP value came back odd. They did an ultrasound to rule out neural tube defects. That's when they found PROM. Saw a specialist March 31. She offered to terminate the pregnancy, but my husband & I wasted no time telling her no. April 8, my AFI levels were still dangerously low (2.5 cm). April 18, I was admitted to the hospital. April 27, 2004 I went in to labor and 15 hours later, delivered our beautiful baby boy, Justin. At 24.2 weeks, he weighed 1 lb, 7.8 oz and was 12 1/2 in. long. Drs were optimistic as his Apgar scores were 3, 6, and 6, he was pink, and moving. After some tense time in the NICU, (they couldn't get the surfactant to stay down or get the venilator to work), they did an x-ray and discovered Justin has pulmonary hypoplasia (small lung growth)...he lungs stopped developing at about 18 weeks. They quit trying to save him and he died in our arms at 2 hours old. We buried him April 30 after a beautiful funeral Mass. I feel guilty.....I feel like I caused all of this pain. I feel like I caused Justin to lose his battle. It's hard to believe that this weekend marks 1 year since the ski accident. In 2 1/2 months, we will remember Justin's birthday. I miss him so much.