Now that I've had some time to process things.. I would like to share my story of one of the most traumatic things I have ever experienced..

My daughter is not doing well. She is pregnant with a baby girl and considered high risk. This pregnancy has not been easy for her. There have been complications.. the most recent at 34 weeks..Preeclampsia.. She has been suffering with severe headaches, swelling in her feet & hands, blurred vision, dizziness, shortness of breath, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, rapid weight gain, pain in her right side, protein in her urine and dangerously high blood pressure. The risk of stroke, eclamptic seizures & placenta abruption is real and potentially life-threatening to her and the baby. I am very scared. They have decided to induce her at 37 weeks.. Next Friday 12/22.

Last Saturday evening she was feeling really, really terrible. She was experiencing confusion and told me she was "having a hard time getting her words out". This alarmed me greatly. I was afraid she was going to have a stroke or an eclamptic seizure so we immediately went to Mercy Gilbert Hospital Labor & Delivery Triage. She was 35 weeks.

I can't quite recall what her blood pressure was when we got there, but it was so high it was setting off the alarm. When they put the doppler to her belly to listen to the baby's heartbeat.. they couldn't find it.. They tried a little longer.. and still nothing. They told us to relax & not to worry they were bringing in an ultrasound tech. He couldn't find it either. There was no heartbeat.. For several minutes he tried.. but there was nothing.. Absolutely Nothing. As you can imagine, my daughter completely lost it & as strong as I tried to be for her, I lost it too. It shattered my heart to pieces seeing my baby girl in so much heartbreak and pain..and the wail that escaped her is a sound I will never forget. latest 2018 prom party gowns in tea length

The nurses tried consoling us, saying how sorry they were. I called my ex-husband & the baby's dad to let them know.. My daughters blood pressure shot up to 179/101 & she began vomiting.. And I sat numb.. and stunned..traumatized.. trying to comprehend what was happening. How? Why? We were in the middle of washing the baby clothes when we left.. I was going to have to go home & put them in the dryer.. Oh my God, how? She was going to have to deliver the baby.. We were going to have to plan a funeral.. So many thoughts ran through my head as I tried to comfort my grieving baby.

20 minutes later, they sent in another ultrasound tech.. A specialist.. To try and see what had happened. The baby had been kicking on the way to the hospital so the last thing we expected was for there to be something wrong with her.. It was my daughters condition that had concerned me.

So, as he began, I buried my face in my hands as I clung to my daughter. I just could not bear to look at the ultrasound screen again. Then I heard her say, "There it is.. There's the heartbeat." And at first it didn't register.. I lifted my head slowly and said, "Wait... WHAT..?? She's here..???" and sure as shit, there it was.. Her strong, steady heartbeat.

I couldn't believe it. For more than 20 minutes we thought Cora was gone.. I had seen the screen with my own eyes, there was nothing there.. But now there was. So, of course, we both totally lost it again.. Tears and cries of Joy.. She is alive!! Cora is alive!!

My daughter.. my poor baby girl.. Having to go through that .. Talk about a whirlwind of emotions.. From one extreme to the other.. For both her, and I. I was very aware that I was still in shock. The staff was, of course, very apologetic. Saying how sorry they were to have put us through that and that they couldn't imagine how we must have felt..

They told us that my daughter has an anterior placenta and the baby is breech, which is why they may have had a hard time finding the heartbeat. They haven't had a hard time finding it before and they certainly weren't now, as we listened to her hiccuping on the fetal monitor.. angels were with us that night.. of that I am absolutely certain. It was a miracle.. I had just witnessed a miracle..

I am so, so thankful we did not lose her. So thankful she is still here.. My baby granddaughter, Cora Rae, I cannot wait to hold you in my arms & gaze upon your precious face. Flip head down for your momma so she can bring you into the world as gently as possible.. We are so very excited for your arrival.. We love you so, so much!