Stories of Lost Children
My McKenlee
by Emilee Rogers, Nicholasville, KY, U.S.A.
Well I had a normal uncomplicated pregnancy, full term. My daughter McKenlee was born on December 19, 2003. She was perfect, she weighed 7 pounds 13 ounces. Well at least I thought she was perfect. Immediately, the doctors noticed that she had low muscle tone, or what they referred to as "floppy". Her feet were clubbed and a few other abnormal characteristics. Well the pediatrician came in to tell me all this about two hours after having her. My heart sank, I got sick and dizzy. My baby wasn't fine. I just remember him saying that there was something definetly wrong with her; she was not normal. My husband was overseas serving our country, I had no way of contacting him. My life was over. The next day two more doctors came to see McKenlee and then came and spoke with me. I sat in a numb daze. They said they believed she had a rare genetic diorder called "Zellweger Syndrome". This syndrome occurs in about 1 in 100,000 babies. Prognosis was 6 months or less. My heart stopped and since that day my life has basically ended. My husband was contacted and sent home. McKenlee was placed in ICU due to respitory problems when she was 2 days old and that is where she remained the rest of her short lived life. Every day of her 14 day life we were in ICU. I only left her side for about 12 hours a day. That was to come home and sleep. The doctors called me on January 1, 2004 to say her condition had worsened in two hours and that I better come back. Of course I immediately went to the hospital. She had worsened but she had stabilized herself. I never left her side. She continued to slowly worsen over night and around 3pm on January 2, 2004 my McKenlee took her last breath. I am still in the greiving process and having a really hard time. My husband is being sent back overseas to a "war" area in one month and I am looking for someone to help me feel a little better. I know I will never get over this, but I know I need to feel better than I do. I am at the rock bottom. Please, anyone that reads this story and knows the struggle of greivng over a child, email me. I need a friend that knows what I am going through. Tertule55@alltel.net
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