An unforgettable day; a day of joyous expectation, of anticipated fulfilment. Our younger child was due to give birth and we were on standby for half an hours drive to welcome our first grandchild. Eagerly we set off. Impatiently we endured an exasperating 20 minute delay due to flooding of the main road.
At maternity we learned our brand new granddaughter hadn’t waited for our late arrival. Seasoned grandparents, our on-the-spot in-laws, hesitantly forewarned us of some unforeseen complications. There had been no intimation of anything extraordinary other than the elevated blood pressure. Now apprehension arose diminishing our euphoria as we considered the medical statement apprising us of the unrecognised life-limiting malformation of spine and possible respiratory difficulty.
Devastated by this ghastly fruition of a planned pregnancy, our shocked, physically exhausted and distraught “new mum” emotionally drained, collapsed, leaving a dazed first time 24 year old father to absorb, assess and action final medical appraisal. Leaving him with his supportive parents and anguished wife, we hurried to our granddaughter.
The unexpected developments had left us drained and consequently we were totally unprepared for our granddaughter’s startling resemblance to her mother. Holding her bridged – for us – a gap of 23 years when we first held our daughter. We wept. Sometime later we were to regret and reproach ourselves for not acting on an intuitive urge or instinct to take Rachael to her mother.
A rationalised decision, sorrowfully reached, to not resuscitate, releasing Rachael from a life of pain and suffering: this fragile fragment of our collective flesh.
Like a rainbow our Rachael came and went.
Return to family StoriesIn a nursery in the sky With toys wealth cannot buy Our darling daughter abides A precious child briefly lent A fleeting rainbow came and As long as we exist An adored first born sadly missed Released from early strife Gifted rare eternal life Evermore she dwells with God above Her heart enshrines our love