At 19 weeks pregnant, we got the news that our daughter Tyrah had Trisomy 18. We were devastated, hurt, and overwhelmed. We sat in the room with a genetic counselor and were told all the reasons our daughter would not survive. They asked if we would like to be connected to Edmarc, a hospice for children. We could not fathom having the word hospice associated with our growing daughter Tyrah. Despite what the doctors said, it was our desire to continue to carry and have Tyrah. Two weeks later we became desperate for support and decided to connect with Edmarc.
To our surprise, hospice is not about accepting the death sentence of a loved one, let alone your child.
It is about accomplishing those goals you set for yourself before receiving a life-limiting diagnosis. Edmarc taught us that!
Edmarc honored our wish.
Our wish was to carry Tyrah, and Edmarc walked with us the entire time. They encouraged us to have hope and enjoy the moments we had. As a result, we began to choose joy and embracae the time given. At 26 weeks, we had a celebration of life party for Tyrah instead of a traditional baby shower.
Edmarc encouraged us to make memories.
At 30 weeks, Edmarc arranged a professional family maternity shoot. In the past, we’ve always had family take our pictures, so this was a big deal. That experience was amazing and something we’ll never forget.
Edmarc gave us a voice…
…a voice we didn’t know we needed. At 34 weeks, Edmarc attended appointments with us and gave us confidence to ask questions and develop a birth plan for Tyrah.
Edmarc prepared us.
Even though we had hope and chose joy, they encouraged us to prepare for all outcomes. They advised how we could explain the loss of Tyrah to our son, what we would do if Tyrah was born still, and how it would look if we brought her home. No matter the outcome, Edmarc was going to be there.
Edmarc supported us.
We decided to have a c-section at 37 weeks so we could meet Tyrah alive, but to our surprise, she was born still July 29, 2023, at 34 weeks. Tyrah was gone, but she was now physically in our arms. We loved on her and, with the help of Edmarc, had photos taken and keepsakes made. That day became the worst yet best day of our lives. We lost and met our daughter all on the same day.
Edmarc has provided unwavering support to us, even to this day. The organization helped us honor our daughter and fulfill all the things we had hoped to accomplish while carrying her, despite receiving a life-limiting diagnosis for Tyrah. Thanks to their help, we were able to cherish every moment with joy.
Donate today to help more families like Tyrah’s!