Just 10 days: March 2009

Brooke Ashley Cameron 7/14/08~7/24/08

"The Butterfly counts not months, but moments, and has time enough."

Brooke Ashley Cameron was born 7~14~2008 with her identical twin sister, Summer, at only 27 weeks. She weighed 2 lbs 15 oz and was 15 inches long. She was the former recipient of Twin to Twin Transfusion syndrome. As a result of TTTS (twin to twin transfusion) and prematuriy, she had acute Pulmonary Stenosis, a grade 4 brain bleed, and an extremely rare lung condition similar to Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia. She passed away, at only 10 days old, peacefully in her Mom's arms, surrounded by a family who loves her.

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Brooke's Blessing

Brooke's dress, pillow, and bonnet

Just like Summer, Brooke was also blessed by her Daddy. This is a special ordinance performed for babies in the LDS church giving them their name and blessing them with inspired words to live their life by. We were fortunate enough to have the time with Brooke to be able to give her this gift...she was blessed the morning of the day she passed away.

It is usual that a baby's blessing will include thoughts and inspiration about their future..how they will grow, what work they might do while here on this earth, if they will marry and have kids.... Brooke's was a unique experience. We knew, though hard to accept, that she was leaving this life to go to the next. Though her life was just 10 days, she had such a strong influence on so many of us, we feel she is still with us. She is a very strong spirit and we know she is doing the Lord's work both here and in heaven.

Daddy and Brooke...she is wearing a dress, and wrapped in the afghan, given to her by the NICU

Even though she wasn't able to wear her matching dress that day Grandma Norris bought for her and Summer, my mom was able to alter it to her tiny size...she is wearing it now.

Brooke's tiny head was about the size of a tennis ball

Grandma Norris

I know each milestone in Summer's life will have the underlying reflection of our sweet Brooke....this is a blessing. Brooke is a constant reminder for us to be better, live life to it's fullest, and love more. I am so thankful she was here with us...even for such a short time.

Here is Brooke on 7-24-08...she opened her eyes for us :)

Saying goodbye 7-24-08

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Soulumination

July 24, 2008

I have struggled through the last 8 months with ups and downs (yes, it has been that long already since the twins were born!). I feel like our life is one mad dash after another. Getting kids off to school, entertaining a busy 3 year old, and taking care of our sweet Summer. Not a day goes by that I don't think of Brooke. We have the very unique opportunity of raising her identical twin. This is both joyful and heartbreaking at times. Sometimes I look at Summer and feel so grateful...other times, I sit and hold her and cry. The heartache a mother feels for the loss of her child is sometimes unbearable.

The day we were preparing to say goodbye to Brooke, a kind social worker at Children's Hospital asked if we wished to have photographs taken of her. I love photography and was so happy that someone would offer to do this for us. I had no idea the impact this could have on us...In just a short time, a very generous woman named Lynette, from a non-profit organization called Soulumination (http://soulumination.org/home.html), arrived in Brooke's room. She captured the moments we held Brooke for the first time...and the last. On a day full of such heartache and joy, we were able to capture those moments and look back on them forever.

The first couple of days home after Brooke's death were very difficult. We were preparing for her service and mourning our loss. Just a few days later, a large package arrived. I opened it not knowing the contents. It was a package full of our memories. Inside were over 90 photos of Brooke, Brooke with the grandparents, Brooke with mom and dad, Brooke with her big brothers. I couldn't believe there was such an organization that would do this. They provided us with a CD full of pictures, some enlarged and matted in a beautiful hard cover, some smaller trifolds with pictures selected to represent each side of our families, and small wallet size pictures laminated and placed in a leather pouch. A few weeks later, an enlarged framed family photo and a charm bracelet arrived.

I have enjoyed looking at these photos so many times and can recall the feelings of love we have for Brooke. Lynette captured such precious emotions...I am grateful for her, and the many kind people we have had the privilege of coming in contact with through all we have gone through. I feel this is a long time coming, but would be ungrateful not to thank those who have provided such wonderful service to us....Thanks to all of you :)

Grandparents, Tom and Julia Cameron