R, L's biological mother, has been on my mind a lot lately. Sometimes I look at L and I feel such sadness for R, for her abusive childhood, for the choices she made as an adult, for how her life ended. R was not a bad person. She was just not capable of parenting for many reasons, especially given her relationship situation. I don't want to get into details, but trust me when I state that she was simply not capable.
I keep thinking about her in the hospital after giving birth to L. I have his hospital bassinet card, thanks to his awesome adoption worker. It has BF/F written on it. I'm interpreting that as meaning R was breastfeeding L and supplementing with formula. It touches me for some reason that she wanted to breastfeed him. She probably got the chance to try while she was in the hospital after her delivery. Did she think she would get to keep trying at home with L? Did she realize that she wouldn't get to leave the hospital with him? She must have had some idea because she was circumspect about her due date whenever L's brother's ongoing worker asked during monthly visits. R was getting prenatal care so she certainly knew when L was due. Did she buy a bassinet? Did she buy a going home outfit for him? Did she make plans, buy supplies, dream about having him home?
I'm sure she hoped the Department would give her a chance to parent L, even though her older son P, was already in care. However, L left the hospital with P's worker. Her signature is on his discharge papers. The home he went to was the foster home his brother had spent his first year in. I think about how L must have felt, being taken from the only mother he knew by a stranger and being handed to another stranger to be cared for. How confused he must have been. And I picture R leaving the hospital without her baby. I can only imagine how empty her arms must have felt.
I know the strangers were kind to him. I know the decision to remove L from R's care was the right one; he would not have been safe with R and J. I know that without these events happening L would not be our son.
But it's still all so very sad.
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What started as one couple's search for one good egg has evolved into a search for one good chick as we make plans to adopt from foster care
Perhaps strength doesn’t reside in having never been broken…but in the courage required to grow strong in the broken places.
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About Me
- Karen
- My husband and I started trying to conceive our first child in July 2005. Too many months to count, 5 birthdays, 5 IUI's, 2 IVFs, 2 IVFs converted to IUI, and less one ovary later, we stopped searching for one good egg. We decided parenting was more important to us than pregnancy. We adopted our son from foster care in 2010.
4 comments:
Yes it is all still very sad. It's good that you think about these things so you will be better able to help your son if he is feeling sad over his loss.
So sad it brings tears to my eyes. Tragedies happen every day. :(
It is sad. It must have been a very hard time for R and for L.
I always like to read the updates you post on your blog to see how you and your family are doing. Just wanted to let you know that there's an award for you on my blog...I don't usually do them, but I really wanted to recognize other bloggers like you.
What a hard time for everyone. The whole situation for R sounds so difficult. I read these posts with bittersweet feelings - so sad for all the pain while so happy for this incredible little man in your life - your sweet son.
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