My 3-week old niece has died

[Marc]

One feels desperate when a young child dies.
I hope you and your family will find comfort somehow.

I had the pleasure of meeting her and holding her last Friday - she was a beautiful little girl, and very much loved.

Golden slumbers fill your eyes
Smiles awake you when you rise
Sleep pretty darling do not cry
And I will sing a lullaby.

[Lennon/McCartney]

[Papy Oli]

Sorry to hear that, my condolences to You and your Family.

[pjme]

Condolences and sincere greetings. I hope you and your family will find the strenght to cope with this loss.

Peter

[Harry]

You have my sincere sympathy Mark, and may you and you family find the strenght to cope with this.

[Drasko]

Condolences.

[Maciek]

Very sad news indeed. My condolences to all of you. I'm sure you'll all treasure the little time together that was given to you on this earth, and hope there's some relief in that thought.

[david johnson]

terrible.  i've never even heard of the condition she had.
God bless her parents, siblings, and you.

dj

[Solitary Wanderer]

Sad news

[Iago]

It's always very sad when a small child dies.  But that baby is now out of her misery. And according to the web page that I found on Google about Patau's Syndrome, she didn't have ANY CHANCE AT ALL of any kind of productive, fulfilling life.
And the fact that her parents opted to allow her to be born, increases THEIR misery and that of your family. Suffering a "short", "quick" hurt it seems to me is always preferable to suffering a "long', "slow" hurt.

I do not know what your religion is. nor those of your brother and his girlfriend. Neither do I know whether or not abortion is legal in England.
But according to that web page, that syndrome can be detected by the use of Amniocentisis. Was it used? Were they offered options?

http://www.ahealthyme.com/topic/topic100587269

[sunnyside_up]

I'm so very sorry to hear this sad news Mark, wishing you and your family strength to get through this (((Mark & family)))
x

[Mozart]

Sorry Mark


This type of thing just adds reasons to why not to have a kid.

[Hollywood]

So sorry to hear about your baby niece passing away, Mark. My condolences to you and your brother's family.

[Mark]

Once again, thank you for the kind words. I shall lock this thread now and let it sink from view.

To those who asked about testing in advance of birth, tests were offered but at no point were the reasons for these explained. Down's Syndrome appears to be the only condition openly discussed in literature available to new parents here in the UK, and my brother takes the same view that I do: you don't abort a child because it's not 'perfect'. Case in point is a neighbour of ours who has a Down's child, and her little girl is a pure delight.

No doctor mentioned Patau's AT ALL to my brother and his girlfriend, despite knowing that the severe cleft palate was a key 'soft marker' for the condition. They simply consoled them with talk of repairing the palate. More surprising still (and here, I think questions will need to be asked in the fullness of time), a consultant managed to miss no fewer than SIX TIMES, the fact that the child's heart was not only on the wrong side of her body, but also reversed.

In taking the decision not to abort, my brother did as I would've done in the same situation. Whatever hurt this is now causing him and his partner, they - like me - believe it's better to have loved and lost.