Motherly Instincts
They brought in Hospice in September when Parker's breathing and infections kept getting worse. The family had previously decided before it was ever needed what they were willing to put her through medically. They decided that they did not want to do a vent (this is a controversial topic and the family prefers not to be judged as they do not judge others for what they feel is right for their child). The last days of September, Megan's 'motherly instincts' told her it was time to stay home full time with Parker, that the doctors were right, that she was losing her baby. Megan took leave from work (though there were plenty of challenges with her job, it was because of LOTS of help from people from all over place that she was able to do what was needed; they made it possible).
The Last Month
Parker's last month was very hard on all of them. She struggled. She slept almost every hour of the day her last three weeks. Megan never left her bed. Megan slept there, next to Parker, almost every night. She memorized Parker's face. She counted Parker's every breath. She ran her fingers through Parker's hair. She sang to her every day (Parker LOVED music). They cherished every last moment with her just like they had done her entire life. When Parker passed, she was in complete renal failure. She had been third-spacing for weeks and the diuretics weren't helping, she was so swollen. Her lungs were full from the Congestive Heart Failure and she was on as much oxygen as they could give her. Parker's brain had to slowly chose between her organs and their functions. Her heart was the last, but it, too, had to stop...
Note from Megan and Phillip: "Though it brings tears to our eyes to share this story, it's one that must be heard. We enjoyed every day, every moment with Parker from the day she was born. We lived every day like it was her last because we knew one day it would be. We regret nothing and would do it all over again if given the chance. She taught us more in her short life than most people get in 80 years. She made us who we are today. Though she's an angel watching over us now, she was an angel from the moment she was born."