Abigail-Cristina Madisela-Monica Sanchez (Twins) - Online Memorial Website
Memorial Website - Abigail-Cristina Madisela-Monica Sanchez (Twins)
Abigail-Cristina Sanchez (Twins)
Born in Texas
25 days
126351
Life story
January 15, 2011
Born on January 15, 2011.
January 16, 2011
My life changed forever on January 15th, 2011 at 24 weeks pregnant with twin baby girls, Pep and I started our Saturday morning like any other, we were trying to decide what to do for the day. We both shared some toast and watched TV. I noticed my stomach tightening stronger than normal, I told Pep I think the babies were turning at the same time. They both moved around as normal. Within 2 hours I felt contractions and noticed bleeding, was then on our way to the hospital. Arriving by 1:15 pm, we found ourselves in a world of trouble, our DR arrived and found that I was dilated at 7, as they frantically tried to stop the contractions and hold off delivery, my water broke. I could see the fear in my husband’s eyes as he made phone calls to our family. Within the next 20 minutes I was dilated at 9 and rushed into delivery and was told to start pushing, no time for any pain medicine or to get the room ready, the nurse literally held one of the metal stirrups as they didn’t have time to attach it. Abigail Cristina was born at 2:55pm, as I was told to keep pushing; the DR stated there was problems and began prepping me for an emergency C-section. My husband was asked to leave and I was put completely under and at 3:14pm Madisela Monica was born. Both Angels were on the road to being healthy, just born way too soon.
Awakening after an hour of recovery with my mom and husband at my bedside with tears in their eyes, I was surrounded by Dr's telling me that my babies were both alive but in serious critical condition and that my husband and I had serious decisions to make immediately. In order to do everything possible for our baby girls, they were to be taken to Memorial Herman Children’s Hospital by life flight.
Awakening after an hour of recovery with my mom and husband at my bedside with tears in their eyes, I was surrounded by Dr's telling me that my babies were both alive but in serious critical condition and that my husband and I had serious decisions to make immediately. In order to do everything possible for our baby girls, they were to be taken to Memorial Herman Children’s Hospital by life flight.
Within minutes my room was filled with my family, all together to share what should have been one of the happiest days in all of our lives to welcome our 2 newest additions to our big loving family, Pep and I were left to share the reality with everyone that the chance of survival was so minimal under 20% and we all had a very long road ahead with at best a minimal hospital stay in the NICU being upwards of 4 to 5 months and possibly longer. I was overwhelmed with everyone’s tears of support and felt the love from everyone. I remember every word, every second with exception of the C-section, I remember my sister n law Christy telling me the babies would never be alone, they would all take turns being with Pep and the girls until I could get there. What a great family I have and so much support.
A short time later after the girls left in the helicopter and I was left there without my angels. How could this have happened? I was perfectly healthy; the pregnancy was going absolutely perfect. I had just been to the Dr a few days before and the babies measured perfect, showed perfect on the ultrasound, I was provided a beautiful video of them kicking and moving inside me, we had absolutely no signs of problems. This could not be happening!
My wonderful sister n law Cyndy and my son David stayed with me while my brother n law and mother rushed to be with the girls. My husband followed them shortly after making sure I was okay and in good hands. I will never be able to explain the thoughts and pain felt at that very moment to be lying in this room after such an event, the fear of not knowing what is happening or being able to hold/see or feel your babies. Thank you to God for giving me someone like Cyndy to be there and take care of me. She immediately jumped into action, she surrounded me with rosaries and we began praying, she jumped to my every whimper. And thank you God for giving me such wonderful boys that I love and love me so unconditionally and thank you for my wonderful step children, Jose, Sammy and Liz. David, you are my hero, you stayed at my side and shared my pain which lifted my heart and soul to have your hand to hold. I thank God for my nephew Pelon who had just arrived back in College Station and was able to turn right around and drive my Joey back to Houston as I know he was so upset and worried about Pep, his mom and new sisters.
The next several hours where filled with tears, more fear than imaginable and numerous calls to Pep and Beto. We were informed that Abigail possibly suffered damage to her stomach when the breathing tube was inserted; they stated they felt they punctured her stomach with her tiny size; there was air in an area of her abdomen that shouldn’t have air. Immediate surgery would be necessary to attempt to repair puncture and the risk would be great as they would have to put her under full anesthesia at only a few hours old and make a full incision, remove the stomach to make the repair and then in addition to all the other obvious problems such as underdeveloped lungs and organs, we would have to fight off infection with an immune system that just didn’t exist yet.
Listening to the Dr’s at Children’s Memorial was my husband, Beto, my mother, Todd and my sister. They all shared in questions and prep to the surgery, this had to be done and all I could do was listen on the phone as the decision was made to proceed. As updates were given to Pep on a regular basis it was also shared that Madisela had experienced an extremely traumatic birth, she was stuck and they had to dig inside me to remove her causing my emergency c-section to be one of the worst my Dr said he had seen, she was badly bruised throughout her entire body and was having trouble with her heart rate and with the breathing machine. My Dr. said it was all about saving lives at that point and not glamour or taking time to be sensitive. I’m glad they did everything they did, I’m so grateful for the time I did have.
Cyndy and I sat quietly in my hospital room either calling the guys or receiving calls with updates, I just kept thinking this was a bad dream and not happening, I was sure everything would just be okay, all I wanted to do was get to where my baby girls were and FIX IT. We were informed Abigail came through surgery okay, they made an incision across what seemed to be her entire abdomen and removed her stomach to look for the leak to repair, the good news was there was no puncture, they were able to put everything back and sew her back up, the air might have came from the pressure at the time the tube was inserted but unfortunately the surgery still had to take place to make sure and her recovery would be long in addition to everything else. Infection would be the biggest concern at this point as she had no way to fight it.
Through the evening and early morning hours calls went back and forth with updates and issues. Madisela was having a very difficult time. We hurried to have a priest called to baptize both girls, the hospital chaplain, James baptized both of my angels with their Daddy, their Godfather Beto, Grandma Margaret, Aunt Vickie, and Uncle Todd, with their Godmother Cyndy, big brother David and Mommy on the speaker phone as witnesses. Such love and care was given with their baptism, he used tiny shells and created a beautiful memory for us. Even though Cyndy, David and I could not be there, Beto videotaped everything for us. I have visits with the Dr’s, video of their first hours of life that I couldn’t be there for, I will always be grateful to you Beto for that, I have watched them and heard you talk to me through all of it, telling me about their hair, their tiny toes and hands, making sure Aunt Vickie and Uncle Todd took a lot of pictures stating “Cat wants lots of pictures, here you hold this and take pictures while I do the video, but take a lot, she will want to see everything”. You know me so well.
As no one slept through this night and morning, we were kept on speakerphone through many episodes with Madisela, her heart rate would stop and CPR would have to be given. After the 3rd time throughout the night, Dr. Khan told Pep he would not revive her again, that the compressions on her tiny chest were harming her more than helping; it was time to make her comfortable, for Pep to cherish the short time left and hold his daughter and say goodbye. This phone call to me and the decision itself was the hardest thing Pep and I ever had to experience in our lives at this point. I screamed out as I could not be there to see her, touch her, to be with my husband and my baby daughters. Cyndy and David stayed strong and comforted me as best they could. At 9:04am on January 16, 2011, my precious baby girl Madisela Monica went to be with Jesus. Forever so many lives changed.
February 9, 2011
Our final goodbye to our beautiful Abigail Cristina. I spent the morning staring at you thinking how I would give ANYTHING to change what would happen today. How do you plan your child’s death? It is the most unbearable pain imaginable. Pep and I cried that morning together as we prayed for strength.
Cyndy, Christie and Beto soon arrived to spend the day offering support to Pep and I and spending the day with Abigail. They showed up with the most beautiful gift, the 2 large giraffes I had picked out to put in Madisela’s and Abigail’s memorial room at home. I absolutely loved them, so perfect and couldn’t be at a more perfect moment.
Tia Cyndy and Tia Christie had picked out a cute little outfit for Abby to wear for the day; we had to cut the legs as it was way too big for our precious Abby’s tiny body. She looked adorable in her white t-shirt that said “Daddy’s little princess” and her little pink bottoms.
Daddy held Abby for about an hour and then graciously gave her to me to hold the remainder of her time with us. What a sacrifice from a loving daddy to allow mommy to hold you tight till the end. To know this would be the last time to have her in our arms was like a cruel dream. As I felt blessed to have the short time with her that we had, I felt as cheated as we would not see her grow up. My precious angel looked into my eyes, and I knew this was right, I knew God was calling her home and I had to let go.
That evening surrounded by our family, Pep and I kissed our baby a million times while they removed her breathing tube, Abby took her last few breathes and entered her kingdom of heaven. Goodbye my love and we will see you again, you have changed my life forever. I could never imagine not having you in my life even for the brief time you were here. We love you with all of our heart, my precious angel. “I saw God today”.
February 9, 2011
Passed away on February 9, 2011.
April 1, 2011
Madi and Abby,This last Friday evening Daddy planted the tree that we received to honor your memories. My friend at work, Bobbi from my HR department had sent us this tree to plant in your memory. What a wonderful gift as it will live and grow forever as you do in our hearts. We wanted to put it somewhere special so it would have plenty of room to grow big and tall. We also added a purple and pink bushes on each side of the tree to keep it company. Every day we both check on the tree and will cherish your memory by visiting it daily! WE love our beautiful girls so much!