The day I found out I was having twins was on June 29,1994; I could not believe what I saw on ultrasound monitor. As soon as I saw the two heads on the monitor I knew before the tech said a word. I was in shock already. I had three daughters from my first marriage and looking to just have one more child, but nonetheless I was very happy and my husband was so happy that he could hardly contain himself.
Our world was fiction to be turned upside down when my O.B saw me an hour later. He told us that baby A (our son Justin) was in a transverse lie (down in my pelvis sideways) and his cord was in between him and the birth canal. He did not what to risk a prolapsed cord so he wanted to deliver them in the next couple of days, We both agreed and the date was set for Friday July 1, 1994. We took a tour of the N.I.C.U.and talked with the neonatologist. He told us what was to be done for the babies, and how much premature they were (two - 2 1/2 months early).
July 1 came very fast. The babies came within a minute of each other. Justin Robert came at 10:08 am weighing 4 lbs, 15 oz; 17 inches long. Hot on his heels came Alecia Danielle at 10:09 am at 5 lbs, 6 oz and 17 inches long. Alecia needed an oxygen hood, bili blanket, and she had some trouble with her glucose level and an i.v. in her foot. Justin on the other hand, had it all. He was on a ventilator, i.v's everywhere, and had a bili blanket under him. We where told that both babies where in serious but stable condition. Alecia came home after 13 days in the N.I.C.U. with a apnea monitor and Justin came home after a month in the N.I.C.U. with a apnea monitor and tube feeds.
Everything seemed to be okay. Justin had to have some minor surgery for a hernia in September and had a bout with pneumonia in October. The same month my oldest daughter Jessica had to have emergency surgery for an appendix . Then the nightmare began November 7. Alecia was very fussy. She would not have nothing to do with lying down; all she wanted was to be held. So after an hour of trying to get her to settle done, I held her and ate my dinner. In retrospect I should have known something was up because it was unlike her to be fussy like that. She finally went to sleep, Justin got his night feed and everybody else went to bed.
The next morning Kevin and I got up and I said something about the babies sleeping through the night. I no more got that out of my mouth and Justin let out a blood curling cry. I went running to the nursery and made it to their crib and my heart stopped when I saw why he was crying like he was. I knew as soon as I saw Alecia that the lord had called my precious baby girl home. My husband called 911 and we both started CPR. When the EMS got there they ran a full code on her to the hospital with a police escort. When we got to the E.R., we where met by my sister and her husband (she had called the house while the police where still there and the officer gave me the phone. I can still hear her screams). My mom and dad were there. It was very heartbreaking to see my dad in tears (when my twins where born they were the only set of twins to live on my side of the family; the other two sets died within hours of their births). My dad was so heartbroken as was everyone else.
The E.R. Doctor came in and told us that he had done all he could and that they were not able to get her heart started. Every effort was made by the EMTs and the ER staff but she was too far gone. He pronounced her dead at 8:34 am. He told us that an autopsy would have to be done to see what had happened which might affect her twin or it could be due to SIDS. It would be 2 1/2 months before we would know it was SIDS.
Her funeral was very sad to say the least. There was not a dry eye in the house. It's hard to believe it's been almost six years. Justin is doing pretty good. He is in the first grade and still has to have tube feeds at night. My dad has since passed away (June 12, 2000) due to heart failure. My niece said, "Alecia has her paw-paw for company." My dad is buried next to Alecia. When she died, my husband and I had no place for her so my parents gave us one of their plots, and this past year we got the other plot next to my dad for my mother for when her time comes.
In loving memory of Alecia Danielle May-Sexton
7-1-94 to 11-8-94
Twin sister to Justin Robert Sexton
In loving memory of Richard H. May Sr. 4-22-16 to 6-12-2000Written by Laurie May-Sexton