(WARNING! This may be a tear jerker)
Imagine if you could only have 1…just 1 picture of your child for the rest of your life and you never got to see them again.
I have been needing to post about this for a long time. I feel compelled to get the word out about an organization that I am a part of that does amazing work. Now I lay me Down to Sleep or NILMDTS is a national community of photographers who go to hospitals even mortuary’s for families who have lost or are about to loos their baby. I have the privilege of being one of these photographers. Privilege you may ask? Well let me tell you a little story of how this came to be.
October of 2006 I was logged onto one of the forums I belong to. The topic was a photographer who was asked to take pictures for a family of their baby who just passed away in the hospital. She wrote about how there was no way she could ever conceive of doing something like this. Asking for the appropriate way to decline the invitation, another forum member wrote about her experience. She herself thought she could never do something like that until she realized what these families got from the hospital. When a child passes the hospital may take a few extra pictures of the child and give the family 1 copy each. We all know how bad that 1st hospital picture looks. This is the only memory these families have of their beloved child. So as I sat back and looked at the beautiful images she was able to give to families I thought to myself, “Maybe I could do that for someone someday.”
Fast Forward to January 28th, 2007. I am home watching a movie with my husband (The Guardian actually) when I get the phone call that my best friend who was almost 30 weeks pregnant just had an emergency c-section and she lost her son. He was born alive but not capable of breathing as his lungs never expanded. He (Raymond) died in his mothers arms after Doctors and Nurses spent what seemed like forever working on him. I can’t explain the anguish that I went through. Can’t even imagine what they were going through. Then a thought… “Oh no, did someone get any pictures of him at the hospital? Would they give them to me so that I could make them look better or so that I could make a slide show for her? How do I get my hands on these pictures?” Through the sleepless night I thought, and thought back to that forum discussion that I saw. It was no accident I was logged on that night and saw it. The Lord placed a idea on my heart and I began praying that I would have the opportunity to provide my best friend with some beautiful memories. I called the hospital photographer (who never returned my call) and realized it was up to me. Later that day on Jan 29th at about 7 pm God allowed me the opportunity to photograph baby Raymond at the funeral home alone. I was able to meet him, to photograph him, take foot prints and hand prints, and through it all I felt this amazing peace. He was a beautiful baby and all I could think was as a mother this was the only memories she will ever have to cherish. The swirly hair on his head, the peach fuzz on his shoulders and back, the big feet for such a small little wonder. He was BEAUTIFUL! I was able to make a coffee table book and a slide show of their baby boy. To this day that was the most meaningful gift I have and will probably ever give to someone.
It was shortly after that I heard about NILMDTS. When a baby passes or is going to pass the hospitals give us a call and we go… In a families deepest sorrow we are there quietly to capture the precious life that they have to say good bye to. It took knowing someone for me to realize the importance of this organization. I can’t think of many things more important in that moment. We are still trying to get the word out. We want to make sure that every hospital has the resources. We need more photographers! It’s a donation of your time and we don’t charge anything for the images. I think there is only about 8-10 in the valley signed up and I get many calls each month. Like I said I consider it a privilege to associate with this organization. God gave me a talent and I want my photography to mean something, not only to benefit myself but most important to help others. It’s not a glamorous part of my job but it is hands down the most fulfilling.
Here are a few links if you are interested in more information.
NILMDTS Home: http://www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org/
Here is how NILMDTS began: http://www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org/
If you have time to read the letter to Maddux … it’s amazing. the slide show of the images are on the beginnings page. (Read the letter first and the images will truly touch your heart.)
A Great Article
http://www.editionduo.com/publication/?i=19736&p=85&search_str=when%20the%20bough%20breaks
Here is 1 picture of Precious Raymond.
by kori
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