I had a hard pregnancy, nonetheless my first. I had to have a cerclage at 20 weeks, which is late for the procedure. So it was really a rescue cerclage. I was hospitalized for three weeks. My daughter was due on October 27, 2004.

I had an anterior placenta and kicks or any movement was hard to feel unless hard. On a Saturday, October 9, 2004, I felt no movements. I thought it was normal for her. She was usually mellow. So we went to the hospital, as we had been there before because of few movements.

I got hooked up to the monitor and found no heartbeat. So an ultrasound was done. There her chest was silent.

My world collapsed at that moment. I have waited for her for years and my dreams died right along with her. On October 10, my daughter Alicia weighed 5 pounds, 3 ounces and 19 inches with big feet, but she was so silent.

It has been a sad five and a half weeks. I would never wish for anybody to have to bury their children.