The Tribune

By FELICITY DARVILLE

WE celebrate the life of the living. We even celebrate the life of the dead. But how often do we celebrate the life of the unborn child? There are parents out there who grieve in silence about the lives of little ones who were gone too soon. So, I thought it courageous and heart-filled that my sister and her husband decided to share their story with the world. On November 1, 2014, Alana and Terrell Major were married in wedded bliss with loving family and friends all around.

As with any happy couple, they dreamed of having children of their own. A year later, that dream turned into reality. They became pregnant with their first child. They were excited and began making plans for the arrival of a baby boy… but he only survived to 11 weeks in the womb. It took time to recover. Eventually, they were ready to try again; conditioning their bodies and minds, fasting and praying. It took four long years, Finally, their prayers were answered.

Alana recalls: “We were over the moon!

“We waited a while to tell our family and friends. When we did, they were all excited and happy for us. I remember when we started taking pictures of my belly. We found out that it was another boy. I felt happy and scared every day. I was 42-years-old. It was a high-risk pregnancy and we knew we had to be careful. I found out I had a condition known as placenta previa. (The placenta is located low in the uterus and partially or completely covers the cervix, which could cause severe bleeding before or during delivery).

“My doctors were observing me every single week. All of the ultrasound videos showed a very healthy and active baby. We named him Ché Karson Major. This child had already developed an interesting personality. Whenever he was overly active, I would put my hand on my tummy and try to calm him, but he would still move about. Whenever Terrell would touch my tummy and speak to him in Spanish, he would immediately respond and calm right down.”

Alana was more than six months pregnant when tragedy struck. On July 31, 2019, she went for her regular weekly check-up at the Ladies’ Medical Centre with Terrell by her side. Her doctor, Dr Allan Lyons was delivering a baby. Dr Leon Dupuch conducted the ultrasound in his place. He checked for a heartbeat. He turned to the Majors and said the three heartbreaking words that Alana had heard before… “I’m so sorry”.

“Ché, move so the doctor can see you, baby… you must be sleeping,” Alana said.

“That was the last thing I remembered. When I regained consciousness, I was in Doctors Hospital’s Emergency Room being prepped for surgery. I remember seeing Dr. Sy Pierre who said to me, ‘I will take care of you, just relax… you won’t remember any of this.’ After that, I remember seeing a bunch of doctors and nurses and thinking, ‘Why are they looking at me like this?’ Everyone seemed confused. I fell back asleep and my next memory was seeing Terrell, my mom and two of my dear friends encouraging me not to talk and to relax. Later I found out that nearly two weeks had passed.”

“The next clear memory I had… I was sitting up and I could tell that I was someplace else. (She was airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital after spending a day at Doctors Hospital). My husband and mother walked up to me looking shocked. They asked, ‘What did you do?’ Later, nurses told me that I had literally extubated myself, pulling out all of my tubes. I had been in a coma and I was on life support. I was breathing with the help of a ventilator because my lungs were filled with fluid. The night before, the doctors said if I did not do well through the night, I might die. Thank God I survived.”

Today, nearly two years later, Alana takes the courage for her to send out a letter of love and thanks to the people who helped save her life. Terrell said it would take another edition of Face to Face to share his experience and to speak for all the fathers who can relate. Alana and I sat and penned the letter, which is copied to Dr Charles Diggiss of Doctors Hospital:

“Although it has been almost two years since I lost my precious son Ché and nearly lost my own life, it truly feels like yesterday. I can still feel him moving and I can still hear his heartbeat. The very thought of which causes my own heart to skip a beat.

“As my husband, my family and I continue to recover from the tremendous loss, I cannot help but remain in awe of the fact that I am still here. All of the odds were stacked high against me. Medically, my survival is absolutely a miracle. Spiritually, I survived only by the grace of Almighty God.

“I often reflect on the circumstances that kept me here and I cannot help but see the faces of all the people who poured their love, effort and energy into me. With God as the master conductor, He directed an orchestra whose timing, cadence, and resonance of love and support kept me on this side of Glory. Each and every one of you played a part, as a master of your instrument, and together, it was beautiful music. Today, as I sit here reflecting on the symphony, I rise to give Doctors Hospital a standing ovation and highest commendations!

“I applaud the doctors who on July 31, 2019, did everything in their power to bring me through a period when I hung in the balance between life and death. A special thank you to Dr Allan Lyons of the Ladies’ Medical Centre, who tenderly cared for me during my entire gestation with my dear Ché. When I was rushed to Doctors Hospital that afternoon, there was a team of doctors and nurses all around me, working assiduously to save my life. I was not in a position to remember all of them, but I want them to know how thankful I am and that I salute every single one of them.

“To Dr Sy Pierre who prepared me for surgery, and to the doctor who literally ran from Doctors Hospital to the blood bank at Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) and ran back, my heart pours out to you. To the doctors who were off duty yet came in to review my case to help the residing doctors, I appreciate you. To the doctors at PMH who came to check on me… and to the one who brought his guitar and played by my bedside, I thank God for you. I have tremendous appreciation for Doctors Adrian Cargill, Michael N’Tari Darville, DuVaughn Curling, Marcus Cooper, Harold Munnings, James Iferenta, Beverton Moxey, Sy Pierre, and Allan Lyons who worked tirelessly to assist me and I value you, Dr Charles Diggiss, Mr Charles Sealy, Zonya Bain and the DHHS Blood Bank. Nurse Charlene Sanderson, Nurse Michelle Grey and the entire DHHS ICU team, your contributions were immeasurable. Countless nurses, techs and aides gave the support and professional expertise needed and for that, while ‘thank you’ seems inadequate, I am forever grateful.

“These professionals were supported by all my loved ones. My dear husband, Terrell had to stay strong through the loss of his precious son and the uncertainty of his wife’s fate. He and my mother, Alma never left my side. In what was nothing short of a miracle, my close family, amazing friends like Rosel, church members from Christ Church Cathedral, my Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc sisters and so many others in my life came out in droves to support me.

“In a truly remarkable show of love, people waited hours outside of the Blood Bank to give blood. The chapel was filled as they prayed for me. My sorority sisters and church members held a special service at the Cathedral for me. Prayer warriors fasted and prayed. Loved ones held hands, cried out to God and embraced while waiting rooms were filled and the parking lot was filled. Right down to my last few moments at Doctors Hospital, when I had to be transported by ambulance in order to be airlifted, the outpouring of love continued as staff, family and friends banded together to help lift my fluid-filled body on board with all of those attachments connected to me.

“Weeks later, when I could begin to comprehend what had happened to me, I was told these amazing stories including how air ambulance pilots took a risk to fly in bad weather to save my life, saying that it may have been my only chance of survival. Then, at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, doctors and nurses traversed me through a comatose state, back to reality, and gave their best efforts to keep me here.

“Altogether, the orchestra produced the tunes that rose to the heights when I needed it, and quelled to a solemn hymn in time, as if in unison with the angels above who guided my soul through the depths and brought me back to the light.

“For all whom I remember, for those whom I never got to know and for those who did not care whether I knew they prayed and sang for me or not, I thank you with all my heart. My standing ovation is one that will always ring on - every time I feel at my lowest, or rise to my highest, I will think of all of you, my Earthly angels. I pray that God blesses each and every one of your lives, as you have blessed mine. Amen. Yours truly, Alana Major.”

To anyone who can relate to this story, support is available and reaching out for help could make a difference. Founder of TEARS Bahamas Tia Armbrister invites you to a safe space in her support group. This WhatsApp and Facebook honours bereaving parents helping them to “fight the depression of pregnancy and infancy child loss”.

For more information, visit thetearsfoundation.org or email bahamasproject@thetearsfoundation.org.