Life & Death – part deux

I just lost Tess, one of Lucy’s twins after watching her slowly die all day.  She was small but healthy for the first day, a fiesty cute thing with lopsided ears.  I knew Lucy was a good mother so I didn’t watch too closely, just checking in on her and making sure her belly was round with milk.  I am pretty sure I watched her nurse as well.  Yesterday afternoon I noticed she was sleeping funny, completely on her side with her legs straight out and her head flat.  Sophie was in labor so I quickly made sure Tess was breathing and was warm.  She was so I turned my attention to Sophie.  Later in the afternoon, when I saw Tess was sleeping that way again, I checked her more closely and found her mouth was very cold inside.  I made up a warm bottle of her mother’s milk and force fed an ounce.  Later she seemed warmed up so I went to bed for the night.  I checked her first thing this morning and her mouth was cold again and she was lethargic.  I force fed some more milk and decided to bring her into the house to see if the warmth helped.  She continued to fade all day.  Nothing I tried helped.  I thought it may be a congenital defect since she didn’t urinate at all during the time I was watchng her closely and her belly was full and sloshy when I held her.  But after she died, she released alot of urine and meconium (which should have passed during her first few hours).  She was half the weight of her twin brother which may also suggest something was wrong congenitally.  It doesn’t make it easier.  I am heartsick. 

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