I watched my child struggle with these issues. I hurt for her beyond words as I saw the dawning knowledge, this was way beyond what she could cope with.

My daughter at 16, made a noble, loving and very moral choice. She gave up her child, so that he might have a better life. The pain and hurt were obvious in her, and yet, she showed courage beyond her age, in doing this for her son.


She became pregnant, at 15. She had met a young man, or so we thought, who seemed very kind, caring and wonderful. He even fooled us with his extremely youthful looks into thinking he was just 17: he was 22, and had hurt a number of underage girls in our area. When we found out she was pregnant, we discussed options with her, but told her this was her body and her decision to make. As her pregnancy entered the 7th month, she began to go into premature labor. The neonatologists were trying desperately to hold off delivery until at least 8 months. Finally, as she was getting exhausted with constant hospitalizations, they delivered Cam. He had no coating on his lungs. He was grey blue and very very small. Over the next month in Intensive Care, it became obvious there were going to be problems with him for a long time. He would stop breathing abruptly, with no warning. He couldn’t feed without choking. He was flaccid: his muscles were very soft. We all had to be CPR certified for him to be released.


I watched my child struggle with these issues. I hurt for her beyond words as I saw the dawning knowledge, this was way beyond what she could cope with. I saw desperate maternal love struggle with pride of ownership. It was the most excruciating period in my life. I did not want to lose my daughter over this, but I still needed to be proactive for Cam. After much anger, pain and struggle, my daughter sat down, and we talked.


I asked her to think about what love really meant. I gently told her there is often huge pain when making the right choices sometimes, but in this case, it might truly save someones life. Sometime later she came to me, and asked me to raise her son, She said she loved him enough to let him go. My heart broke for the both of us that day. The pain was so intense. But I was so proud of her too. She had learned the lesson after all, that to love someone sometimes, often means letting them go.


I pay a courageous young woman tribute, for caring more for a small ill helpless child, then she did herself. I tell Cam all the time, she showed the true meaning of a mothers love.


I love you Pumpkin