To Madison

3years 131days

A year ago today, my dear friends lost their baby girl Madison, aged 19hours, to a condition called congenital diaphragmatic hernia syndrome. A condition I like many others knew nothing about, despite it being equally occurring as something like spina bifida. I wanted to mark it today, so Katie and I had a chat and got some balloons to send to her in the sky.

It brought a lot of questions, which I'm glad of in a way. It was an opportunity to discuss these things at an age where she is more accepting, so hopefully it will help her "just know" these things when it happens another time. I told her Madison had been poorly, and had died so went to live in Heaven with God looking after her, in the sky. She broke my heart a little. She asked why Madison cant live with her mummy and daddy. Then said she thought her balloons would make her feel better so she could come home. She was rather sad when I said you cant come back from heaven, but that God was looking after her. We found a small but pretty pasture to send them off from. She was holding the balloons, and they slipped from her hand. She fought back tears, as she was sad to lose the balloons. She came and snuggled into my arms, then turned to me and said "It's ok, Mummy, they're going to baby Madison".