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Jo's Story: Cody


Cody

Cody Austin Hill
Born still August 13, 1999

Visit Cody's Site


Cody died August 13, 1999. (It was Friday the thirteenth--quite strange, although I certainly don't consider myself superstitious.) Tomorrow (as I'm writing), he will have died a year ago. A year. My mind simply reels at the thought.

A year ago, I was ready for Cody to be born. Nine months pregnant, on a gestational diabetic diet, sweating like a pig through the Dog Days of August. The suitcase was packed. The Boppy pillow lay on the blanketed crib. My husband Darin, our son Ryan (now seven), and I were so excited for Cody to come.

And then, three days after I was due--two days before the date my OB slated for inducing--the back pains I had been having all morning and afternoon ended me up on the floor awaiting the ambulance. All of the sudden I was bleeding profusely from the placental abruption that had caused my perfectly formed, beautiful, nine pound-two ounce baby boy to suffocate to death inside of me.

Cody Austin Hill didn't get to breathe the air we breathe. He will never learn and grow. But he did live. And assuring that his life and memory will linger on is what pushes me to tread water when the urge to sink sets in. When I help others with their grief, every word I type, every thought that crosses my mind, everything I do is in Cody's memory.

If you'd like to find out more about Cody's story, please visit the Web site I created for him at cody.viabledesign.com. You can e-mail me personally at codysmom(at)viabledesign.com.