As a grandparent of a still born little lad I wrote this when it was so hard to put things in perspective. 18 months later I still recite the second part regularly and people look at me wondering why this man has tears in his eyes. 

Keep up the good work at Sands. My son and daughter in law found the memory box and other advice on the funeral etc second to none and provided a light in the darkness.

We move on and now Kerry's major reconstruction surgery on her bowel is completed they have been given the all clear to try again so maybe one day our Art will have a living/breathing sibling.

But no one will forget the little lad who didn’t quite complete his journey.

 

 

 

Thirty two weeks it’s nearly time to meet you after all

The little lad whose name will be Art and will answer to that call

Our first grandchild, my brother has three my sister merely two

But it’s not about numbers Arty my lad it’s really just about you.

 

Easter weekend and tragedy struck your Mum was taken bad

We can call it neglect we can call incompetence but we lost you little lad

A perfect child just under 5 pounds left in the womb a little too long

Your Mum begged them to take you out but they said nothing was wrong

 

A mother knows and feels these things , but the Doctors ignored her pleas

They left her waiting for a scan whilst they went off for tea

They know best we told ourselves as the situation got worse

We nearly lost your Mum as well but for one just one alert nurse

 

An emergency op to get you out but sadly a little too late

A 4 hour op on your lovely Mum and then a lengthy wait

If she lasts the night the Doctor said all should be ok

He was forgetting one little thing Arty my lad you wouldn’t see the day.

 

Thankfully your Mum survived and continues to recover

More major surgery awaits over the coming months she’ll always be your mother

You broke so many hearts that day the pain is so intense

It’s not fair, who is this god? Nothing here makes sense

 

 

 

So

 

I’ll never hold you by the hand nor bounce you on my knee

Or sing you happy birthday when your 1 or 2 or 3

Or take you to the park where we could kick about a ball

Or teach you to climb trees and catch you when you fall

 

No nervous first day at Nursery then  little school is next

No GCE’s No BCG’s No happy Birthday text

No visit to the Rangers to see our team lose yet again

No singing of Happy Birthday when your 8 or 9 or 10

 

So many plans we had for you, you’d have loved it that  I know

Football, fishing , cricket and having fun in the snow

But young man there is one  thing we will always want to do

Is celebrate the time we had looking forward to meeting you

 

One day my time too will run out and I’ll come looking for your cloud

Wait for me my precious boy and then we’ll play  and be very loud

But until that time arrives one thing I promise Art

You are always in my thoughts and prayers and forever in my heart.

 

 

Grandad