Capturing A Short Life

Capturing A Short Life is a documentary about families dealing with Infant Loss. It will be aired on THE LENS on December 9, 2008.

For further details about the documentary, please click on this link.

More Boxes (finally)

Even though these boxes weren't quite filled enough in my opinion, I decided they were "good enough" and took them in. I find it hard to accept them any less than completely filled but it has been a long time since I took any to the hospital, so I felt it was time. Sorry the photos are of bad quality, I was rushed to take the photos and didn't set up proper lighting. Hope you can see the detail well enough. Click on image to expand.

Full Size Boxes




Mini Boxes
(for early losses where the baby is not big enough to get any tangible memories)

Catching Up

I got a few things in the mail a while ago. Take a look:

This was donated by Jolene

And

This was donated by Liz of A Small Victory


Liz, mentioned above, is actually the person who inspired me to start these boxes. I first heard of her organization, A Small Victory, a couple years ago, and I knew that we needed something like that here. Our daughters share birthdays, one year apart, which is even more special.

Thank you both so much for your donations and for believing in me and my cause. I appreciate your support!

Photographer Helps Parents Heal

Little booties, etc.

Today I was at Zellers and I saw these little ornament booties. I thought they were just ornaments but as I looked at them I realized they were almost the exact size of my daughter's feet.

Upon closer inspection, I realized that they open up and could be used as real booties. The only thing that I'd have to do is cut off the strings that make them ornaments. Or perhaps, I could leave them on so that the parents can hang them up somewhere? What's your take on that?

Here's a pic of the ornament:


Here's the ornament next to my thumb (please ignore the fact that my thumb is dry and cracked and could use a manicure)

and now here's my thumb next to my daughter's footprint, to show the size and how those booties would've fit her quite well.


I bought every one in the store, there were only 4. They were only 99 cents each. I am going to keep one for myself, so I can use it as a symbol for my daughter's tiny perfect feet, but I am going to donate the others to the hospital.

If you happen to go to Zellers while the Christmas stuff is still up, and you see these little booties, buy them and I will reimburse you if necessary.

If you knit, perhaps you could use these booties as an idea for how big to make booties for the micro-premies.

*******

I was at Michaels today and I noticed that the photo boxes were again 3 for $5 so I bought 3 white ones. Of course I forgot to look for Makin's Clay, but the last time I had looked they only had the glow-in-the-dark ones and other colors, but not plain nor white.

I need to get at least 3 for the boxes that I have ready to go to the hospital. I really would like to take them in before Christmas or have someone take them for me. I have everything else for these 3 boxes.

*******

If anyone would like to volunteer to decorate boxes, I currently have

2 purple
3 white
2 blue
1 pink

*******

Update Nov. 28, 2007

I would like to thank Colleen for painting these two beautiful boxes!

I am considering a name change for the boxes. I will keep TYLA which is my daughter's name and acronym for "Thinking of Your Little Angel" but I am considering to drop "Treasures" from the name, as I'm not too sure I really like that. Considering "TYLA Memory Boxes", "TYLA Keepsakes" or something else?

Please check out the poll in the sidebar and cast your votes!

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day - Wave of Light

Today (October 15th) is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day. Here in Canada it is not yet official, but many people still recognize the day.

I have lit my candle in memory of my daughter and all babies gone too soon.

Collect the tears....

Today I received an email from a nurse at the hospital that I have donated my boxes to. I am sad to announce that 5 of my boxes have already been handed out to parents who have lost a child.

I have 7 boxes here that I am going to put together and hopefully have them ready to deliver in the next couple weeks. What better timing than the fact the anniversary of my daughter's due date (October 30, 2005) is coming up. I am hoping to paint these boxes this time as they are just plain right now.

Here are a couple lines from the email I received today:

Susan has shared some of your comments and I am so grateful that you have been able to share them with her. Some of the helpful comments included:

-the suggestion of offering the family to bath their baby. It has never occurred to me that anyone would be interested in doing so. I am so glad you have opened my eyes to this possibility. I can easily see that this could be offered to the families and should be quite easy to facilitate in many situations.

-recognizing that the family is in a very "numb" state and asking for assistance is very difficult. I am referring to two of your comments here.

• 1. You described a nurse taking your daughter from your arms and putting
  her in a bassinette where she remained for a length of time. This is time you
  would have liked to have the opportunity to be holding her or perhaps your
  husband may have been encouraged to hold her.
• 2. You also mentioned that you had a camera in your purse and may have
  liked the opportunity to take more pictures. This is again something that has
  never occurred to me.

Your comments are so very insightful and helpful. I hope we can continue to chat as I look forward to hearing more of your comments and suggestions.

Unfortunately, in early September, we had many losses and have given your treasures to 5 families already. It was so heartwarming to be able to present the families with such a beautiful gift. I hope you realize how many people you are helping. The item that brings the most comments is the "tissue to collect the tears". I receive many comments about that.

This is why I am so inspired to do these boxes. These parents are unable to have a lifetime of memories with their child... they deserve the chance to make as many memories as they can in the short period of time they have.

Today

Today, I had the opportunity to meet with some volunteers who paint boxes for the local hospitals. One of their boxes was given to me when I had my daughter 2 years ago, which sparked my whole interest in memory boxes.

What I am trying to do with TYLA Memory Boxes is expand on the whole idea by providing items for the parents to create and preserve memories of their child. I wanted to find out more about their program, and perhaps see if we could collaborate a little bit.

I was asked to stay for a while and I sealed some boxes that had already been painted. It was a nice opportunity. It is definately a wonderful volunteer program, and I do hope to keep in touch with these women in the future.

I will continue to work on my boxes, even if TYLA Memory Boxes does not ever become an official charity.

Inventory

I decided to take stock of what I currently have for the memory boxes:

3 blue boxes
3 purple boxes

1 pink box

(all boxes are plain and could use painting -- if you're interested, please contact me)

4 journals
several pens

2 mini photo albums

3 slightly larger mini photo albums
2 disposable cameras

21 photo frames

4 yellow blankets (with purple flower on them)

1 blue blanket

1 red blanket (with a yellow horse on it)

8 pkgs kleenex

26 washcloths (some plain, some with ducks, butterflies, frogs or whales)

1 towel (with butterfly -- matches the cloth)

4 candles

59 mini rabbits (size of the palm of my hand)
14 mini bears (size of the palm of my hand)

2 little bears (slightly bigger than my whole hand)

Today I went out and bought one of those tower containers to organize the memory box items and to keep it separate from my craft stuff.

Here's a photo! (click photo to enlarge)