Shaylyn's Grace: The Gift of Time
Donation protected
Shaylyn Grace Strniste was born on August 4, 2018 at 3:46 am. She weighed 4 lbs 10 oz, she was 18 inches long, she had gorgeous thick hair, perfect little feet and yes ten pretty little toes for counting. Her heart was still, she never took a breath.
This is stillbirth. Her mother was forced to somehow accept that she was going to leave the hospital with empty arms. Her family came to meet her for the first and last time. In the middle of complete chaotic life shattering heartbreak a small and invaluable gift afforded us time to admire our Angel and process the hardest hitting grief we could ever know.
"The Flexmort CuddleCot system cools baby allowing families to stay with their baby before being moved to the morgue. The CuddleCot™ cooling pad is placed in any Moses basket, crib, bed or other receptacle. It is connected by a specially insulated hose and is quietly cooled using the CuddleCot cooling unit. The CuddleCot system comes in its own carry case with two sizes of cooling pad for premature and full term babies. The CuddleCot cools to an ideal temperature for preserving baby without being too cold for the parents."
Shaylyn's Mama Katie has shared her story of gratitude for the gift of time she was given with one of these devices that was donated to her hospital: "I know I shared the story of the mama and her family that I “accidentally” stumbled upon which enlightened me as to who changed the course of my life with Shaylyn. Amy and her family are well beyond the meaning of hero and inspiration in my life. Because of the loss of their son, Landon, they have now donated three cuddle cots to Massachusetts hospitals. One specifically just before or possibly even during the time Shaylyn was being born at UMass. I can tell you from my experience what a god send these cots are. It might sound creepy to those who never had to experience it, but it isn't. All you know is you get precious time with your sweet angel before you have to do what is the most unnatural thing ever and leave your newborn baby and the hospital where you birthed them, without them in your arms. The hospital where Amy gave birth did not have one and she only got to have mere hours with her little angel Landon. UMass did not have one until this mama, in her immense grief, changed that reality for others that would heartbreakingly be in her same reality. There are literally no words of gratitude that will ever convey my love and appreciation for what her and her family did for me and mine.
We feel that every hospital in the country should have these devices, but they are not considered "medically necessary". UMass only had one because of the generosity of others and we would like to continue that mission. Please help us give other families the same gift our family was given, the invaluable and irreplaceable gift of time with your baby.
With love and gratitude,
Shaylyn's Family
This is stillbirth. Her mother was forced to somehow accept that she was going to leave the hospital with empty arms. Her family came to meet her for the first and last time. In the middle of complete chaotic life shattering heartbreak a small and invaluable gift afforded us time to admire our Angel and process the hardest hitting grief we could ever know.
"The Flexmort CuddleCot system cools baby allowing families to stay with their baby before being moved to the morgue. The CuddleCot™ cooling pad is placed in any Moses basket, crib, bed or other receptacle. It is connected by a specially insulated hose and is quietly cooled using the CuddleCot cooling unit. The CuddleCot system comes in its own carry case with two sizes of cooling pad for premature and full term babies. The CuddleCot cools to an ideal temperature for preserving baby without being too cold for the parents."
Shaylyn's Mama Katie has shared her story of gratitude for the gift of time she was given with one of these devices that was donated to her hospital: "I know I shared the story of the mama and her family that I “accidentally” stumbled upon which enlightened me as to who changed the course of my life with Shaylyn. Amy and her family are well beyond the meaning of hero and inspiration in my life. Because of the loss of their son, Landon, they have now donated three cuddle cots to Massachusetts hospitals. One specifically just before or possibly even during the time Shaylyn was being born at UMass. I can tell you from my experience what a god send these cots are. It might sound creepy to those who never had to experience it, but it isn't. All you know is you get precious time with your sweet angel before you have to do what is the most unnatural thing ever and leave your newborn baby and the hospital where you birthed them, without them in your arms. The hospital where Amy gave birth did not have one and she only got to have mere hours with her little angel Landon. UMass did not have one until this mama, in her immense grief, changed that reality for others that would heartbreakingly be in her same reality. There are literally no words of gratitude that will ever convey my love and appreciation for what her and her family did for me and mine.
We feel that every hospital in the country should have these devices, but they are not considered "medically necessary". UMass only had one because of the generosity of others and we would like to continue that mission. Please help us give other families the same gift our family was given, the invaluable and irreplaceable gift of time with your baby.
With love and gratitude,
Shaylyn's Family
Co-organizers (2)
Lisa Hawthorne
Organizer
Ayer, MA
Katie Hawthorne
Co-organizer