Visiting Aunt Beth

This past weekend I went to New Orleans to visit my best friend, Beth.  I was originally visiting to have a girl's weekend and to throw her a baby shower.  We didn't get to throw the baby shower because on August 1, 2011, she gave birth at 25 1/2 weeks to a 1 pound baby boy named Gabriel Joseph.  Beth felt the baby move less and less, so her doctor had her come in for monitoring.  What they found was not good.  The baby was very sick and needed to be delivered right away if he had any chance to survive.  The doctor said if she had waited another day, he would not have made it.  After tons of tests, the doctors finally figured out the cause.  Beth had contracted CMV(http://www.cdc.gov/cmv/overview.html) at about 20 weeks and her body started to fight off the virus, and the baby.

It's been almost a month now, and he's had his share of struggles, but continues to fight.  He is the smallest baby I have ever seen.  I was surprised every time I walked into his room to see him.  He's hooked up to tubes and IV's that help support all of his systems, but he is so cute.  He has blonde, fuzzy hair and eyebrows.  He has a perfect nose and big hands and feet.  He responds to his mom when she talks by opening his eyes and turning his head in her direction.  He moves his little arms and legs all around and protests being handled with the most demonstrative facial expressions (much like his dad).  He's perfect.  Except he's not supposed to be here.  He's supposed to be in his mom's belly growing.  Life is so unfair sometimes. I know that things happen for a reason, but why at the expense of a tiny baby and the mother that wanted him so badly.  Beth visits him every day, but she's getting tired.  The physical and emotional stress are getting to her.  I can't imagine what she must be going through.  I have a hard time dealing with Gavin being sick with a cold, so I know her heart is breaking for her little guy and everything he's going through.  The doctor's are doing everything they can for him, and I continue to hope for the best for my friend and her family. We've postponed the baby shower until further notice. I really hope I get to throw her that baby shower in a couple of months...