by Joseph Bowen, Brianna's Grandfather

As I drifted between the realms of utter fatigue and sleep early this morning, I believe I heard an Angel whisper to me. The Angel told me to rest and that Brianna's spirit was at peace. She went on to tell me a simple story that made my heart swell and tears to flow. And the Angel whispered to me. "On Saturday, Brianna's spirit lingered for a while at the hospithospital to touch the ones who loved her.Then her spirit, escorted by two Angels, lifted into the sky on her way to heaven. The heavens cried tears of sorrow and joy for Brianna and those that loved her, and for all the babies that depart before their time. Heaven's tears turned to rain and the rain came down on earth in torrents for two days and nights. On the third day the rain stopped and the Angels swirled the winds in our faces to whisk the tears away. And today, the fourth day since Brianna left our world for heaven, God and the Angels have cleared the sky of rain so that the warmth of the sun can begin to dry those sweet tears from our eyes. Today, we will lay Brianna's mortal body to rest, but have no doubt, Brianna's spirit and her Angels will be with us, now and forever." And then I drifted off to sleep... Pa Joe 3/10/98

Mommy and Daddy's Sweet Baby Girl, you will be loved and remembered always.

Brianna was our first and only child. She was born 4 weeks early and was transferred to a university hospital for underdeveloped lungs. She was on a ventilator and given surfactant treatments to aid in lung development. After 4 days she was not responding as expected and the doctors looked at her heart. The cardiologist found that Brianna had Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Return (TAPVR), which is a congenital heart defect. Simply put, her Pulmonary Veins were not attached correctly and her body could not get the oxygen saturation needed. She had to have a corrective surgery to repair the defect and initially her outcome was very good. We were told we might get to take her home and fatten her up for surgery, but it never happened. She needed oxygen and monitoring and was not able to leave the hospital. My husband and I stayed in Birmingham to be with her and spent every day with her doing whatever we were allowed to do to care for her. We held her, bathed her, fed her, changed her diapers whenever we could. We took pictures and videos and planned for the future just like any other parent, only it was in the hospital instead of at home. Our daughter had excellent care and we were treated so well by the staff at the hospital, we will be forever grateful, especially to the nurses for their kindness and support and the excellent care they gave our daughter. Brianna had a heart catheterization done before her scheduled surgery date and later that night she got very sick and we almost lost her on more than one occasion. Her surgery was canceled and we waited for her to recover enough to plan for another surgery. She survived surgery, but died of a complication 4 days later.

We had been through so many close calls with her over her short life that it is unbelievable that she died after surgery. But her heart is fixed now-how can she die? We know the medical answers, and that helps, but I will never be able to understand how a wanted, loved child could die. I am so grateful for the short time I had with my daughter, she opened her eyes and looked at us, we held her, cared for her, and loved her. We were lucky. Brianna taught me to appreciate life, to not take any day or anyone for granted. She also took away my fear of death, she is my light at the end of the tunnel.

To my Brianna, I will always remember your dark blue eyes, your head full of hair, the softness of your skin, and your place in my family as my first born, my sweet baby girl.