My Sister's Death by Pregnancy - by Auriandra

Daily Kos
My Sister's Death by Pregnancy
by Auriandra
Thu Feb 04, 2010 at 07:43:36 PM PST

My sister did not survive an ill-advised pregnancy. She died at 32 along with her seven month baby girl. She was discovered by her four year old son, still, on the couch at a retreat near Lake Chelan in Washington state. Her doctor was concerned about her and suggested that she take some time off to relax.

My sister Molly had what we were told was a "heart murmur." She was a respiratory therapist and a sweet innocent person. Her husband would tease her because she still liked to order macaroni and cheese when she went to a restaurant. She was the "baby" of my parents' seven children and still the only one who has died.

My family was 'strictly Catholic' in the days before abortion became the single issue that Catholics seem to get exercised about. Though my siblings and I tend to have relatively large families, when I was growing up, the families were very large. I had 51 first cousins. Having a big family was what life was supposed to be all about. My sister thought so too.

It was only after her death that we found out from her husband that her doctor had recommended against another pregnancy. She took the risk. It was the saddest time of my life. Her son is in high school now. Her husband has remarried. My parents have filled their house with images, figurines and ornaments of angels holding babies.

the rest:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/2/4/833982/-My-Sisters-Death-by-Pregnancy