artificial insemination kit for humans
By: Sarah Thompson
Updated: June 14, 2021
Originally Published: June 11, 2021
Trigger Warning: Child Loss
October 23, 2007, is the day our lives spiraled into chaos, marking a profound shift for our family. It was late afternoon, and I was at work. My husband and I were employed at the same company, sharing the same building. Suddenly, the executive assistant rushed to find me, urgently informing me that there was an emergency, and I needed to go home.
Initially, the gravity of the situation didn’t fully register. We jumped into the car, and my husband drove us home in a panic. Though we lived only three miles from our workplace, the journey felt interminable. All we could do was pray that everything would be alright. The only piece of information we had was that our daughter had sustained an injury.
When we turned onto our street, it resembled a scene from a movie—police cars, fire trucks, ambulances, one of which sped away just as we arrived. I’ll never forget leaping out of our moving vehicle to chase that ambulance carrying my daughter. They stopped for me, but I wasn’t allowed in; they wouldn’t let me ride with them. I was left behind. Inside our home, we found our babysitter—a family member—and our four-year-old son in a state of distress.
When our babysitter attempted to wake Madison from her nap, she discovered her trapped beneath a dresser. We can only speculate that Madison was reaching for her juice cup that had been placed on top. The babysitter managed to lift the dresser off of her, and although Madison’s face was blue, it quickly returned to its normal color. She thought there was hope. She immediately performed CPR while calling 911. What she witnessed that day has forever changed her life.
As my husband and I entered the house, we grasped the severity of the situation. The police began questioning us about Madison: what was her age, what was her full name… I lost my composure. I didn’t know at that moment that my daughter was gone, so I exclaimed, “What do you mean what was her name… her name IS Madison Thompson!”
We were taken to the hospital in the back of a police car, feeling like criminals. We made frantic calls along the way to anyone we believed had a closer connection to God, pleading for prayers to save our daughter.
Upon arriving at the hospital, we sensed the situation was dire. Medical staff lined the corridor as we were ushered into a small room just outside the emergency department. A few close friends from work had arrived before us, so we weren’t completely alone. Almost immediately, the emergency room doctor came in, knelt beside us, and clearly stated, “Mr. and Mrs. Thompson, your daughter has passed away. We did everything possible for her. We are preparing her now so you can see her. We will come get you shortly.”
It felt like a blur. How could this be happening? Not to us, not to our family. We were responsible parents, good people… tragedies like this shouldn’t happen to good parents, right? Wrong.
At that moment, I had only ever seen one other deceased person in my life, and now I was holding my lifeless daughter. I didn’t want to let her go. She didn’t appear injured. The cause was blunt force trauma/asphyxia, and we were told she had died instantly without suffering; but our suffering was just beginning.
I was shocked at how quickly my husband and I were separated and interrogated, each by different detectives, while still in the emergency room. I understand now that it’s standard procedure, but at the time, it felt unbearable. Meanwhile, detectives were in our home, lifting and repeatedly tipping the dresser to determine if the force could indeed be fatal for a child. They were trying to understand how no one heard it fall from downstairs. (For the record, Madison bore the dresser’s weight, which is why no one heard the crash—it’s simple logic!)
We faced an intense investigation by Virginia Beach police and Child Protective Services. I wouldn’t want their jobs, and I appreciate their service, but the process was overwhelmingly difficult.
When we finally returned home that evening, the hardest task awaited us: telling our eleven-year-old and four-year-old sons that their baby sister was gone. We explained she was now in Heaven. The coming months were a struggle as we guided them through their grief while trying to manage our own.
Within an hour of getting home, we received a call from LifeNet Health, inquiring about organ donation for our daughter. We immediately agreed. It never crossed our minds to say no. If we could help save another life, we would. We are proud to share that Madison’s heart valves were donated to two different children! The miracle of organ donation has played a crucial role in our healing process.
Madison Thompson was only two when she suffered a preventable tragedy. We couldn’t remain passive. We realized that if we were unaware of the dangers posed by furniture tip-overs, others might be as well.
We reached out to a furniture strap manufacturer who provided us straps at cost, which we distribute whenever possible. We created a website, Maddie’s Message, to share our story and raise awareness about furniture safety. We also conduct random acts of kindness in her memory to spread our message beyond our immediate circle. I often say, “Please secure your furniture—don’t wish you had.”
Yet, this is not enough. Despite distributing thousands of furniture straps, witnessing countless news features, and studying furniture tip-over statistics, progress remains stagnant. The number of children falling victim to tip-over accidents remains unchanged since the day we lost our daughter.
I long for a future where the mortality rate decreases. The only rational response to prevent these tragedies is to persist in educating and advocating for robust safety standards.
For more information on related topics, check out this blog post. Additionally, you can explore this resource for insights on at-home insemination kits, and visit Medical News Today for comprehensive information on fertility and pregnancy.
Summary:
The author recounts the harrowing day they lost their two-year-old daughter, Madison, in a preventable accident involving a dresser tip-over. The tragedy spurred them to advocate for furniture safety, hoping to prevent similar incidents from happening to other families. Despite their efforts, the statistics remain unchanged, prompting a call for increased awareness and safety standards.
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