When A Mother Dies
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[INTERPOSING VOICES] [MUSIC PLAYING] [BABY CRYING]
We visited with her. We even still called her name and we touched her, to see if maybe it was just something of a coma she had went into, that maybe we could just call her out of it. But she was motionless. She was gone. She was gone.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
I feel such anxiety now. Not just the fact that she's dead, but then finding out just additional information about just this epidemic that's been going on for so long with pregnant women in my state of Texas. I don't know how anybody in my position who's getting ready to give birth myself in just two weeks can feel any kind of peace in their mind, because I don't.
[BABY CRYING]
Mentally, I'm on edge all the time, just thinking about, OK, is this going to be me? Is this going to be my final days here on Earth? And I hate that this is what I'm thinking about when this is supposed to be a happy time in my life. This is my first child, and I'm thinking about in the event of if I die-- it doesn't seem fair. It really doesn't seem fair.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
I want the doctors to know that these are people's lives, and these are people's family members. If I tell you about an ache or a pain that I have, don't just brush it off. Like, you're just pregnant. I want you to seriously take into account what I'm saying. Because if you don't investigate it, I'm relying on you for my health. I'm trusting you with my health. Just take a moment to at least investigate it, because you just never know.
FRED JOHNSON
This newborn baby only had a mama maybe five days. We visited with her. We even still called her name and we touched her, to see if maybe it was just something of a coma she had went into, that maybe we could just call her out of it. But she was motionless. She was gone. She was gone.
UNIQUKA CHRISTIAN
Calista wasn't just my sister-in-law. She was actually my friend. One day she came to my apartment, and that's when she told me, hey, I'm pregnant. When I got pregnant, I wasn't sure what that whole experience was going to be like, having somebody to tell me what the expectations were when you get around this time, when you get around that time. It was really, really nice. It was almost as if I had a pregnant buddy. [MUSIC PLAYING]
I feel such anxiety now. Not just the fact that she's dead, but then finding out just additional information about just this epidemic that's been going on for so long with pregnant women in my state of Texas. I don't know how anybody in my position who's getting ready to give birth myself in just two weeks can feel any kind of peace in their mind, because I don't.
[BABY CRYING]
Mentally, I'm on edge all the time, just thinking about, OK, is this going to be me? Is this going to be my final days here on Earth? And I hate that this is what I'm thinking about when this is supposed to be a happy time in my life. This is my first child, and I'm thinking about in the event of if I die-- it doesn't seem fair. It really doesn't seem fair.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
I want the doctors to know that these are people's lives, and these are people's family members. If I tell you about an ache or a pain that I have, don't just brush it off. Like, you're just pregnant. I want you to seriously take into account what I'm saying. Because if you don't investigate it, I'm relying on you for my health. I'm trusting you with my health. Just take a moment to at least investigate it, because you just never know.
DOMINIQUE JOHNSON
And it's so sad to see so many black women, just so happy pregnant, and have no idea what they might end up. And nothing seems to be done about it. ANNA BANDA
It's been a while, [? isn't it? ?] A child growing up without any of their parents faces many challenges. It'll be hard, very hard for her. We can be there for her, but she will miss the mother part. She will miss the mother part, and it will be very difficult. 