Perspective

So, I have really had to work hard to find perspective lately in the realm of stillbirth. I realized that when you read so many bad stories, and hear so many sad endings, you forget that even though stillbirth is not as rare as we once believed, it is also not the norm.

Every time I find out someone is pregnant I cringe, and then I pray and hope for a happy ending. Now, I am sure that there is nothing wrong with wanting a happy ending, but I realize that I keep assuming the worst, because I now know what the worst is. The thing is, that life is such a miracle, because the chances of something happening are low. Just because something can go wrong, doesn't mean that it will.

It is very hard for me, being a statistic, and experiencing the worst scenario, to remember that fear is not always necessary...this is the reason every doctor doesn't worry constantly about each patient, and the reason that every pregnant woman is not in tears always about every possible problem...because chances are, everything will be just fine.

Does that mean we should take chances with our health? No, but making informed decisions, and doing our best is usually all that is necessary to ensure a positive outcome.

Sometimes, things still go wrong. I am living proof, that you can do everything right, and still not have a happy ending, but that is how life works. We never know what will happen, and we can't live all of our lives afraid. (I also know that sometimes it is someone else's fault that things happen, that is a different situation.)

So I have to remember to look at the big picture, and give myself a healthy dose of perspective.