Meeting Jane

I first met Jane in February 1993, my sister was 35 weeks pregnant and had gone in for a scan after an antenatal visit had measured her baby small for dates.  The scan revealed the baby wasn't growing well and a beautiful baby girl was born weighing 3lbs on 25 Feb 1993.  My sister named her Meredith, she was her second child.  Meredith had Edwards syndrome and it was made clear to my sister she wasn't going to make it.  My sister, Jo and her husband decided to get her christened and that's when I first met Jane.  The hospital chaplin who christened her, 3 weeks later when Meredith passed away in the arms of her mother on her mothers birthday, Jo never hesitated in her desire to have Jane perform the ceremony that enabled us to say goodbye.  She read a poem, the rose beyond the wall.

I next met Jane in 2001, my grandad had passed away from cancer and my dads family had decided that Jane wa the best person to lead the funeral service.  In that service as my sister held her new born son in her arms.  Jane made a point in acknowledging Meredith, her existence and the light she brought to our lives.

In 2006 I was to meet Jane again.  The day my  younger sister Lynda passed away, Jane read a poem at her funeral The Rose beyond the wall.  Jane lead the service at the woodland burial ground, and enabled us to say goodbye.

When B died it was only right in my head that Jane be there,  and she was.  She was this tower of support when really we were just swamped with grief.  She read a poem at Bs funeral the rose beyond the wall.

Jane is the most incredible person I have ever met but and I mean this as nicely as possible, I hope I never see her again.

Incidentally something my mum and sister and I share in commen is the loss of a child.  My mum unfortunately has lost two.  My older sister who passed away as a baby and my younger sister who died when she was 24.  It almost seems cruel that the biggest thing we share in common is that we have all lost our babies.  All second children, all little girls.