When Millie Smith and Lewis Cann found out they were expecting a baby, they were overjoyed. As there was a history of twins in Millie’s family, she had a strong feeling that she was going to give birth to two little ones, and her instincts were right. The ultrasound confirmed that she was indeed expecting twins, but the doctors told them that one of the babies had a very small chance of survival.
ragically, one of their daughters was born at 30 weeks with anencephaly, a serious condition that affects the development of the brain and spinal cord. They learned that their precious baby had only moments or hours to live.
Knowing this, Millie and Lewis wanted to give her a name before they said goodbye. They chose the name Skye. Millie explained: “We felt she needed a name before she arrived. Knowing she wouldn’t be with us for long, I wanted her to have a name in those fleeting moments”.
The name “Skye” symbolized a connection to a place they could always remember when they looked up to the sky. “We held Skye close as she died. It was the most heartbreaking moment of our lives, but I’m proud that she fought to spend that time with us.” Skye only lived for three hours, a brief time filled with love while her parents cherished her beauty and presence.
After her death, Millie and Lewis were supported by a “bereavement midwife” and given access to a “Daisy Room”, a special room where parents could spend time with their baby before and after death. However, after Skye was gone, her memory seemed to fade; no one spoke of her, leaving Millie feeling like her daughter had never existed, which made her angry.
“Most of the nurses knew what had happened, but as the weeks went by, people stopped mentioning Skye. Other families around me had no idea about our loss”, Millie recalls.
While her other daughter, Callie, was still in the NICU, another mother who knew nothing about Millie’s situation remarked how lucky she was not to have twins. “None of the other parents knew about Skye, and that innocent comment almost broke me. I left the room in tears but didn’t have the heart to explain”, Millie said. “A simple sticker could have prevented this.”
This experience inspired Millie to design a sticker for incubators to mark the loss of one or more babies in a multiple birth. She chose butterflies to symbolise the ‘flown away’ babies and used the colour purple, which is suitable for any gender.
From this idea grew the Skye High Foundation, which promotes the Purple Butterflies initiative and helps raise awareness in hospitals around the world. The foundation also offers a range of purple butterfly merchandise.
“Although I can’t prevent these situations from occurring, I believe the more support we can provide through initiatives like the stickers, the better it will be for others who suffer this loss. It’s an incredibly tough journey”, said Millie. Today, her surviving daughter Callie is seven years old.
What is this Thingamajig?
Have you ever thought, “What is this thing?” when you saw a picture of an odd device on social media? Well, be ready for a perplexing circumstance! Today, we’re solving the riddle of an odd object that has confused many.
It may surprise you to learn that this strange device is actually a postal scale. Bewildered? Allow me to clarify the purpose and actual nature of a postal scale.
Consider using the regular postal service to send a letter or parcel. It’s important to know its weight before you apply the stamp and mail it. The postal scale enters the picture at this point. It is the unsung hero of the postal industry, made with the purpose of weighing items.
Postal scales were once frequently seen in both households and businesses. All you would have to do was set your package or letter on the scale and observe how the needle landed. You would then instantly be aware of the item’s weight in ounces. It was a basic yet necessary tool for people who sent mail on a regular basis.
You might wonder if postal scales are still necessary in the modern world of email and instant communications. But hey, what do you know? They still have a lot of relevance. Even though they might not be as widely used as they once were, postal scales are nonetheless essential for mailing and shipping. They are especially important to businesses as they let them precisely estimate postage expenses and steer clear of unforeseen problems at the post office.
There you have it, then. This unusual device’s mystery has now been revealed. Even though it’s not the most fascinating equipment, the standard postal scale performs its function admirably. Maybe the next time you see one, you’ll see its utility and simplicity a little more.
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