🍂 It’s beginning to feel autumnal in Mann Wood!
Our Forest Home School children have been busy putting on their very own puppet show amongst the trees, while exploring our woodland 🌳🎭
�� Forest Home School runs every Tuesday
💚 £15 per child
Book online!
#WildernessUK
My heart is broken💔: As friends & family know, my wife was pregnant with our 2nd child, & about to begin her 2nd trimester. A few days ago she had severe pains, & bleeding, and had to go to the emergency room. There, it was discovered that our baby no longer had a heartbeat. Devastated doesn't come close to what that feels like.
Unfortunately for people like us, because of the current laws in the state of Texas, that was only the beginning of this nightmare. Jess (my wife) had an "incomplete miscarriage", and what needed to happen, what was best for HER, and her health, was to terminate the pregnancy, and get the baby out.
The doctor gave her a medication that would move this process along, and sent her home. Where, apparently we would be handling it ourselves. We were told it might take a couple of attempts before it worked.
I'll let you decide how you feel about that.
After a long, painful night of the equivalent of early labor, the baby was still with her. So, we went back to the Emergency Center to get the 2nd dose. A new doctor was on call. He was an older man. You could hear him in the hallway as he said, "I'm not giving her a pill so she can go home and have an ab*rtion!". Being well aware that our baby no longer had a heartbeat. Then, he came into the room to say, and I quote: "Considering the current stance. I'm not going to prescribe you this pill". Then, just sent us on our way.
The "CURRENT STANCE"?! Did he really just say that?!
No one should ever have to hear their wife say: "Get this dead baby out of me!".
Can you even imagine how that must feel?
The pain, and the bleeding continued. So, we decided to go to another hospital, about an hour away. There was a female doctor on call there, and we thought we might have better luck.
I should probably mention, the procedure to get the baby out is called a D & C. It's scary, & traumatizing, but sometimes necessary in situations like ours. Especially in emergency circumstances.
So we get to the next hospital. They take Jess in, ask her a bunch of questions, do a new scan... confirm that the baby is still there, with no heartbeat, and then disappear... for hours. Only to come back in and keep asking the same questions over and over. It's becoming clear that they're primary concern is NOT my wife's health. Instead, they seem to be worried about the legalities involved.
So, they decide it is not "enough of an emergency" to perform the D & C.
They do, however, prescribe another, stronger, final dose of the medication for us to try again... at home.
So, we go home to try again. Another long day/night of early labor pains. Only to discover my wife UNCONSCIOUS in the bathroom. Having to pick my wife's cold, limp body off of that bathroom floor, not sure if I was about to lose her, is something I will NEVER forget.
She had to be rushed to the hospital.
By this point she had lost so much blood, and bodily fluid, her body gave out.
They were able to stabilize her, give her the fluids she needed, and we came back home yesterday afternoon. We were also able to confirm that our baby was no longer with her.
Now, not only do we have to live with the loss of our baby... we have to live with the nightmare of what we just experienced because of political and religious beliefs. MY WIFE'S HEALTH SHOULD HAVE COME FIRST. PERIOD!
God knows what mental and emotional damage this has done.
If you consider yourself a staunch "pro-lifer" ... 1) You've never been through what we just went through, and 2) You should take a long, hard look in the mirror and reevaluate your reasons for supporting such a cold, barbaric, ignorant point of view.
It's not that black & white, and it's never going to be.
If you think your "Pray To End Ab*rtion" sign in your yard is "Christian", I suggest you revisit the teachings of Jesus and try again. If you support these laws that make ab*rtion illegal, and result in people being put through what we just were, you should be ashamed of yourself. I've never been so angry, or heartbroken... and the devastation I'm feeling must pale in comparison to what my poor wife is feeling.
For #InternationalDayofEducation, we are celebrating our education team and the 8,000 children who we connected with nature last year!
From school visits to holiday camps, we're ready for another exciting year! Visit our website (link in bio) to learn more. 🌳
#WildernessUK
@mermhart Have been loving reading your book! Thank you for connecting with us in such a vulnerable way allowing your DRC to reconnect with what’s most important in life. I have always thought you were amazing and now I have nothing but pure admiration for you ❤️
Dormouse crew at St Lawrence Orchards Apple day today. Always a wonderful day spent and I look forward to it each year. Great to talk to so many interested people about dormice and how we monitor their population.
A glorious day for passage at Gunners Park 😎
81 birds were caught (New/Retrap)
Goldfinch 28/1
Blackcap 11/1
Chiffchaff 8
Dunnock 7/2
B Tit 6
G Tit 3/2
Woodpigeon 2
Willow Warbler 2
Greenfinch 2
Robin 1/1
Sedge Warbler 1
House Sparrow 1
G S Warbler 1
Cetti’s Warbler 0/1
Beautiful few days spent on my favourite rock. Lundy always has something new to offer and this time was no different. Thank you to @lundybirds and @gardenbirder1 for letting me join in ringing in Millcombe and with the Manxies. Epic experience, learnt so much! #lundyisland
Recording passage migration at our inland site today, @WildernessUK in Chatham Green.
87 birds were caught (New/Retrap)
B Tit 40/2
Blackcap 10
G Tit 9/1
Common Whitethroat 6
H Sparrow 5
Robin 3
Chiffchaff 3
Song Thrush 2
Blackbird 2
Bullfinch 2
Goldfinch 2
Lesser Whitethroat 1
Have you ever wanted to learn more about Bird Ringing? 🤔
We have a handful of spaces left at our Bird Ringing demonstration this coming Sunday at @WildernessUK in Chatham Green.
Do come along and learn more about the birds in Essex 🪶
https://t.co/8y1vJCKMjw
An exciting record, this Chiffchaff was sporting a Spanish ring at @WildernessUK this morning.
You can (just about) make out "Madrid" above the numbers on the ring 🇪🇸
We will of course report back when we receive the details.
#BirdRinging
📸 @ReallyWildT