Fly on Angel’s Wings, JOSEPH MICHAEL RACOMA (with update)

I was at work last October 3 when I checked my mail and found Noemi’s sad post informing us that our good friend Dine lost her 5-week old grandson, Joseph Michael. Joseph Michael was the youngest son of Angelo and Caren Racoma. Angelo is well-known in the blogosphere and as I visited his blog today, it was amazing to find over a 100 condolences already posted.

(Baby Joseph Michael Racoma)

Just today, I found out that cause of death was Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) which, Dine says in her blog. “takes the life of 1 infant (1-12 months) per hour in the USA, also has been known to be the cause of death of infants worldwide.”

I decided to look SIDS up and find out more about it. In Kidshealth.org, SIDS is described as follows:

“…SIDS is the sudden and unexplained death of an infant who is younger than 1 year old. It is a frightening prospect because it can strike without warning, usually in a seemingly healthy infant. Most SIDS deaths are associated with sleep (hence the common reference to “crib death”), and infants who die of SIDS show no signs of suffering.

While most conditions or diseases usually are diagnosed by the presence of specific symptoms, most SIDS diagnoses come only after all other possible causes of death have been ruled out through a review of the infant’s medical history and environment. This review helps distinguish true SIDS deaths from those resulting from accidents, abuse, and previously undiagnosed conditions, such as cardiac or metabolic disorders.

When considering which babies could be most at risk, no single risk factor is likely to be sufficient to cause a SIDS death. Rather, several risk factors combined may contribute to cause an at-risk infant to die of SIDS.

Most deaths due to SIDS occur between 2 and 4 months of age, and incidence increases during cold weather. African-American infants are twice as likely and Native American infants are about three times more likely to die of SIDS than caucasian infants. More boys than girls fall victim to SIDS.”

In that same site, stomach sleeping was foremost among the risk factors of SIDS as, some researchers put it, “(it) puts pressure on a child’s jaw, therefore narrowing the airway and hampering breathing.” It also said “Another theory is that stomach sleeping can increase an infant’s risk of “rebreathing” his or her own exhaled air, particularly if the infant is sleeping on a soft mattress or with bedding, stuffed toys, or a pillow near the face.”

When I had my 4 kids, I initially thought stomach sleeping was good since it allowed the baby to burp out air without the danger of having him/her choke on spit-up food. Then I read up on SIDS and learned it was not encouraged. I then had my babies sleep on their sides. Now, I am reading in this article that even that is discouraged by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) as “Placing infants on their sides to sleep is not a good idea….There is too much risk that the infants will roll over onto their bellies while they sleep.”

Back to Joseph Michael, we will probably never understand how it could happen to a healthy 5-week old baby. And the Racoma family will slowly have to deal with this very painful and deep loss for a long time. Those of us who know Dine and her family of bloggers are one with them at this time. We have no words, just prayers.

Baby Joseph Michael, you brought joy to your parents, siblings and family. You loved them and they loved you back. You made everyone happy. But your stay on earth has been brief, too brief. Now that you are with our good God, you fully understand your purpose on earth, though short-lived. It will take us a while to comprehend your mission on earth but in time, and with God’s grace, we all will.

Rest in the arms of our Lord. And pray for your entire family as you fly on angel’s wings!

Update:

Dine shared this poem which JAngelo and Caren composed for their baby. No one can read it without feeling the intense love they have for Joseph Michael and for our Lord.

Joseph Michael (Our Angel)

You came to us
God’s loving gift
Our baby boy
Our source of joy.

You gave us love
The purest kind
Your perfect smile
Your touch so mild.

We had our hopes
Our dreams, our plans
Until one day
God reached out His hand.

He called you home
He needed you
To join His host of Angels
So mighty, so strong.

You said, “Yes Lord.”
Then bid us good bye
“I’ll watch over you
From heaven up high.”

Dear Joseph Michael
Our baby, our Angel
You are God’s gift to us
And you are our gift to God.

We love you,
Daddy Joseph Angelo
Mommy Caren Marie
Ate Sofia Bernice
Ate Agatha Clarisse

Joseph Michael G. Racoma
20 August-3 October 2007