Jessica Nicole La'Ferrara was born July 25th ,1989 at exactly 6 a.m. at LRMC,in Lakeland,FL ...She was due in November ,but arrived early in late July ..She was transfered that same day to Shands in Gainsville{ Alachua county Fl,}due to the fact that LRMC was not equipped to take care of a preemie under two lbs ..Jessica weighed 1 lb .13 oz,and was 13 inch long ,if she would have weighed just 3 more oz they could have kept her there, but the odds of them saving her even if they could have kept her at LRMC were still very slim ..She died shortly after she arrived at Shands..They called me that day while I was still in the hospital at LRMC to tell me she had passed ..My husband at the time and his sister Theresa made the trip by car to go be with her ..I was to go later after the OBGYN had released me ,they had me on valium to calm my nerves ,and wanted to make sure I was ok .. Getting that news that day was the most devastating news I have ever gotten besides the news that my friend Michelle was murdered in 1987 ;and the fact that it came via telephone ..I mean at least they could have done was sent someone to my room a grief counselor or someone ,family member ,but no a total stranger calls me and tells me my baby girl had passed a way .. Jessica's lungs were underdevelope. that is the last organ to be fully developed;although the vital organs begin to form during the second trimester;the lungs are not fully developed ,and it is unlikely a baby born during this time would survive Jessica was around 23 weeks gestation ,and her lungs, still had a lot more developing to do ..I was in the last stage of my 5th month when she came ..Shands later told me that not even the respirator could have helped her to breath ,that her lungs were just too small,and underdeveloped even with help it was too much on her tiny lungs..Technology has come a long way since then ,and now preemies born smaller then my Angel Jessica Nicole have a much better chance of surviving .The following year in 1990 LRMC was equipped to take care of a preemie under 2lbs I ,and a lot of Jessica's emediate family members believe that the helicopter ride was very traumatic,and put extra stress on her,and most likely played a roll in her death ..I am so very grateful that a good friend of my family was able to take pictures of my Jessi before they had to take her to Shands ,and that I got the chance to see her and hold her little hand,and talk to her ..l remember tickling the bottom of her tiny foot ,she raised it up a little .It was very black & blue ..I asked the nurse who had come in to the NICU ,what it was ..She said that Jessica did that when she pushed her way through the birth canal ..She was breached of course ,being a preemie and there was no need to turn her ,since she was so small ... I unfortunately, never got the wonderful pleasure, of holding my baby girl {my daughter} ;b/c she was hooked to life support .... My Darling Angel is survived by me her mommy{ De-Anna L Gurley} .her daddy T.Jay P. La'Ferrara her maternal grandma Laura V Hutchins her maternal grandpa George R Gurley maternal aunt Donna Ponder , maternal cousins Kristan Godfrey and Caitlin A Ballew and other maternal cousins ,grandparents, and cousins.,.. Paternal grandma Dixie Smith and her paternal Aunts and uncles, Tammy , Toni ,Theresa, Tracey, Troy ,and Tina La'Ferrara ,and family .... She is predeceased by her maternal great great grandparents ,Harmon & Mary prine , paternal grandpa George M Gurley ,maternal grandpa Mitchell M Hutchins loved ones that have gone on to be with our Lord after Jessica Nicole [Jessi] , include her paternal grandma Vera Lee Gurley Step grandpa Virgil Smith ,maternal grandma Audrey P Adams, and her beloved Paternal cousin Leah Ann La'Ferrara; . I love,and miss you so much Jessica Nicole ..Love your Mommy

To those of you who send my Jessi & me flowers,and kind notes Thank you..I appreciate them so much ..It touches my heart each,and every time I read them .. God Bless all of you ..
Infinity, Jessica's Mommy