2014 November

Zalewski, Becky

Becky Zalewski died at the age of 38, died on February 2, 2007 in Staten Island, New York. Her obituary notice stated that she died as a result of a stroke just after giving birth. Her baby, a newborn son, Jack Beckett, survives.

Becky Zalewski was a much beloved Legal Aid lawyer. She is survived by her husband, Mark Rutkowsky, a lawyer in private practice. Busloads of attorneys who work in the Manhattan criminal courts attended her funeral service in Staten Island.

This quilt block was created by Anne Risgin.

Filed Under: W - Z

Bustamonte, Avelina

Avelina Bustamonte, 32, died on October 29, 1999, in Granada Hills, California, following 5 months in coma caused by a cerebral hemorrhage. The hemorrhage was caused by preeclampsia.

Filed Under: A - C

Daviner, Aubrey

Aubrey Daviner, a healthy young woman of 22, was expecting her first child on December 11, 2002. She had had a normal, uncomplicated pregnancy and was anticipating the imminent birth of her child with great excitement.

On December 3 she suspected her water had broken at 10 a.m. She met with her physician that night. He did a fern test to determine the presence of amniotic fluid. There was no evidence of ruptured membranes. He then did an ultrasound to assess the amount of amniotic fluid present and found a normal amount of fluid. He determined that her membranes had not, in fact, ruptured and both mother and baby appeared fine. Aubrey decided to go home.

The next afternoon Aubrey went to see her doctor. The routine prenatal assessments indicated that she and the baby were still doing well. Aubrey decided to spend the evening shopping with her sister.

While shopping, she suddenly felt dizzy and nauseous and she collapsed. Aubrey was still conscious and able to communicated with the paramedics when the local emergency squad was called to the store.

They were preparing to transport her to Doctor’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio for evaluation when suddenly she became unconscious and her heart stopped. The paramedics were unable to revive her and transported her to the closest hospital, where her baby was delivered by emergency cesarean section.

On December 10, her newborn son, Gavin Aubrey, died as well, having suffered severe oxygen deprivation. Subsequently, an autopsy was performed on Aubrey, which revealed an undiagnosed splenic artery aneurysm, which apparently ruptured due to the pressure of Aubrey’s growing uterus.

Aubrey loved dragonflies and collected many things that had dragonflies on them. Her love of dragonflies inspired the design of this quilt square, which was created by Abby Kinne, CPM.

Aubrey Daviner Obituary

Filed Under: D - F

Natal, Athena

Athena Natal, 28, died in the Bronx, New York, of infection and postpartum hemorrhage on April 23, 2012. It was alleged that her complication stemmed from an incomplete manual removal of her placenta after giving birth on April 11.

Her daughter, Ryo Natal, survives. Ms. Natal was a graphic artist. Her husband, Dario told a reporter, “Now I look at my daughter every day and realize that she’ll never know her mother, who was so caring and loving.’

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/bronx/hospital_in_birth_botch_8bGpvtt0eAnmSD9obDmtpM

This quilt block was created by Xrisanthe Christopoulos.

Filed Under: L - N

Jephson, Ashley

Ashley Jephson died on August 15, 2004, of complications just after giving birth at Madison Memorial Hospital in Rexburg, Idaho. She was 21 years old and a beautician, who had married her husband, Roger, only one year earlier. Son Ashton Allen survives.

This quilt block was created by Ariana Cohen.

http://www.memorialsolutions.com/sitemaker/sites/WoodFu2/obit.cgi?user=990_AHansenJephson1295

Filed Under: G - K

Ruggles, Aria Rae

On July 26, 2007, Aria Rae Ruggles, 24, died in Vorhees, New Jersey of an amniotic fluid embolism following labor induction with Cervidil and pitocin. She is survived by her husband and two children.

Filed Under: O - R

Marla, Anne

Anne Marla was just 18 when she died in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania of abortion complications.

Filed Under: L - N

Stuteville, Angela

Angela Stuteville, of Kansas City, Kansas, was 31 at the time of her death on September 28, 2009. More than a month earlier, she had suffered early symptoms of the H1N1 virus and was put into an induced coma. Her baby, Jaxson, was born prematurely and survives her, along with her husband.

This quilt block was created by Cheryl Miller.

Filed Under: S - V

Wilburn, Angela

Angela Wilburn became the first member of her family to graduate from high school. She was 28 years old and pregnant with her 8th and 9th babies at the time. Her nine children were born in eleven years. At more than 41 weeks gestation, her labor was induced with pitocin and artificial rupture of membranes.

With her doula at her side, she labored easily with light contractions for about two hours and dilated quickly in about half an hour. Her son Rodney was soon born, weighing 6 pounds, 10 ounces. Before her second son was born, his amniotic sac broke, prolapsing his umbilical cord. The doctor called for a cesarean, and seven minutes later, Randle was born, weighing 7 pounds 13 ounces. Angela, however, bled profusely from the surgery, and a hysterectomy was performed to try to save her life. She refused a blood transfusion (she is a Jehovah’s Witness), and she died. Her estranged husband is in prison.

Angela’s doula reported that Angela had expressed a fear of death during her pregnancy. Angela died August 10, 2005, at Mercy Hospital in Coon Rapids, Minnesota. Angela’s grandparents are raising eight of her nine children.

This quilt block was created by Ina May Gaskin.