Rachel Ann Schrette

   Born March 12, 1998 ~ Heaven Bound December 25,2003

I see the countless Christmas lights
around the world below
Don't worry, Mom and Dad
I still love you so

The sight is so spectacular
so wipe away your tear
I am spending Christmas
with Jesus Christ this year

Dear Rachel, how we miss you
with pain inside our hearts
Our love for you is still alive,
though we are apart

With Love Forever,  Mom and Dad

 

We will miss you forever
No one can replace
our love for you, Rachel
and your sweet freckled face.

You are free now sweet angel
safe from all harm
nothing can hurt you
You're safe in God's arms

    Love Mommy & Daddy

 

Rachel's Story

December 23, 2003 started out as an ordinary day.  It was only two days until Christmas and our last day of work before the Christmas Holiday.  It was our daughter Rachel�s last day of daycare at her elementary school, too.  We had been counting down the days.  Rachel, like any other five-year-old, adored Christmas.  I got a call at work at 1pm from Rachel�s daycare director.  She said that Rachel had a fever and wasn�t feeling well at all.  When I picked her up she was really tired and feverish.  I took her home and gave her some Tylenol.  She laid on the couch.  We were in the midst of a terrible flu season so we thought for sure that she must have the flu.  Her temperature was between 100-102 and the Tylenol was bringing it down.  We put her to bed around 9pm.  Again, she has had the flu before and her symptoms were no different then any other time.  We were still concerned about her fever so I let her sleep in my bed with me.  My husband slept in the other room.  At 5:30 in the morning she told me that she was uncomfortable and she wanted to get up.  I told her to try to sleep a little bit more.  She asked for help to get to the bathroom because she couldn�t walk.  I carried her there and she knelt down to throw up.  She was really stiff and I could tell that something was really wrong.  I ran and got my husband from the other room.  He picked her up and laid her on the bed while I turned on the light.  Her eyes sort of rolled back into her head, she had purple bruise-like marks on her feet.  I called 911 and we waited 6 minutes for the Fire Department to arrive.  They were not alarmed when they saw her.  After taking her vitals they advised us to drive her to the emergency room and not bother taking the ambulance that had not yet arrived.  

 When we arrived at the hospital about 30 minutes later it turned into a full blown emergency.  As soon as they saw her they knew that she had Meningococcemia.  They gave her antibiotics immediately.  They purple marks were now all over her body.  After an agonizing and terrifying two hours they stabilized her and sent her over to the pediatric ICU.  They said that if she made it for 24 hours then she would have a good chance to survive.  It was Christmas Eve morning.

 Rachel was so brave all day.  She just wanted to know when it was time for breakfast!  As the day went on her feet and legs started to turn black.  We knew that she might lose them but the doctors were extremely optimistic that she would survive.  Things worsened as the afternoon progressed.  She was not producing urine and her heart rate was extremely high.  She was transferred to a Children�s hospital at Stanford.  At this point our baby was so sick.  I kept thinking that we should be at church celebrating Christmas Eve not at the hospital with a dying child. 

The doctors  still gave us hope that she may survive.  Shortly after midnight (It was now Christmas morning) we told Rachel that they were going to give her medicine to help her sleep.  We told her that we saw Santa and that he brought her the Bratz doll that she really wanted.  We then told her how much we loved her and that we would see her when she woke up.  She never did.  They put her on a respirator to help her breath.  They put her on kidney dialysis.  At about 5:30am we checked on her and the nurse told us that her heart was bleeding.  The doctors and staff proceeded to perform CPR for about 40 minutes because her heart was finally giving out.  We had a couple of minutes to say goodbye after they stopped.  We knew our baby was already in heaven.

 We lost our only child on Christmas morning.  She went to be with Jesus on his Birthday.  Rachel Ann Schrette was smart, sweet, funny and she loved life. We still can�t believe that she is gone.  We miss her so much.  Neither one of us had even heard or read about this terrible disease.  We are still in shock and mourning.

Steve and Joi Schrette

 

 

Notes To Rachel and Her Family

To Rachel's Family,

No words can bring healing to your heart, no deed can ease the pain. But for those who have walked your path, we want you to know we are here. We will listen, cry with you, we will share Rachel through your memories and we will lift you up to the Father each day.

Darling Rachel, you have soared beyond the universe where man can only dream to vision, you have entered the gates of Heaven, you have met your Angel brother and sisters and you have seen the Face of God. Go in Love Dear Angel.

Please give Ryan a hug and tell him we miss him and will see him as soon as God allows.

Please ask God to watch over all of our Earth Bound Angels and bring the healing, joy, and peace that only He can. 

Frankie and Bob Milley, parents of  HBA Ryan Milley, June 22,1998.

To precious Rachel...

It was your time to touch the hands of God and live in Heaven where there is no pain and no grief.  You are an angel who is thought of and remembered by many for your strength and courage. God had a special place for you through the golden gates of Heaven to take you so suddenly and so soon.  We will see you when God allows.  May you please ask him to heal my Mother who is fighting for her life because of Meningococcal Meningitis.  God Bless YOU and your family.  I pray for God to give your family strength for the long journey and peace of understanding in why you had to leave.

My prayers are with you my Angel, and your beloved family.

Faithful Daughter Lana

 

 

 

Dear Rachel,

My love and prayers to your family. Give Cherice a hug
for me. It has been two years and we still miss her. I
hope that your family will find strength to cherish
your memories,

Claudette
(Cherice's Mom)

 

 

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