‘OPEN THE DOOR!’I yelled, screaming at the top of my voice.
So much adrenaline was running through my body as I carried my wife through the glass doors of Kikelomo Medical center.
The hospital was unusually crowded but I couldn’t care less. She held me tight, she was heavy and covered in sweat all over. Although her tummy was really protruded; the doctor had assured us that she wasn’t due for delivery until another 3 weeks.
‘PETER !’ She cried out
I was confused, I had a right to be, after all, it was our first child and all the videos and seminars didn’t seem to adequately explain what to do when, ‘the water broke’
‘Please put her on the stretcher’ Offered a nurse.
Under normal circumstances, I would have noticed her perfect curves and how her dark hair bounced superbly on her shoulder. The way her cheek bone aligned majestically with her oblong face and her eyes, they were magical. But then, this was not a normal situation and yes, I know I said I was married but I never said I was blind.
Back to my story, shall we!
And so, I laid her on the stretcher and watched as she was wheeled into one of the ICUs. I was asked to stay outside. I paced from side to side and watched as seconds grew into minutes and minutes strolled into longer minutes.
It was during that time, I noticed the immaculate floor tiles and the giant wall clock that stood unhurriedly at the eastside of the reception. I observed all the various patients that suffered from one ailment or the other. It was at that point, I perceived the smell. The familiar smell that hospitals have, I now perceived it and I hated it.
‘Mr. Peter, please come quickly’, requested one of the nurses
‘Your wife wants you beside her during labour’, she added.
I had pictured this day a thousand and one times and we had joked about it a couple of times. I had always told her that I would find a reason not to be in the labour room with her but; there I was, like a lamb to the slaughter.
‘Peter! You did this!’
That was definitely not part of our rehearsal.
She kept screaming and calling my name. The mid wife touched my shoulder. She was looking very calm and unshaken.
‘Is this your first child?’ I nodded in approval.
‘Don’t worry, everything will be alright. Now be a man and comfort your wife’, She said reassuringly.
I put on my ‘big boy pants’ and stood by her side. I echoed the words of the midwives.
‘Push ! Push ! Push ! You can do it’
‘Onye ! I am tired, I can’t push any more’ she replied
She became weaker with each push, I became more anxious, the midwives encouraged me to be strong and encourage her to push.
A doctor walked into the room and one of the mid wives whispered something to her.
‘One last push’, she requested, but, that too wasn’t enough.
The doctor came close to me and whispered. Your wife is getting tired; we would have to do a caesarean.
‘God Forbid!’ I yelled in surprise
‘Sheeee !’ She requested
‘You must stay calm for her sake and also for the baby she advised
‘How could I stay calm’, I thought to myself.
My wife was likely going to have a CS and I had to stay calm. I held my wife’s hand and whispered into her ear.
‘Precious, I love you and I know you will give birth to our baby, please push one last time, please’, I pleaded.
That was the magic word. She squeezed my hand, almost stopping the flow of blood. She gave one final push, and then screamed louder than anything I have heard in my entire life.
‘It is coming’, called out one of the midwives
‘Na boy!’ reported another midwife
I had tears in my eyes as I watched the creation of a new life. It was at that point I recalled an article I had read earlier. It explained that the human body was designed to take about 45del of pain but that during child birth, a woman experiences about 76del of pain (equivalent to about 20 bones breaking at the same time).
My wife (who was in pain a couple of minutes earlier) was now smiling as she held OUR baby. I was sobbing in a manly manner and I thanked God for safe delivery. I was holding in my hand a child who was literally ‘one in a million’.
It is interesting how a simple experience could change a person’s life. As I stood there watching my wife and the child we had brought to life, I made a renewed commitment to be a better person, I was going to give my best to this child. I gently placed a kiss on OUR baby’s forehead, then quietly reminded myself, “I’M A DADDY!”
Hope you enjoyed reading the story. Please drop a comment contact me – me@peterokolie.com
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Comments
positive @positive
I am a business and I.T consultant. I am a part time graphics designer, a part time web developer and a full time writer. I am a social entrepreneur and if God Almighty were a drug, I should be called an addict.
www.peterokolie.comGo to positive's profile, and read more of his/her posts.
I love the sweetness of the story and the simple way you wrote it.
Just wanted to add that there’s nothing wrong with cs. Better that than lose the life of mother or baby or both.
Thanks for the compliment plus I agree with you that there is nothing wrong with CS i just think it is scary !
yea cs does not mean God is not with you either and its better than losing both ways.- good story simply told
Peter, you’re funny. You did notice that nurse with her curves and hair. Lovely story. And is too late to say congratulations?
@moskeda Trust me if it was wasn’t for the condition of things, I would have noticed far more
Daddy alright! Just remember that next time you whisper “come to daddy”
to your lovely wifey.
@dottaraphels I hear you loud and clear
This is fiction jare…Pete is not married yet….Don’t make d single girls start crying already…hehehe…
You painted it well, and you noticed that nurse too… well done…$ß.
@sibbylwhyte
the writer has even forgotten that he wrote fiction.
*smh*
Daddy ko, daddy ni
@kaycee c beef !
birth the pride of fatherhood. women also deserve kudoz cuz its not an easy road. nice1!
@1prodigy I totally agree with you. It ain’t easy but the beautiful thing is that she forgets all the pain as she holds her baby in her hands
I like the simplicity in your story Peter. It’s a nice one…,
@charles Gracias
I like the story, very easy to read and relate with.
Nice one @positive. Keep writing…
@lancaster I would definitely take your advice and keep writing !
Funny story. But I won’t tell you the flaws in the ‘labour’ stuff you wrote. Let the doctor authors come and do that for you.
Well done.
@babyada thanks
This is a sweet story with a sweet ending. I like it…
@babyada please, tell us na. I want to learn. The doctor authors might not see this post.
@gooseberry thanks for the compliment and also for asking @babyada for directions
Sweet story, @postive.
Watch out for the minor punctuation issues.
I didn’t know that pain could be measured in ‘dels’.
Alright @gooseberry. I don’t think a woman in labour would be wheeled to ICU. She would just be taken to the labour ward/room. Then you can’t notice a pretty nurse if you’re caught up in such a fix as you portrayed.
Then as for the pushing, you don’t just tell a woman to push. It’s a patient-nurse act, so the woman’s part is lacking in your story. She tells you she’s ready, that the contraction is on, before you tell her to do so.
Well done Peter.
@babyada, thanks. Don’t even know what an ICU means. I’ll check that out. Eshe gaan.
@babyada I am so laughing now. I am glad you pointed that out , I have taken note the observations and I like it. @gooseberry ICU means intensive care unit. And @babyada what makes you think a guy wouldn’t notice a pretty nurse at a time like that…
@positive, if he does, and it is his wife on the gurney (even if not), he is not right in the head. Simple.
More and more funny stuff coming up everyday… interesting! Women dey try o!
You painted this scene very nicely… and real. I’m glad it ended well and whether or not this is fiction -[ I mean, if the writer seems unsure, how can I go by just the tag?]- I’ll still say, congratulations daddy! @positive.
@chimzorom thanks cos this congrats is for the near future
its great to be a daddy- ya story is good
I totally agree with you, hold that new life in your hand has a way of humbling a man.
@positive, well done. U did well. Pay attention 2 what @babyada said up there. Frm d beginning I knew it was serious fiction.ICU is meant for very bad cases. Most of the cases I’ve seen in ICU, men, d patients died o. Besides, women in labour aint taken to ICU. Two, u were noticing curves, trust me, that can only happen in stories, like this. U need 2 come 2 labour ward and see how relatives(especially husbands) react when their wives are in unbearable pain.THEY ARE ALWAYS CONFUSED and SCARED. Three, I no know which kain hospital would allow u enter labour ward during labour 2 hold ur wife! U wish! In our teaching hospital here, laelae. Most hospitals in 9ja don’t allow that. Maybe private hosptals sha.Four, ur wife can’t grab her baby as d baby is comin out, just like that. Its d Doctors or midwives that would catch the child, cut. And clamp d cord, clean her etc. Labour is very painful. Ur wife wd be very weak after pushing. Five, u can’t carry a baby that just came out. The body wd be so slimy and covered wt mucus and blood that u wdn’t want 2 touch, let alone kiss. I wan go sleep. U did well o.Three Gbosas 2 u!
Hospitals allow @ least husbands in the labour ward, don’t know about them teaching hospitals- with their plenty laws and donate blood routine,
@fiyinsiku your observation i very tight, oya i confess you are right on point. point taken and I am glad you pointed it. Plus how do you know all this
You did well, engaging story, read like non-fiction in some parts…
@elly, abeg which ‘hospitals’? Heheheheh. I need names now pls
Kikelomo Medical center
but na fiction o!
@elly, abeg which ‘hospitals’? Heheheheh. I need names now pls. Govt hospitals don’t, I tell u. But pls, lemme know…
@elly, abeg which ‘hospitals’? Heheheheh. I need names now pls. Govt hospitals don’t, I tell u. But pls, lemme know… And I mean the ones u hv seen urself..not d ones they told u abt…