Of Life and Baby

  Back when my wife was pregnant with our son we went to the woman’s clinic for a check up. That was back before when she was the one that wanted three kids and I was the one that want to hold at just the one. I being frugal want the best for my family and have a mess of children on my income was going to suck the wallet dry. She wanted a large family like the one she grew up in; she was 7 of 9 children, (Star Trek REF.)
  I caught flack for my fore though from friends and family. They would tell me that I was wrong and that it was also her choose as to the size of her family, because it was her body.
  That was about to change. My wife's doctor was gone for the day so we ended up in a room with this old man. He had been a doctor for as long as Jan had been alive. I questioned just how sharp he could have been. That also was about to change. He laid his hands on my wife’s belly and let out a sign.
  “I just don’t know,” he said looking at the chart.
  “What is wrong I asked,” I asked, looking over into my wife’s eyes.
  “Everything looks okay but I have a feeling that you should go to the hospital and have them fully check you out again,” he said, once again looking up at us from the chart.
  As simple as that we left there went home and grabbed a few things and we were off to the hospital. My wife need up staying in the hospital over night with a dear friend. I had to come home and take care of some things. I kept the phone close and slept quit well. It would be the last good sleep I got for a few weeks.
  The next morning the wife called and said to come get her and so I jumped into the car and headed down to the hospital. When I got there, they told be that she was going to another hospital and that the baby needed to come out. This meant 7 and half weeks early. We had just talked about this scenario in baby class. We never did finish that class.
  I went home and made a few calls and she headed to Emanuel hospital in Portland, Oregon. I arrived at the next hospital and she was already in bed but didn’t look very comfortable. They had started the birthing process by giving her some meds. Her best friend was there and we waited for family and friends to arrive.
  About an hour in to the process a CNA came into the room and asked her how she felt. Jan said she was having a great deal of discomfort. She went over to the end of the bed and raised the sheet and quickly lowered it back down.
  "I will be right back," said the CNA.
  A few minutes later, an older nurse walked into the room. She did as the CNA had done, raised the sheet and looked under the hood.
  "I will be right back," said the Nurse.
  They were back in just a few minutes this time a third nurse came into the room and introduced herself as the charge nurse, the one responsible for all the nurses on the floor.
  "I am the charge nurse, I am here to take a look at your and see how you are coming a lone," she said, moving around to the end of the bed.  She raised the car hood and looked in as I had seen my father do on many occasions, to cars that is and not my wife.
  "I will be right back," said the Charge Nurse.
  At this point, I looked over to the wife and declared that I was started to see a pattern. Up the chain of common we went and by the time we were done the wife was being wheeled out of the hospital room in her bed. A C-section and I soon found out that I was a father. But I couldn't see my boy or my wife. I was told that their lives hung in the balance, there are talk of chances at life.
  I wasn't a praying man back then but I did my best to be heard.
  I waited in the room, for some sign for God or just a nurse. The sign came in the form of a lady in black. She wore a white shirt and tie. She introduced herself and I for the life of can only remember looking at the tie. I have no idea if she was a doctor, nurse, or a business woman that wondered off the street.
  She told me that she believed my wife would be fine but as I new my baby boy was 7 weeks early.  I was told of his Clef lip and of some other things.
  "I would like to see my son?" I remember asking, more than once.
  She asked me to calm down.

  "I am calm, I know about disabilities, I know about chef lips, my brother has one, they run in the family. Now can I see my son?"
  With this she seemed less worried and we were off to see my son for the first time. I wasn't a loud to touch him and the people in the room was quit surprised to see that I was in this little room.  It was like a little kitchen. Three babies getting ready to go out in the NICU and me standing in a gown with booties and hat to make got to see my son for the first time. That was when I realized I wanted more, brothers and Sister for my baby boy.  To bad by the time my wife had recovered she had changed her opinion of the size of her future family. She now want it to be held at one child. Never mind the fact I wanted more. I hear things like it is her body. Even though a short time ago it was I who was arguing for just one. Ironic really when you think about it.
  We took our son back to the clinic and should that old doctor. He was happy that we had a health baby. He was forced to explain that he had took a guess that the readings in the chart were lying a sent us to the hospital. We thanked him and we never saw him again.