Get up, we have to go to the doctor!
Many a man has heard that cry in the middle of the night with a pregnant wife, but no one wants to hear it at 2:30 am and your wife is only 26 weeks along. It is too early, maybe a false alarm, what is up, get in the car, drive 4 miles like a maniac, get to the hospital, check in, get a bed and then the fun begins. Not any fun now mind you. This child was coming. No waiting. Mary is tilted upside down as they hoped to use gravity to keep the little one in. Steroid shots for the lungs. Then the contractions, hard and painful. One dose of medicine to stop the contractions. We need three days to help the lungs. More contractions. That’s not supposed to happen. Ready for power shot to stop contractions, but it could cause problems for Mary, even death. Just as they are ready to put the needle into the IV and stop those contractions a big push comes from the inside and the water breaks. Did the baby just save his own mother’s life. Did he just give his life for hers? All heck breaks loose as baby is on its way. Kiss wife goodbye, crying, all hope just about blown up. Will either of them come out of that room alive? Whisked away by a green and blue army of masked helpers. Standing beside an empty spot sobbing. It is not supposed to be this way. Why God? Don’t take my wife! Don’t take my firstborn! What are you doing? The baby is going to be so small. I don’t get it! Why are you letting this happen?
Minutes/hours/days/seconds later (it is all such a blur), 2 nurses rush by with a real tiny bundle with a big bag on its face and some very small fingers and toes sticking out of a blanket. It’s a boy! (And all a long I thought you would be a girl) Wow, I have a boy! Jacob Tyler, the only two boy names we liked and we used them all at once! How was Mary? Doing fine, Baby struggling but alive. Prepare for many months of stuff, if we get that far. Okay God what is up? He is so tiny and you have never seen so many tubes, wires and gadgets in your entire life. One arm is roughly the length of my index finger. He is so bruised. Poor baby. I am so sorry. God what did I do? He doesn’t deserve this! He is just a baby! Heal him! You promised! Heal him. I don’t understand! Thus began a 4 day journey and that is about all for today!
Love yunz,
Tim
