I once heard a saying in life that miracles are a gift sent from above. Miracles give people the gift of hope. All I can conclude from this is that life works in mysterious ways.
It was a day that I would never forget, I was going to have a baby sister after all. My mother's water had just broke and everything in this house was in chaos. I was just standing there by the front door smiling and watching all the commotion, knowing that at then end of this day we would be an even bigger family. It was an exhilarating day, dad rushing to grab the baby bag in case this would happen sometime soon. He was so preoccupied with getting everything into the car he had forgotten mom. Until he heard the screams of mom from the kitchen. I quickly ran over and she grabbed on my arm telling me to get her to the hospital already.
"DAD! You can't forget mom!"
He ran inside the house, panting, "I am so sorry, I was just so anxious and it slipped my mind..."
"I DON'T CARE JUST GET ME TO THE HOSPITAL!" My mom was clearly on her breaking point now. Dad quickly picked her up from the chair and helped her to the car as I followed from behind them. We past the baby's room on the way out and I couldn't help but take a second look. It's empty now, but not for too long.
The ride to the hospital was unlike any car ride I have ever been through. Dad ran at least three red lights and mom was in a constant state of agony as the baby kept telling her it's time for me to come out. We pulled up to the ER and parked the car outside as my dad ran in and got a wheelchair. He wheeled her in and disregarded the fact that I was still there. I guess that meant I had to park the car. I didn't mind, this is what happens when parents decide to have a baby after their first one is already 17. I pulled the car around the hospital and into a parking space. I ran back to the hospital and asked the nurse where I would find them, "Third Floor, Room 316."
I raced up there, stairs, since the elevators would have taken far too long. I found them easily since I believe my mothers voice was the loudest on that floor. I came in and was given a gown to wear over my clothes. I guess in case some bodily fluids or whatever comes out during pregnancy should come flying out at me. I've only seen a birth on TV before, never this close up or this loud for that matter.
"DOC, I need that spinal tap now, this baby is not waiting any longer!"
"Jeannette, you need to take deep breathes, okay? Just like how you've been practicing," Dr. Marshall tried to calm her down, but he clearly does not know my mother well enough.
"GIVE ME THE DAMN SPINAL TAP!"
And what my mother demands, my mother gets. It sure shut her up though, she was feeling better as soon as her contractions went away and that needle went into her back.
The doctor came back to check up on her after about thirty minutes and said that the it was time. She was properly "dilated" down there. A more formal way of saying she was about to pop.
"Okay Jeannette, it's time. Greg, I need your help here okay? Keep her calm."
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" My mom kept screaming at the top of her lungs as the doctor kept telling her to push.
"One more, give a good hard push! I see the head! Jeannette you're almost there!"
And there she goes again, screaming even more. It was like a movie, the ones where a happy ending is about to happen and the audience is anticipating it. That moment when the baby comes out and is given to the mother to hold. A miracle in her hands.
"Okay Jeannette push one good last time!"
And then came cries, the baby was here.
"Dad? Will you do the honors?" My dad went over and cut off the umbilical chord, a real honor for the dad. Dr. Marshall handed the baby over to him to hold and he showed me. She was beautiful, gorgeous, and small. She was so small. She was so full of life.
"Hon, want to see our beautiful baby girl?" My dad walked over to my mom but there was something wrong. She wasn't opening her eyes and the monitors started to make that screech and monotone noise and the line was flat.
"Jeannette! Hang in there!" Dr. Marshall was screaming at my lifeless mothers body as he reached for the paddles and turned them on. "Clear!" And pumped it on my mothers chest, but nothing was happening. "Greg, you and your daughter need to leave now! Go to the waiting room!" We headed out but I kept staring at her, laying there still and no breath was leaving her body. She was pale and sweaty, her eyes were pierced shut and her head dangled to the left. What happened to my mother who was screaming a minute ago and had birthed a miracle into the world.
"Dad! What's going on? Why isn't mom waking up? I don't understand!" I piled on these questions to my dad as he just sat in the chair nearest the double doors. He just stared at them. Watching them wobble close and he didn't speak. For the next hour we just sat there together. Holding each others hands, with nothing to say.
Today birthed a miracle, a beautiful baby girl. Six pounds. Her name was Jeannette. Named after the mother who gave her life to let this miracle live on this planet when one was taken away. She was beautiful and she was a mirror image of her. She was the miracle that got to live.
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