It was the second time the fetal heartbeat monitor flashed red, the heartbeat had dipped below 60. The doctor came rushing in and examined me. The baby was under stress and we had to proceed with emergency c- section. I was put on a wheelchair and moved to a floor above where the ORs were. There was a minor confusion about the OP rooms and I remember yelling at a nurse.
Entering the OP room, I remember faintly noticing that it looked little unorganized and that there was no natural light. (yes, I did notice that at such a time : D) . Once on the table, the anesthesiologist(yes, I googled the spelling), bless that sweet lady, asked me not to worry and helped me calm down a bit. She told that she was going to insert a needle in my spine and it would hurt a little. But, I guess I was so pumped up with adrenaline that I didn't feel a thing, a slight prick may be.
A pillar with a bright light was moved near me and an oxygen mask was put on me." Helloo..I can breathe alright!", I wanted to tell that mask made things scarier. Then they placed a divider over me on the operation table, something like the net on the ping pong table, only in place of net, there was a green cloth. So that I couldn't see myself being cut open. I closed my eyes and tried to relax. When I opened them, I noticed that the shiny surfaces of the 'light pillar' (in absence of a better word) reflected and acted like a mirror and I could see my body. I closed my eyes tight, I didn't want those images of seeing myself being cut open haunt me later. (But later I would realize that I missed the opportunity of seeing my son being born). Now you don't feel being cut but you do feel pressure and someone is goading you. I was trying to relax but my mind I was like "OMG it IS happening, it IS happening"!
Earlier in the day, actually the previous night, it was around 1:30 when I felt my water breaking in my sleep. I woke up, with my heart racing , checked my clothes and then woke hubby up. He went and woke up MIL in the other room. I changed and we picked up the bags and went to the CloudNine hospital, which was just 2 km away from our place. There were two people manning the reception desk and they pointed us to the ER. The nurse in the ER called for the on duty doctor. This bit was frustrating as she called the doctor twice before the annoyed, reluctant doc appeared. She checked and affirmed that I was indeed in labor and I was admitted. The nurse prepped me, asked me to change and stick the injection thing in my arm and wheeled me to the room which would be our home for the next 4 days, the first shaky and underconfident days are parents.
Within few minutes, I heard crying noises (Imagine the fast track sitar music in old Hindi films when something exhilarating happened). "Congratulations, beta hua hai. Healthy hai, sab theek hai, time of birth - 1:31pm" said the nurse while showing me the lil thing wrapped in green hospital sheet. It was such a relief that everything was fine. They took his weight and height and stuck the vitamin K injection.
While the delivery took only a few mins, sewing me back up did take a while 20 mins I guess.
"Sharma Ji..kuch gaana chalao.." said my doctor to a person in the room.
( I don't remember the name, let's call him Sharma ji for the convenience of it). The doctors, nurses and staff had been talking all that while , I guess for them it was routine.
Haan ji ma'm, Sharma ji replied and put on a remix song..'Dil Kay kare jab kisi se kisi ko pyar ho jaye' from the then recent release 'Kabil' .
"Ye toh purana gana hai na?", ma'm enquired.
"Haan mam, aajkal purane gaane hi naye bana dete hain".
At that time I felt surprised and little annoyed that how could they talk as if they were having lunch but in retrospect, their small-talk did help me relax.
Mam, I can see myself on this lamp surface, I told the anesthesiologist who was standing near my head.
Kya, you can see yourself?? Arey ye light adjust karo usko dikh raha hai.
After that, I could open my eyes without being horrified by the sight of my open tummy.
"Arey aapne budget dekha mam, aapke liye toh faayda hai" . And they discussed about the new and olds of the budget and I would never forget that the day my son was born, the budget was presented in the parliament…
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