The Delivery Day!
(The delivery, surgery, embarrassment and all that)
Warning: Not a comfortable content for expectant mommies.
I have no idea how many of you would have experienced what follows. But, I will pen it down in the simplest way possible, forget vocabulary! Have you ever undergone a surgery? Ever experienced the pre and post effects of the terrorizing minutes of surgery?
Well, I am a new mom who had to take a C-section surgery because my little one was too playful that she wound the umbilical cord all around her. That day! That day was the most “couldn’t find a word” day of my life. Not in a pleasing tone. Like all expectant mothers at 38th week of pregnancy, I went to bed with heart filled dreams and palpitations anticipating delivery any minute of the day. That night was a little special as I took a long stroll with my dad after quite a long time. Then I went to bed, needless of any alarm set because i hardly get some sleep. The next day morning exactly by 6’o clock when I got up to empty my bladder, I heard someone clap so hard from my Vagina. Oh! That’s one spooky feeling. As an over read precautious mom-to-be, I realized my water bag broke. Water started dripping along my legs. A gush of mixed emotions took over me. I called my mom and dad and for a moment I felt this has happened to no other girl but just me! Bathing, prayers, packing and rushing towards the hospital’s emergency ward we were all excited in every way. It was a government holiday. Spoiling the holiday mood of ward-helpers there, I was the first patient for the day.
They brought a wheel chair and I was taken to the next floor into the labour room. My mom and dad were in cloud nine, following me! I was all confused as to “why a wheel chair?” (Later I got to know). All the passers by gave a look at me. Some smiles, some not so good stares, some just gazed in lost thought. Altogether it was an embarrassing moment – (1). I number this one because there are a lot to come. I don’t know why we could never hold us back from doing this. Sad curious human mind. At the labor room, with empty stomach, I was given a dull purple colored gown. I was made to rest on a bed with long limbs. My mom besides me, everything seemed so cool and I was mentally preparing myself for the process, calling hanuman for help.
Then began the cascade of embarrassing and terrorizing moments. My legs were spread, and my vagina was made a show piece for all the visiting doctors(2). Bright light was illuminating my lower half. Eshwaraaaa! I felt so helpless and i even did regret that romantic night with my husband. You know one’s personal hygiene would not be impeccably great during pregnancy (at least not mine!). There were male and female intrusions and timely finger examinations to check if the baby’s head was fixed(3). Urgh! It was so painful.
Then came the procedure of inducing pain. A solution was passed into my body through by tripping. I started feeling contractions in regular intervals. It was a concentrated version of period cramps that went on and on for some two hours. These hospital people including doctors have a special talent of doing so many things to our body, extracting details from us and not telling a pinch of what’s happening to us. You will be like “Come on you fools! This is my body! My life…. give me some f'g information on what’s going on!”.
(Click over the image for better quality)
Everyone around you would speak a familiar language but you wouldn’t understand a thing. I was already imagining labor process from Indian cinemas and preparing my facial muscles for reactions, mandatory you see! The twist happened then. My gynecologist entered the room and alerted the whole story declaring that the baby was in distress due to the umbilical cord that wound its neck. She told me in gibberish that I will be taken to operation theatre now, crashing all my dreams on normal labor.
To me it was life crashing, mind depressing, soul stirring moment, but everyone around me seemed so casual. Two huge ladies came with a stretcher and lifted me up to take me to the OT(operation theatre). The doctor was commenting on the nurse’s extra make-up on her face ,not realizing my day has turned black. Knife! Blood! Injections. Oh please!
With the stressed heart, slid on a stretcher, hearing those ladies’ family gossips, I reached the OT in the tenth minute. (Thanks to my mom who managed to be beside me, until that it felt so soothing!). I guessed it would take an era now to finish all the procedures. I felt like an orphan once I reached OT all surrounded by people I never know(knew!). I was undressed, folded from head to toe and phewwww! I got an injection at my spine at the most unexpected time from a male doctor! Not so cool for an overly orthodox lady like me! (4)
Snap, next minute I am on the bed. Snap! Doctor announced my operation, Snap! I sense something weird in my senseless abdomen, Snap! I feel my stomach unpacked. Snap! something releases, Snap! I hear my baby cry. I trust Indian Cinemas here! The moment I heard this I felt an inexplicable glee at once, my baby! Forgetting everything for a moment, the common excitement of knowing the gender caught me. It’s a baby girl. And I saw her!! With all the struggles of mine, she ended up looking all like her father. Meh! She was then taken for her first bath.
After realizing the world around me, I felt everything inside me was hollow. Hunger hit me like I was starved for an era. The nurse beside me said I would not eat for the next six hours. The glee melted like ghee and I wanted to cry out in (hu)anger. Then started the suture phase. Sticking my flesh together. You know what! Doctors gossip a lot! Gossips were the only food to my empty stomach and aching soul. How experienced they could be if they can discuss about some person casually while stitching a human flesh. Amazing! *Slow claps*
Soon I was shifted to recovery room. Believe me or not! That moment I wanted to meet my mom rather than my baby. My lower half was completely senseless. Was not able to move a bit. I was not covered so well, I mean exposure might not always have a modern tint. Strangers passing by all around in uniform I felt like an item dancer on first day shoot. They all seemed so happy but so irritated to serve me. This checked my temper. I felt helpless. Unless you dig their soul out, they would never tell you, what’s happening to you and when the hell would you get out of that room. Around me where people from all ages, lying helpless just as me.
Those nurses will never address you by your name. For a while, your name will be 301 or some random number or simply ‘cesarean’. Uh! Whatta cool name! *churn*
After hours of gazing at the soulless surrounding, I was able to move my legs and hip with great pain but all I wanted was to get out of that place. Then my savior came in green uniform and announced that I can be shifted to the room again. The ladies in green saree took me to the place where my mom was, again gossiping all the way. Sigh of relief! I am alive and out. Not an orphan anymore.
Because I was a kid who grew up watching Indian cinema which romanticizes even the relationship between pee and poop, I had a totally different idea about delivery. I now know it’s a huge myth. After all this struggle, I realized why this word “mother” gets the respect it gets from the day one.
P.S: - It was purely the outcome of my experience and emotion. It might not match everyone or anyone.
Thank you!!
