Twenty Years Ago - The Arrival
Twenty years ago today, on 3rd August 1989, something arrived that we had been expecting.
It was a huge parcel, and inside were two bedside cabinets that we'd ordered by mail order from a catalogue. They were woven wickerwork and weren't very expensive, because we suspected we wouldn't have much money for a while. But we thought they'd do until we could afford better ones.
Of course, we never did get more expensive ones and are still using them today: here's mine:
Stephen unpacked them all, because I was the size of Mars at that time and couldn't move about easily.
And then he put them each side of the bed, and went downstairs.
So I thought I'd put some books and things on them, and bent down to put them in the cupboard at the bottom.
And then my waters broke.
"Er - - Stephen - - could you come here a minute?"
Stephen came and looked at the now very wet bedroom, and started rushing round collecting things together.
I was strangely calm.
I rang the hospital.
"I'm pregnant and my waters have just broken."
"Right," she said, "and can you get to the hospital yourself? Are you full term? Has it been a straightforward pregnancy?"
"Well - - no. My previous baby was born at twenty-six weeks and died, because I have a condition called incompetent cervix, and so this baby's been sewn in with a Shirodkar suture. So I've spent a lot of time in hospital. Oh, and I've had a deep-vein thrombosis in the past, after my last pregnancy, and then a pulmonary embolism. And I don't feel proper labour pains because there's something wrong with my womb because my mother was given a drug called Stilboestrol when she was pregnant with me. Oh yes, and the baby's lying sideways. Because of all this, I've been told I'll probably need a Caesarian section."
I could her her voice beginning to falter.
"Sideways? Are you sure?"
"Yes, because I have a broad back, and they told me the baby's sideways because of that. There's a lot of room."
There was a very, very long pause.
"We'll send an ambulance straight away."
I had an emergency Caesarian section.
Happy Birthday, Olli.
It was a huge parcel, and inside were two bedside cabinets that we'd ordered by mail order from a catalogue. They were woven wickerwork and weren't very expensive, because we suspected we wouldn't have much money for a while. But we thought they'd do until we could afford better ones.
Of course, we never did get more expensive ones and are still using them today: here's mine:
Stephen unpacked them all, because I was the size of Mars at that time and couldn't move about easily.And then he put them each side of the bed, and went downstairs.
So I thought I'd put some books and things on them, and bent down to put them in the cupboard at the bottom.
And then my waters broke.
"Er - - Stephen - - could you come here a minute?"
Stephen came and looked at the now very wet bedroom, and started rushing round collecting things together.
I was strangely calm.
I rang the hospital.
"I'm pregnant and my waters have just broken."
"Right," she said, "and can you get to the hospital yourself? Are you full term? Has it been a straightforward pregnancy?"
"Well - - no. My previous baby was born at twenty-six weeks and died, because I have a condition called incompetent cervix, and so this baby's been sewn in with a Shirodkar suture. So I've spent a lot of time in hospital. Oh, and I've had a deep-vein thrombosis in the past, after my last pregnancy, and then a pulmonary embolism. And I don't feel proper labour pains because there's something wrong with my womb because my mother was given a drug called Stilboestrol when she was pregnant with me. Oh yes, and the baby's lying sideways. Because of all this, I've been told I'll probably need a Caesarian section."
I could her her voice beginning to falter.
"Sideways? Are you sure?"
"Yes, because I have a broad back, and they told me the baby's sideways because of that. There's a lot of room."
There was a very, very long pause.
"We'll send an ambulance straight away."
I had an emergency Caesarian section.
Happy Birthday, Olli.
posted by Daphne at 1:50 pm
9 Comments:
Well you could never even think about getting rid of those bedside cabinets could you? Not with that sort of history attached to them!! Many happy returns to Olli, and well done Daphne for staying calm all those years ago. I always think that Mums & Dads should have a special celebration of their children's birthdays, so Congratulations Stephen & Daphne
Love
Christine
I always think it's important to celebrate your birthday because otherwise it would be an insult to your mother. I hope Olli suitably celebrates the arrival of your bedside units.
come and collect an award on my blog!
To adapt what the great Eddie Izzard said about the dial on a toaster..you lie, you lie.
There is no way in the world that is the side of YOUR bed. Where is your handbag ? I rest my case.
A happy birthday to Ollie and a happy anniversary on your WWBC (woven wickerwork bedside cabinets).
It's spooky how similar an obstetric history we had - apart from the last day - I had all the luck there. Happy anniversary of the date of Olli's birth to all of you
Christine - thank you so much!
Ruth - yes, thank you, the Bedside Cabinet Anniversary is celebrated on an annual basis.
Tony - - you're spam! I'm not clicking on the link!
Silverback - - I was holding my handbag when I took the photo, of course!
Bob - thank you very much!
Dizzy - yes, it's astonishing that Gareth's mum and Olli's mum should have such similar obstetric histories. Clearly our children were made for each other!
Those bedside cabinets should become heirlooms! Great post. Hope Olli had a wonderful birthday :o)
I,m Spam!
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