Friday, July 19, 2013

Beginning of my Fatherhood..

"When are we planning for a baby?"
"Should we?.. so early??"
Guess, my (bad?) habit of answering a question with another question is probably what my wife hates most. She continued..
"Enough, can't take it anymore.. better you face everyone yourself" - she looked annoyed.
"Let them ask me, I will answer myself.." - somehow, I wasn't dare enough to frame yet another question.
"It's been year-and-a-half we are married, are we growing younger anyways?.."
"uummmm.. no.., but.. we still have enough time.., isn't it?"

In the history of over 11 years of our relationship, this was the only thing about which me and my wife strongly disagreed upon - "having a baby". As it would have happened with any other married couple, we both soon had to face the undue pressure of being "parents". Though she looked a lot eager to be a "mom", I was too lazy and lethargic as usual.

"When are you both going to give us some good news?" - it was such an embarrassment when I was asked this by my wife's aunt in one of the family gathering.. didn't know what to answer! My wife seemed to be the most happiest person on earth that very moment, she was laughing mouthful. Realizing the fact what my brave wife was going through all past days, I quickly decided what to do next. Following a couple of fertile days I had marked for us, she only managed to have a period and missed the rest. When the hCG test done at home ran positive, we finally had a hint of the "good news"!!. I could no more be the same old "lazy boy".. our Gynecologist had confirmed the "good news" and certified it with a big list of precautions to my wife and responsibilities for myself.

"What are you going to present me for our second wedding anniversary?" asked my wife.
"Do we really need anything more?.." I said with a smile.
This time, my question as an answer to her question had little adverse effects; she very well understood what was intended. Following months of pregnancy were the most memorable days of life with lots of happenings around - scheduling appointments with the Gynecologist, waiting long hours for consultation, the curiosity of looking at our child through ultrasound while it slowly crept along it's crucial weeks of prenatal life, the joy of looking into the normal-read medical reports, the responsibility of being a sensible hubby, sharing few of her routine household chores, a little counseling done often to ease worries off and make her strong.. everything seemed like a fairy tale of a sweet dream!

It was on 29th June, the doctor advised to get my wife admitted for further medical care following frequent pain and discharge. Continuous fetal Non-Stress Test (NST) monitoring was normal throughout 30th June while she was in the labor ward. With no progressive signs of delivery, doctor recommended to wait until the next day for normal delivery to happen. It was at around half past 12 noon on 01st July, NST started recording an alarming drop in the fetal heart rate. Looking at the term scan report, doctor said "There might probably be something obstructing head to descend down and the baby seems to be in stress. It is better I take her in..". The sentence of term scan report "cord around the neck observed at the time of scanning" which I had purposefully ignored when my wife asked about it looking at the report a month ago was proved detrimental.

"Should I be operated now?"
"hmmmm.. baby seems to be stressed out. NST has now come down to 125, what was in the range of 145 earlier. Don't worry, C-section would be less painful compared to the normal labor pain. You will be put under anesthesia and by the time you open eyes, baby will be beside you" - even though I wasn't completely right, only intention was to ease my wife through her C-section. Hearing to those words and having known the stressed condition of the baby within, (looking as brave as ever) she too agreed.

"If you don't faint, please come to OT" said the doctor looking at me, this was what my wife also probably wanted. No matter I have been used to sight blood and also been regularly performing C-sections in animals myself, it shall never be easy to see the raw flesh and fresh blood of my loved one. Without much delay, I pulled on the pink gown and stepped in to OT. The anesthesiologist had done his job by then, but it was only the regional anesthesia - my wife was very well aware of the happenings around. Thanks to the head cap and face mask, which came to my rescue to avoid emotions on my face being directly seen by my wife. As the surgeon pierced through the different layers from skin into the abdominal cavity, I struggled to hold my nerves tight. While the suction pump cleared all the oozing out blood from the surgical site, baby was taken out with the umbilical cord around its neck. A few seconds later, the first cry of our baby brought a smile on my wife's face and a much awaited relief in me.

"Note the time of birth.." said the anesthesiologist to me. All my belongings were dropped outside the OT and the wall clock struck 2pm. I stood looking at the clock. "See whether you got a baby boy or girl.." - said the nurse. All I wanted was healthy mother and a healthy baby, no matter boy or a girl; reluctantly moved a bit towards the pediatrician who was passing the nasal tube to evacuate the mucus from the baby, I could see our tiny "daughter" crying aloud. "Don't you congratulate your wife?" asked the surgeon. Oh! yes.. had totally forgot to wish her.. I held her hand and gently pressed saying "daughter.." - am sure she did pick the pleasure within me as she was very well aware that I always preferred a daughter over son.

our daughter, on day two
Mom, daughter & dad are all fine now. Somewhere in May 2012, while I wrote a post "mom n me.." on this Blog (please read it again, it might just take a few minutes), it was mere fiction; and never was aware that almost the same thing would happen in my life a year later. Having such a lovely beginning to my fatherhood, we parents now have to shoulder the huge responsibility of making life of our daughter more prettier and most importantly, the responsibility of making her a beautiful human being.

4 comments:

  1. ಪಚ್ಚಿ , ಬಹಳ ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿದೆ. ನನ ಮಗ 25 ವರ್ಷಗಳ ಹಿಂದೆ ಇದೆ ದಿನದಂದು ಜನಿಸಿದನು.ನಿಮ್ಮ ಅನುಭವದ ಲೇಖನ ಓದುತ್ತಿದ್ದಂತೆ ಬಹುಶಃ ಅ ದಿನದ ಸಂತೋಷದ ನೆನಪುಗಳು ನನ್ನ ಮನದಲ್ಲಿ ಮತ್ತೊಮ್ಮೆ ಅಲೆ ಅಲೆಯಾಗಿ ಬಂದವು.
    ಶ್ರೀಮತಿ ವೀಣಾ ಪ್ರಶಾಂತ್ ಹಾಗು "ಚಿ ಅನಾಮಿಕ" ಗಳಿಗೆ ಭಗವಂತ ಅರೋಗ್ಯ ಭಾಗ್ಯ ಕರುಣಿಸಲಿ.
    ಶಿವಕುಮಾರ್

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ಸರ್, ನಿಮ್ಮ ಪ್ರೀತಿಪೂರ್ವಕ ಆಶಿರ್ವಾದಗಳಿಗೆ ವಂದನೆ. ಜುಲೈ ಒಂದರಂದು ನನ್ನ ಮಗಳೂ ಜನಿಸಿರುವುದು ನಿಮ್ಮನ್ನು ಎಂದೆಂದಿಗೂ ಮರೆಯದಂತೆ ಮಾಡಿದೆ. ಈ ಬರವಣಿಗೆ ನಿಮ್ಮ ಬೆಚ್ಚನೆಯ ಸವಿನೆನಪುಗಳನ್ನು ಮೆಲುಕು ಹಾಕುವಂತೆ ಮಾಡಿದೆಯೆಂದು ಕೇಳಿ ಖುಷಿಯಾಗಿದೆ. ನೆನಪುಗಳೇ ಹಾಗೆ ಸರ್, ಕಾಡುವುದೇ ಅವುಗಳ ಕಾಯಕ..

      ಕನ್ನಡದಲ್ಲಿ ಬರೆದ ನಿಮ್ಮ ಆಶೀರ್ವಾದಪೂರ್ವಕ ಅನಿಸಿಕೆ ಅತ್ಯಂತ ಸಂತಸ ತಂದಿದೆ.. ಧನ್ಯವಾದಗಳು ಸರ್..

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