She was ready. She had been prepped for what was to come. Seventy-four days worth of accumulation in her room had been removed and all evidence that she was there had been erased. She had put on her best paper gown and said her final goodbyes. As she was wheeled down the hall, those who had been most precious to her lined the halls and whispered words of encouragement to her. They had been with her more in the past months than even her own family. Tears coursed down her cheeks as she touched each one of them and thanked them profusely for the care that they had provided.
She was taken to pre-op and asked some questions even though the paper work had been filled out long ago. Then, they began to prepare for battle. The battle that would save 2 lives! First, they started an IV and prepared a line that was inserted straight into the main artery in her neck. As they put it in and then sewed it into her skin, her doctors all came in one by one and laid their hands on her and prayed over her. Her husband held her hand and gently reassured her that all was going to be ok and then prayed over the doctors. They wheeled her into the OR and began. There were so many people there to assist. One lady even leaned over the patient and removed her mask. She told her that she had been in a Bible study that she had led freeing her from a huge sin. The nurse had had herself reassigned to this OR for this surgery. She asked the patient if she could put on some music. As the strains of Jeremy Camp washed over the operating room ,a sense of calm also came over it. The patient looked into her husband's eyes and felt his peace and knew that no matter the outcome, all would be ok.
The doctors came in and began to operate on her. She could see them talking to one another and she knew all the moves to this intricate dance. Soon, she heard the most precious sound, the cry of her newborn baby as he was ushered into the cold, sterile world. She began to cry and knew that all the months of sacrifice were worth the one sound. The doctors briefly held him over the barrier and said that despite his being born 6 weeks early and having little to no amniotic fluid 3 months, he was all right. Her husband left her with a last kiss and an "I love you" and followed the baby.
The doctors then began the 2nd part of the surgery. She heard one of them say "uh oh" and knew that things weren't going to go all that well. Her heart raced and continued to climb until she experienced tachycardia. At that point, she asked to be put to sleep. She knew the risks of putting a pregnant woman to sleep and was willing to risk it. As she drifted off, she saw blood spraying the barrier and saw the concern in her doctor's eyes. Would she wake up? Would she see her baby again.......
