A Stream of Life E-Book

Roza Sikon

• Herausgeber: Books on Demand
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 310

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2015

Beschreibung

A story of an emotional development of a woman, who through the birth of her handicapped child comes into a phase of her life that is a major challenge, yet at the same time an enrichment. She discovers that „sick“ children on their path to recovery possess a vitality that can also motivate each one of us in our behavior towards another and in taking a more creative life philosophy. Her situation allows her to realize that her idealized perceptions of interpersonal relationships and the expectations of fellow men and women have no position in the real world and that she must reconsider their applicability. Author’s daughter Cindy Gorski gives inside into her childhood in book „My soul never gives up!“ published in 2013. ISBN: 978-3-8423-8621-1

Leseprobe

Our achievements in life do not only depend on our own efforts, but also those of others. For this we should be grateful. It was the support of those around me that awakened my creativity and ability to express my true feelings and perceptions of my reality. I thank all of you independently, be you of the spirit world or of this wonderful planet, for your patience and understanding.

It was a warm and sunny day. The light sea breeze woke up the suntanned bodies. The air was filled with enlivening scents coming from the coconuts and oranges, the perfume of the pineapples especially was promising a carefree day, full of warm impressions. The palm leaves poking through the open windows into the room, the birds searching for breadcrumbs on the terrace, were promising a feeling of both lightness and security. The luxuriant nature of the small, tropical, volcanic island in the still of the ocean made one feel united with nature.

When one longs for calm and constant warmth, associated with deep inner happiness and enlightenment, and gets a chance to experience this, even if for a second, such a moment remains in one’s mind forever. These moments shape our lives, by returning to us at the most unexpected times and situations and they illuminate this sometimes dark path called life like the rays of the sun.

Table of Contents

Part One

Chapter 1

Chapter II

Chapter III

Chapter IV

Chapter V

Chapter VI

Chapter VII

Chapter VIII

Chapter IX

Chapter X

Chapter XI

Chapter XII

Part Two

Chapter I

Chapter II

Chapter III

Chapter IV

Chapter V

Chapter VI

Chapter VII

Chapter VIII

Chapter IX

Chapter X

Chapter XI

PART ONE

CHAPTER I

“Wake up sunshine!”

The young woman whispered these words in a gentle, but firm, voice to the little being sound asleep on the sofa of the Polynesian hotel.

“The rays of the morning sun are inviting us to the beach. Come – we’ll play in the waves!”

She could read the answer of the little one in his big smile and in his big light blue eyes, which shone with inner happiness. At the same moment a deep baritone voice reached them from the bed at the other end of the room.

“Are you already up? So early? Let me sleep a little bit longer!” And in order to achieve this, he buried his head under the pillow.

Stephanie, a sleek young woman with a light suntan, answered him with abundant joie de vivre:

“Let’s not miss such a beautiful day. I’ll take a shower while you quickly get ready.”

The feeling of being a wife and a mother at the same time made her smile contentedly. She gave her son a drink and disappeared into the bathroom. She glanced at her image in the mirror feeling happy and fulfilled. The gentle and warm togetherness with her beloved from the night before came back to her and enveloped her in the morning sunshine. In his arms she felt secure and complete as a woman. The ancient rituals of men and women, of fathers and mothers, of husbands and wives played an important role in her life.

The culture she was brought up with made this little unit, called family, very important and precious to her. These conservative and traditional values gave her strength in her role as a wife, and made her partnership with her husband stronger.

“I certainly will have another child”, was the thought going through her mind, while she smiled into her grayish blue eyes and well-defined eyebrows, reflected in the mirror. “This time it definitely will be a girl. I always wanted a little boy first and then a little girl”, was the thought that went in and out of her mind.

“Did you already shower?” asked the voice from under the pillow in the bed.

“Another five minutes and I’m done”, said the young woman.

She quickly finished her morning ritual in the bathroom and put her bathing suit and a light dress on.

“I’m ready. It’s your turn. I’ll go and look after the little one. We can leave in fifteen minutes.”

“It is a wonderful morning, isn’t it? My back is hurting, I think I’m sunburnt. And you are not letting me sleep in this morning!” said the young man jokingly.

She smiled gently. “Don’t fret, you’d better hurry up as we don’t want to play on the beach under the midday sun!”

They walked through the small streets between the resort hotels and reached one of the cafés on the beach to have breakfast. On their way to the café, people were glancing admiringly at the little boy in the stroller with the golden locks and a light tan.

“May I take a picture please?” The question was directed at them by a young Asian woman with a very profound Japanese accent. This question startled the young couple.

“I would love to have my picture taken with your little boy for good luck!”

This statement surprised the young couple even more.

“You see, in Japan, if you get your picture taken with a little blond boy, it means that you will get lucky in love and find a good man!” explained the young girl.

“Go ahead then, if you wish” said Robert.

All the young Japanese girls grouped around their little ‘Talisman’ and all one could hear was the clicking of their cameras. Afterwards, they all stepped back, bowed to thank the couple and left giggling.

“What a lovely boy we have. Now we are even being stopped on the street!” said Stephanie.

After breakfast, they took a long stroll along the beach by the water’s edge. Feeling relaxed in the intoxicating summer air, they admired the colorful mosaic of the tourists who came from all four corners of the world.

The carefree vacation days passed by quickly and their stay at this idyllic vacation oasis came to an end. Before their departure, the radio and television news were announcing the beginning of a war in the Middle East, this news made them homesick, and they were glad to make their way back home to Europe.

They still stuck to their original plan of stopping over in North America to visit some friends before their return home. The flight was very full. There were quite a few young men on board joining their armies in their homelands to fight the war. This gave the young couple an uneasy feeling. It made them realize that the news was real indeed. Before landing in Oregon, they admired from the air the endless West Coast. The land welcomed them with its lush forests and golden waterways. People were strolling along the rivers wearing colorful warm winter jackets, reminding them of Native American outfits. Everything seemed so peaceful, in tune with nature. The time in their friends’ pleasant company made them momentarily forget the seriousness of the forthcoming war. But they were reminded of it, when relatives of their hosts were called to duty at a station in Germany. Stephanie and Robert promptly offered their help and support in Europe. It made them very sad to see the sorrow in the eyes of the soldier’s parents. In spite of the hospitality of their friends, it became difficult to stay there during these sad times. The only time they found peace and solace was during their strolls in the lush green forests and under the rays of the sun in this corner of the world, where humans felt secure and bonded with nature. The trees and rivers were bursting with endless energy and were in total harmony with the earth. It was with mixed feelings that the threesome left this fairyland behind and started their journey towards Europe.

The air in the plane was fresh and mixed with a strong coffee aroma. The professionalism and efficiency of the crew reminded them exactly of the atmosphere in their small country, situated in the middle of Europe. The country, where milk, honey and chocolate flowed in abundance, where time was measured with the perfection of chronometers and where everything was as solid as their banking system. One could easily read on the faces of the passengers their enthusiasm for returning to their homeland.

The winter and their daily routine brought them back to reality. And soon, after a pregnancy test, they found out that their small family would grow and someone new would join them. Robert did not seem to be very enthusiastic about the news and their little son was too young to understand.

“Are you sure that it’s my child?” Robert asked, half-jokingly. He seemed to have doubts about the test results.

“What do you mean?” asked Stephanie, bemused by Robert’s unusual question. “Of course it’s your child!”

“But I was careful all the time! It cannot be true, you, pregnant again?” said Robert reproachfully.

“Why not? with the time difference the body reacts differently and the whole biological mechanism changes. Do you have any idea how lovely it would be to have two children?” said Stephanie optimistically.

“No, I don’t!” was his answer, “and I’m not ready for this. It’s too soon. I can hardly handle one, and now the second is on its way. I am simply not ready for a larger family.”

The room was filled with an eerie silence. Stephanie swallowed hard and went to the kitchen. One thing she knew for sure was that she would not abort this child! That would be unacceptable.

In the evening they went to Robert’s mother’s house.

She greeted them spontaneously with “What lovely news! I love children so much! Our house was always filled with children. Why aren’t you happy about this?” She turned towards her son. “Children come to this world and they get brought up. It’s that simple. I hope it will be a little girl! Oh, that would be so lovely …” she chirped. After these words, Stephanie felt calm returning to her.

The talk turned to the forthcoming Easter holidays. They decided to spend them in their homeland with her family and other relatives.

“Don’t you think this trip might be too tiring for you?” asked Robert’s mother. “It will take over ten hours to get there and you will have your little boy with you, You know the streets are snow-covered there.”

“What are you talking about, mother? The first pregnancy was without a problem, so why should something happen with this one? And your son is such a skillful driver!” said Stephanie and looked at her husband tenderly.

A few days later they were on their way. Everything went as planned. No delays and no unpleasant surprises with the weather.

“We are almost there. We need to refuel. I’ll stop at the next gas station.” These words woke her from her slumber. “Good timing, I need to go the toilet”, she answered.

“I’ll fill the tank, and you can get us something to eat”, said Robert.

“OK, I’ll be back in five minutes”, she said.

Stephanie ran towards the building. Everything was new and smelled clean and chemical. “Modernism has reached the old communist countries as well”, she thought. Even the toilets looked so modern and new, but so cold and artificial looking. She continued to remark: “Maybe it is the damp, cold weather out there, making me think like this.” While leaving the toilet area, an uneasy feeling overcame her. She shuddered with the thought of catching the flu or a virus.

“Oh, what a silly idea!” she whispered to herself. “I’ll wash my hands thoroughly. Who knows who was in there before? Soon we will be at my parents’ where nothing can happen to me. At home, one is always safe and mother will look after me….”

She entered the store, bought some lemon tea and ran back to the car. Her little boy Sven was sleeping peacefully. A few minutes later they were again on the highway.

Home! Her joy was overwhelming. The return to her homeland had always been a great event in her eyes and her parents received them with outstretched arms.

“How lovely it is to have you here! How was your trip? How long were you on the road?” were the endless, but ever so endearing questions.

Robert and Stephanie told them about the trip, and the news about the new baby. Her parents suggested Stephanie stayed with them while Robert went to visit his relatives living further away. Everybody agreed that this was a good idea.

A day after Robert’s departure, Stephanie was bedridden due to a fever and severe headaches.

“You really are sick”, said her mother. “I have to get some medication for you … you are burning with fever”, she said worriedly.

“No antibiotics please! I beg you, I am pregnant you know”, said the young woman.

“Of course dear, you are right…. The third month is crucial in the child’s development. I’ll ask the pharmacist to give you a natural remedy.”

The caring mother came back with a homeopathic preparation from her grandma’s pharmacy.

“I’ll massage this ointment into your skin. You should also drink a lot and take vitamins. That is the best method.”

Two days went by. The fever diminished, but Stephanie still felt quite weak. And on top of everything, she had a sore throat and a runny nose.

“Very simple – you have the flu.” said her mother. “We shall call your uncle, who is a doctor, I am certain he will have some good advice for you.”

“Do not give her any antibiotics and keep her warm, the cold has to run its course” said the uncle.

Another two days passed by. And Stephanie got better. Although she still had a sore throat and the cold, her fever went away. The holidays went by quickly as well, and it was soon time to go back.

“Drive carefully and beware of drafts!”

With her parents’ soothing words, they finally took off.

After their return home, Stephanie called her doctor, and made an appointment to have a thorough checkup.

“I didn’t detect anything unusual, the fetus is developing normally. The height is normal and the blood work results are in order too. This pregnancy is going as smoothly as the first one.” Stephanie thanked the doctor with a bright smile on her face. The good news calmed her down, and she quickly forgot her flu. Days and weeks went by, life took its normal course. She loved her work. Her colleagues and superiors were constantly inquiring about her health, they all wanted to know whether she would choose to return to work after the birth. Certainly, having two children was a big responsibility and required lots of attention.

“In our culture, women usually give up their jobs completely or partially, after having their first child, let alone the second one”, were the usual comments.

But Stephanie had her own convictions on this subject.

“My parents worked throughout. I do not know anything different, so I shall master this!” said the young woman.

One day, during her lunch break, she was discussing the company’s forthcoming restructure and the planned personnel changes with another colleague.

“I wonder what will remain for me to do here, after my return from the maternity leave?” said Stephanie.

“Oh there’s plenty of time to think about these things … for now enjoy your stay at home, where you will spend a lovely time with your family. Meanwhile we will work ourselves up here with heated discussions. And please do not worry about anything, we already made a decision about sharing your duties during your absence. We will manage, don’t worry.”

Suddenly Stephanie felt that something was wrong with her.

“What’s going on, are you alright?” asked her colleague.

“Something strange is happening, I can’t see properly, I can’t see you at all! I can’t move, I feel like I’m suffocating!” she whimpered fearfully.

“Stay calm, whatever it is, it will go away soon. Just breathe deeply, take a deep breath”, her colleague kept repeating.

“I’m not trying to make a scene, but this ringing in my ear … I can’t see anymore….”

“Shall I accompany you outside? Please don’t panic. You know, I’m trained, as a stewardess, to handle such fainting spells on board.”

Stephanie stayed put, concentrating on her breathing. “Can you hear me?” asked her colleague.

The ringing in her ears was going away slowly. She started to see gray dots, and right after that the darkness cleared. Slowly, she began to see her colleague’s body contours, while her colleague was ready to take action, to do whatever was necessary to make Stephanie feel better.

“I see you clearer now, but have no strength to stand up yet.”

“Don’t you worry, we have plenty of time. And even if we are a little late going into the office, it does not matter.”

Appreciation and gratitude were visible in Stephanie’s smile, although her face still showed signs of fear. “Something is not right with me”, she thought. A few minutes later both young women stood up.

At home she told her husband what had happened at the office. They decided to contact the gynecologist immediately. They had a long wait at the doctor’s office, there was no sign of him. Robert was slowly losing his patience.

“This is unacceptable, how can they make us wait so long?” he complained to the receptionist. “Our appointment was an hour ago.”

“Please don’t get upset.” The young employee tried to calm him down. “The doctor had an emergency. He will be with you soon. I’ll quickly ask him if he can see you now.”

They were received by the specialist right after that. After completing the routine checkup, the doctor said: “All seems to be in order. The development of the baby is normal, and it is the right size.”

“Are you sure doctor? I feel my belly is much smaller, compared to the first pregnancy. Almost half the size, and to top it all, I had this fainting episode.”

“Nothing to worry about”, the doctor tried to calm her down. “This is a little girl, and there are no rules, one pregnancy can differ from another. Are you taking the medication I prescribed you the last time?”

“What medication? You didn’t prescribe anything!”

“Oh my assistant mixed everything up again! I am slowly losing my patience with her. I had asked her to give you a prescription for iron and vitamins. This is very important, we should keep your blood at the ideal level. Also, we should arrange for you to have certain tests done at the hospital. You still have three months to go, and the hospital should be adequately prepared before the birth. My assistant will take care of it. By our calculations, the baby should arrive by mid-November. I will certainly be around at that time of the year.”

The doctor said his good-byes to the three of them with a rather nervous smile on his face. Stephanie’s fainting episodes repeated every two weeks. Her unease grew bigger and bigger.

“Something is not right”, she whispered one day to her husband. “I would love to go back to Canada to have this baby. Terry was fantastic with the delivery of our son. But I am not sure if he would to take me on again…. He just became a specialist and opened his private practice.”

“Don’t worry about it, I am certain he’ll take you. And in case he can’t, he’ll certainly refer you to another specialist and in any case I need to travel there too. I’ll arrange everything, trust me.”

In a week’s time it had all been arranged. The hospital in Canada was ready to receive the new patient, and had seen to it that all necessary tests would take place. Four more weeks to go before the delivery.

On Friday Stephanie informed her superior of her imminent departure to Canada, and that she would not be at work on Monday. He seemed surprised and asked her tersely: “And why is that?” Her brief answer did not convince him of the seriousness of the matter, he could not understand her fear. Either he did not know how to react to this situation or he did not buy her story. He asked her only the following question: “Do you have a medical certificate?”

“I’ll send it to you next week from Canada.”

He nodded and answered reluctantly: “OK then.”

She called her doctor to cancel her appointment for the delivery. The assistant picked up the phone.

“Sorry, the doctor is busy and has no time to speak with you right now”, was her answer.

“Please inform him that our plans have changed. We are going abroad, and I kindly ask you to cancel my appointment at the hospital.”

“Which country are you traveling to?” the assistant asked her.

“We are traveling to North America….”

“In that case you should contact the closest hospital there. You have to be checked out for CMV”, she told her.

“Excuse me, what is that?”

“Well, this virus … you see, you are carrying this virus, which could cause problems and changes in the development of your child. But, then again, maybe all is in order.”

Suddenly, Stephanie was enveloped with great fear. Thoughts of pain, sorrow, anger and faint shot through her mind … she forced herself to take charge of her emotions, to calm down, she chased all these negative feelings away, and asked in a calm tone:

“Could you please spell this word?”

“Of course, C-Y-T-O-M-E-G-A-L-O-V-I-R-U-S. Oh, please don’t worry, the doctor should have told you this a long time ago.”

For Stephanie, all these words were meaningless blabber. She felt like a candle blown out by the wind, she felt empty. She thanked her and hung up the phone. She knew something terrible had happened and this was just the beginning.

Thoughts were running amok in her mind. She tried with her eternal optimism to chase away this ice-cold, paralyzing fear, and overcome it by taking it lightly. Still, a suspicion started to form in her mind, the doctor responsible, must have been using and referring to the test results of her first pregnancy. These were only ideas in her mind, she had no proof whatsoever. One thing was sure: this trip to Canada was the right decision. They packed in calm and silence. They took enough stuff to last for the next three, four and maybe five months to follow. This trip was going to be a new chapter in her life.

CHAPTER II

The flight on Sunday went smoothly. Neither of them dared to talk about the past nor the future. Robert, who usually turned into a chatterbox during their travels and engaged all passengers around him into conversations, was very silent this time. He read the newspaper, listened to music and then concentrated in a very unusual manner on the film shown on board. The eighteen month old Sven ran around the aircraft and bewitched the passengers with his constant, sunny smile. They arrived in Toronto early in the afternoon and went straight to their favorite hotel. The next day they went to the hospital, where Terry, her doctor, who had become a friend in the meantime, had arranged a room and appointments with various renowned specialists.

“First you will go and have an ultrasound”, instructed Terry.

Typical of a North American, Terry had the solid conviction that the specialists there were the very best. An attitude also valid for everything else! This had amused Stephanie before, but now she started to understand and appreciate it better.

“Please come in, we were expecting you. Lie down please. I’ll rub your belly with the gel now … you’ll feel the coolness of it. Then I’ll measure the fetus and check its position. Don’t worry, all will be well”, said the nurse reassuringly. “You are in the care of the best. And today the head of the department is available too. If you wish, you can have a chat with him too. Only, right now, he’s busy.

Minutes went by. The nurse worked very efficiently, her professionalism was obvious. The future mother was surprised to see that in Canada, such examinations were conducted by nurses, unlike her country, where only doctors would do it.

“When is your due date?” Her thoughts were interrupted by the nurse’s question.

“In three and a half weeks.”

“Are you sure?”

“That was calculated by the gynecologist back home.”

“Maybe he made a mistake? When do you think you conceived?”

“I’d say the delivery date calculated by the doctor should be in order.”

“In this case, would you please wait. I’ll be right back.”

A little bit later she came back with a man.

In the distance Stephanie could hear the calm voice of the nurse giving her boss a report about her medical condition, using terms that she did not understand.

“Hello, I am the head of this department. Allow me just to quickly check the screen. Are you sure you’re in the ninth month of you pregnancy?”

“Yes.”

“Definitely not in the seventh?”

“Yes, definitely. Why are you asking me?”

The doctor turned away from the screen and looked at Stephanie.

“Please look. The muscles of the baby are not as developed as they should be in the eighth month. And the liver does not look well.”

“Maybe the baby will be born after all by the date the doctor calculated, and maybe this virus has caused all this….” The words got stuck in her throat. Now, she had no doubts that something was wrong, and she had no power to alter the situation.

“That’s it for now. We’ll do the necessary tests and measurements, and submit a report to your doctor. It’s Terry, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“Good-bye!”

“Good-bye.”

Stephanie had no doubts now. Even the nurse could detect that something was wrong with her child. She was very frightened and upset, her doctor back home should have noticed this during her constant visits for all those months. There were only two explanations for it: either the doctor back home was incapable of deciphering an ultrasound, or he had simply overlooked or ignored what he had seen on the screen. After the examinations the family went to lunch, and met Terry in the afternoon.

“I have the first test results.” One could read the seriousness of the matter from his friendly face. “At this stage we will just wait for further test results and take it from there. The antibody chart will show us whether the virus is still active or not. The hospital is ready for the baby’s arrival. I have also arranged an appointment with the chief pediatrician. He is one the best in this field in Canada. If you wish you can meet with him before the birth. I can’t tell you any more than this. He turned to the young expectant mother and asked her: “How are you feeling?”

“Fine, I feel fine”, she answered in a shaky voice.

“The only thing I’ll recommend is to keep yourselves busy with various activities. Go and meet your friends, your relatives. Go out, enjoy life! The moment I have more information I’ll get in touch with you.”

“Thank you for your help”, was all Robert could say.

With heavy hearts and an unpleasant calm they found their way to the house they had rented for their stay in Canada. Thanks to Robert’s natural, sociable character they spent almost every day in the company of friends and relatives. Meeting other people and relatives, participating in excursions made time pass more easily. When it came to getting swifter results however, it was easier said than done. She had to go through various tests and examinations during this time, and it was difficult to confirm whether the virus was still in her body or not. The days ahead were filled with anxiety and the fear of the unknown. The reaction of their acquaintances varied: some wished them courage and offered their support, others were afraid to meet with them in case they caught the virus. This became regular occurance in the lives of the expectant parents.

One night they were invited to dinner by a former colleague who wanted them to meet her new boyfriend. He was a young European, a medical school graduate, who wished to pass the equivalent tests here and get a Canadian diploma, which was proving to be quite difficult for him. At one point the discussion led to different types of viruses and their side effects, especially on fetuses. Stephanie was open to such discussions, as long as they did not touch on heavy handicaps in children. She listened in silence, dealing at the same time with her own fears. Her tolerance reached it’s limit when the young doctor said: “You know, some are born with only one eye or without a mouth or hands!”

At this point it became unbearable for Stephanie to be there and she broke into heavy sobs. The disapproving glances shot at the tactless man did not help to remedy the unpleasant situation.

The next day the young parents, with their son in tow, went to see Terry. They wanted to hear it from him, whether all the things the young man was telling them the night before, were true or not. Terry explained, in total calm, that there was no reason to panic; that nothing of that sort would happen. In spite of all his reassurances, Stephanie fought with the worst of her fears.

Finally the results of the tests arrived. ”The virus is inactive”, was the diagnosis. If the fetus had been affected at all it would have happened during the third month of the pregnancy, when the virus had been active for three or four weeks.

The team of doctors agreed that it was made no sense to submit the mother and the unborn child to further tests. They decided to put together a team of specialists who would take charge of the situation, right after the baby was born. The doctors’ team contacted a group of researchers in Boston, specializing in virology, especially research into cytomegalovirus. This was a rare research field, and only a few countries’ scientists participated in it. The cause of this mutant virus was the pollution of the earth. It attacked the developing nervous system and was widely known in Europe.

The days went by, and the time drew closer for the birth. Stephanie’s emotions were in real turmoil because of the unknown. She could not determine what was making her more stressed: the fate of her innocent baby, or fear of the birth. she still remembered the unbearable pains.

One Saturday morning in November, Stephanie had the urge to do some spring cleaning: washing the floors, beating the dust out of the carpets and cleaning the fridge inside out.

Robert urged her to take it easy. “Don’t’ work so hard”, he said, “what will the neighbors think of me, let me help you!”

“Nothing will happen to me”, she said smilingly, “I feel very good.”

Nevertheless, she felt very tired the next afternoon. While visiting some friends, she felt some light contractions in her lower abdomen.

“Something is happening, but ever so gently… it could be the change of season”, she tried to calm herself down.

During the night the same aches came back, keeping her from sleeping. In the morning she was certain that her little girl would make her appearance. Her doctor’s calculations back home were correct.

“I think we should go and see Terry, or go directly to the hospital. We cannot leave you here with these pains”, said Robert.

“Leave it, we can’t wake Terry up so early. His office hours only start at 11 o’clock on Monday morning. The pains are bearable, there is no need to panic.”

“As you wish, but I don’t want it to be too late”, Robert tried to convince her.

They arrived at 11 am sharp at Terry’s office. He examined her quickly and gave her a surprised look.

“Have you lost your mind? Are you intending to give birth right here in my practice? Drive to the hospital quickly!”

“Let’s hurry”, she shouted at her husband.

“I’m trying, I’m trying, but we have to drop off Sven on our way!”

He hurriedly took Sven to their friend’s house. On the way to the hospital, he remembered he didn’t have any film for his video camera, so he decided to stop at a newsagent.

“Just another tiny minute”, he said to Stephanie, who was bent over from the contractions on the front seat of the car.

“Are you sure, I’m racked with pain inside.”

“You waited until now, two more minutes aren’t going to change the situation!”

“OK then”, said Stephanie without much conviction.

“Here, we can see the hospital already. I’ll drive by the main entrance. Oh, my God, there’s no parking space left, today of all days!”

“I can’t stand it anymore”, she moaned.

“Wait, I’ll help you right away!”

“My legs are parting, I’m unable to walk”, whimpered Stephanie. She was having the baby.

Out of nowhere a nurse appeared, grabbed a wheelchair from nearby and took over.

“Please sit down, I’ll push you!”

“Nurse, I …” Stephanie coughed and tried to get out of the wheelchair.

“I see what’s happening, please sit back and don’t worry about anything. I know all the shortcuts to the delivery room.”

“I’ll park the car and be right with you”, shouted Robert after them.

In no time the nurse took her to the delivery room. Surprisingly, it was the same room where Sven had been born. At the same moment the midwife came into the room.

“Please undress and change into this hospital gown.”

Stephanie took the gown obediently and went next door to the toilet. Suddenly she heard her husband’s voice.

”Where is my wife? Stephanie, where are you?”

“Here, in the toilet! I am changing! Robert, please come quick, something has happened! I can’t get up! Oh my God, something is coming out from between my legs!”

Robert stormed in, lifted her up and brought her into the birthing room.

“The baby is coming! Oh my God … I can see its head …” he screamed, and ran out to the corridor. “Is there someone to help? Help, the baby is coming!”

A young man came running into the delivery room. With one look at Stephanie lying on the operating table, he ordered:

“Please push!”

A minute later a balloon-like shape with a little being inside came out.

“The baby is in the balloon”, moaned Robert.

“That’s right, the balloon is the placenta, it didn’t break”, said the young doctor.

In the meantime the midwife reappeared and handed the doctor a long needle. The doctor lightly punctured the placenta and the water simply streamed out. The balloon collapsed and a dainty little girl became visible.

She was unusually tall, very thin and with almost no muscle tone. Her tiny arms and legs were trembling spasmodically. In spite of all this, her voice was quite strong and full of the will to live. Hearing her calmed Stephanie down. Her first thought was: “She is alive! Now we have to fight for her!”

CHAPTER III

Not even an hour had passed from the time they were in Terry’s office to the birth of the child. It turned out that the doctor who delivered the baby happened to be a psychiatrist. At the time when the frightened Robert cried out for help, he was just passing by in the corridor near the delivery room. The midwife was a young Englishwoman, who operated very swiftly and efficiently. She spoke to the little girl while she washed her, put a diaper on, and weighed her.

“The diaper goes upwards and then downwards, to the right and now to the left. Are you cold? Let’s see to it to warm you up immediately. The lamp is blinding you, I’ll switch it off. One more flannel diaper, and now a pink blankie and a small cap on your head. You look like a lovely doll. Let’s show you to your mommy!” and with this she finished her one-sided conversation with the baby and took her to the young mother.

These words spoken with determination soothed Stephanie. She was very surprised how quickly and painless the birth had been. The relief was huge, and momentarily she forgot all her worries. The midwife placed the newborn on her chest.

“My little pumpkin”, she hugged her little daughter gently with trembling arms, Her mind was completely empty. She had no idea what the following days would bring. Her imagination had deserted her as well. A little while later, the midwife came back into the delivery room.

“I have informed your doctor. Would you like him to come and see you?”