DAY IN THE LIFE STORY ABOUT A FIRST TIME PARENT AND THEIR NEW BORN CHILD

For the first time parent’s life begins in strange ways. For immediate recollection I have three first time parents with very different stories, to relate their dilemma, determination, decisions, pain, paradoxes, irony, involvement and so on and so forth.

Of the three cases, I shall take or relate the stories of two males and a female. So let us first start with the female, in line with the letter and spirit of the saying, “Ladies first”.

I vividly remember my uncle uttering the phrase “Loves Labour Lost” euphemistically for the couple who had got married the previous year and were slightly depressed on account of a miscarriage. Both were doctors, He an ophthalmic surgeon and She the Paediatrician. Better luck next time became their motto and their effort did bear fruit very fast. The Paediatrician delivered her new born baby in the seventh month itself. The premature birth, lead to the new born to be kept in the incubator. The operation was Cesarean too which made it incumbent on the parents to remain in the hospital for an inordinate period of time. The paradox or shall we say irony here is that the Mother is a Paediatrician and had to undergo the trauma which she would have never thought. Anyway things ended up well due to their being financially well off, and today that new born is also a Doctor.

Mike and his Matron wife were enjoying a happy married life which would be even happier, if they had children. In pursuit of happier life they worked hard in all possible ways. The matron wife was in the medical field and so moved among medicines and mingled with newborns in the maternity ward. Unfortunately, her ovary was not strong enough to hold the fetus which used to lead to feticide or abortions. With the advancement in the medical field they found a way to hold the fetus in ovary by giving the required support and by keeping her in the hospital for over six months under close observation and care. After great difficulty she gave birth to a cute baby girl, for which, both Mike and his Matron wife along with all near and dear ones thanked the medical fraternity and Almighty God to at last having heard their prayers and wish fulfilled and made them happier and modest.

Mr. Pai was an astrologer and a priest by tradition and now employed in the Stores Department of a Belgian Company, in the Middle East, as it was out of fashion to openly practice the traditional profession in his own country and elsewhere for that matter. With the working knowledge he continued in Stores.

However, whenever and in whichever way possible and by getting in touch with whomsoever possible he would try to find ways to earn some extra income, as he felt the earning that he gets and the work that he is engaged in is not enough to run a family and more so he has become a married man.

As days passed, weeks followed, months followed suit, the dooms day beckoned when he got a call from his wife that she is in the family way, and has been advised by the doctor that she is three months pregnant. On hearing this piece of information Pai was thrilled for a few days and as the good news absorbed and settled into him, he started also ruminating as to what is going to happen? How is he going to handle the new situation? When is he going to visit her wife? Where is the delivery going to take place?

Pai was of a short stature and his wife still shorter. Pai dreamt as did his wife of a bonnie boy and kept consoling his wife over the telephone not to worry and with the little bit of astrology at his command gave here the necessary confidence.

As the ninth month approached the frequency of visit to the Gynaecologist multiplied and she was advised all prenatal precautions to be taken as well as the expenses that will be required is going to be at least three times more to the expenses that a normal delivery demands. This information came to the wife and her escort to the clinic as a shock, but helplessly, with neither options nor choices had to relay to Mr. Pai over phone when he was working overtime in his office.

After doing his overtime work and overseeing his client list for his extra income, he had his dinner and went to sleep completely exhausted both physically and mentally after hearing what he heard over the phone from his dear wife.

As he was very tired he slept well and woke up and informed his wife not to worry as he has pooled in all his savings including what he gets from conducting pujas and astrology to foot the bill of the clinic.

The day of the delivery approached and by the close of the day he was informed by his relatives back home that his wife has delivered triplets. Her delivery was Cesarean but she and her triplets are safe and doing fine. Furthermore, he was also served with even greater news, that two of them are boys and one is a girl. The first was a boy, the second a girl and the third was again a boy with only minutes of time difference between each of them.

Within days matter spread all over the village, in the Company and among the relatives and friends both far and near. The folks in the neighbourhood thronged to have a glimpse of the triplets and it was a rare happening. Good wishes poured from all quarters. To top it all one or two visitors who did not have children due to some reasons even suggested they are open to adopt one if required.

Well the strange thing about the whole episode is those who are finding too difficult to cope with normal living are presented with abnormal burden. Such is the game destiny plays Pai thought and informed the ones who gave the option to adopt, if required, in the negative but wished them all the best and thanked them for the courtesy visit.