THE BIRTH OF ELLY, 13/7/2016

I am one of the lucky people who had a smooth pregnancy, i only had morning sickness when i was 3 months paged, a few days when climbing Kilimanjaro, most probably because of the atmosphere there. Apart from that i never had any other complications, i never threw up or anything worse. My only problem was that i hated coca cola, and i would always carry the TV remote, just so i can change the channels whenever the coca cola advert came, crazy huh! Two weeks to my due date i made a two day safari to Tsavo East National Park, those who've been there know how bumpy , dusty and stressy it can be, that was before the beautiful roads we currently have from Mombasa to Voi.

I had a big appetite for dried fish (obambla) and brown Ugali and Kienyeji vegetables (local vegetables) , i would send my mum money to send me big packages of dried fish from Kisumu, thats actually how she found out i was pregnant, she was like: "Atieno what is it with the dried fish every now and then, are you pregnant?'

12 July 2016, around 7;00pm, i noticed blood stains when i went to pee, i immediately called my gynecologist and she asked me to go to her clinic and also advised me to carry the baby bag i had earlier packed cos my due date was the 13th, which was the next day. 

I reluctantly made dinner for my brother Evans and my friend Terah, i was not in any pain. I remember painting my finger nails, and jokingly telling Terah that i dint want unkept nails on my first photos with my son. 

I would say i was so active, earlier on this 12th, my brother and i spent the better part of the morning at the market buying kienyeji vegetables,it was so much and i was determined to prepare all of it and freeze it, thats what i planned to eat the first month after delivery. We managed and the freezer was green with pre cooked vegetables.

At around 9;00pm, Terah and i checked into the hospital, the nurse on duty checked and confirmed i had dilated to 1 or 2 cm, cant exactly remember, and she asked me to stay overnite for them to watch over me. Terah and i had a private room and we slept on and off. 

On the morning of 13th i had another check, and was told to walk up and down the stair case, that i did happily as Terah took videos. 

Around 11:00am, i was induced and that was the start of the real labor pains, ohh Jesus, this i will not talk about. I thought i was going to die, funny enough even with my cries there were no tears, huh! I phoned my mum and told her to take care of my child if i dint make it, i gave Terah my bank pin number, my mpesa pin just incase, hahhaha

There were  3 women(nurses)who were helping me deliver,they  told me that by around 6:00pm i will have delivered. It was now around 5:00pm, and i was put on oxygen, Truth is i cannot remember much from this point until when Elly was delivered at 6;45pm. All i remember was Terah crying, which to me i though was tears of joy, cos i had tears too, but no, Terah was crying because Elly was born blue, did not cry and she could not bear the pain of  watching  them resuscitate him. 

I could not see all that was happening, i wanted to see my child but i was told to wait till i shower. Half an hour later i saw my son, who was still in the oxygen mask. I could not understand it, then i was told he had breathing problems and will have to be on oxygen therapy till the next day, and that was to be in another hospital. An ambulance came and we were transferred to another hospital where my son was attended to by one of Mombasa's best pediatrician ( i will not mention names)

I spent the first night watching over  my son in the incubator with the oxygen mask, a new mother, stitched and tired. The next day the pediatrician came, Elly was now breathing heavily that he could be heard from a distance, he then called me  aside and told me i quote: 'Rose, i have tried my best, there is nothing more i can do, am not sure this child would live to the 3rd day, maybe you can try another hospital, but there is not much hope'

I took my child from the incubator,  cried to God, organised an ambulance and had Elly transferred to the ICU where he spent the first 10 days of his life.

I will continue about the events after the discharge in my next blog

Thank you for reading!