I'm joining Ivy's Six Sentence Stories again this week. The prompt this week is "tear."
The stark white hospital walls blurred as the gurney raced down the hall to the waiting ambulance. The emergency vehicle had been summoned to take her to another hospital, one with a level four neonatal intensive care unit. Just before she entered the open back doors of the ambulance, a nurse appeared, tasked with preparing the pregnant woman for the imminent birth.
"Your baby weighs about a pound, and he is about a foot long. . . ," droned the nurse, who wore a ridiculously wide smile.
No matter what expression the nurse wore, and no matter how much the pregnant woman longed for her baby, the news was unwelcome at this stage of the pregnancy. She redoubled her efforts to just stay calm; the tears would have to wait.
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postscript: The baby held on for 6 more weeks, being born only 10 weeks early. He weighed 2 pounds, 15 ounces, and was 15 inches long. He is now a happy, healthy young adult.
Thanks for medical professionals and the miracle of birth.
The stark white hospital walls blurred as the gurney raced down the hall to the waiting ambulance. The emergency vehicle had been summoned to take her to another hospital, one with a level four neonatal intensive care unit. Just before she entered the open back doors of the ambulance, a nurse appeared, tasked with preparing the pregnant woman for the imminent birth.
"Your baby weighs about a pound, and he is about a foot long. . . ," droned the nurse, who wore a ridiculously wide smile.
No matter what expression the nurse wore, and no matter how much the pregnant woman longed for her baby, the news was unwelcome at this stage of the pregnancy. She redoubled her efforts to just stay calm; the tears would have to wait.
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postscript: The baby held on for 6 more weeks, being born only 10 weeks early. He weighed 2 pounds, 15 ounces, and was 15 inches long. He is now a happy, healthy young adult.
Thanks for medical professionals and the miracle of birth.
yow! (the beginning grabs you with that sense of urgency and ... makes you want to read faster to find out what happens)
ReplyDeletewhat a good Story (of only) Six Sentences!
Thanks. I was toying with the idea of trying to show the simultaneous sense of urgency and the stoppage of time, but wasn't able to convey that adequately, so I scrapped the "time stopped" aspect.
Deleteoh yeah, FRIST!
ReplyDeletelol
Yes, frist.
DeleteWell written, and I love the happy ending.
ReplyDeleteThank you. The ending is definitely the best part. :-)
DeleteYour baby, Kristi? I bet time did stop.
ReplyDeleteYes, and yes, it did.
DeleteWow! It's amazing the strength that can be commanded in an emergency.
ReplyDeleteIt took me a while to process everything after the fact.
DeleteGreat story!! And thanks for the epilogue!!! I eould have been flipped out not knowing!
ReplyDeleteI figured it was OK to cheat a little and add an epilogue (that's the word I was looking for!) to the 6 sentences.
DeleteGreat story!! And thanks for the epilogue!!! I eould have been flipped out not knowing!
ReplyDeleteI didn't either, at the time. Now I think she was probably trying to convey positive thinking, and also probably trying hard to keep herself from crying. The odds were certainly not in our favor at that gestational age.
ReplyDeleteGreat story! It's such an emotional experience and I am so happy for the happy ending!
ReplyDeleteThanks, we were, too.
DeleteGreat story! It's such an emotional experience and I am so happy for the happy ending!
ReplyDeleteThe body takes over and tries to shut out emotion which my hinder things as it tackles the task in hand. What a great story this is.
ReplyDeleteEventually, though, the emotions needed to be dealt with.
DeleteYou describe the scene so vividly Kristi. I can't even imagine what you were feeling.
ReplyDeleteI'm so relieved this story had/has a happy ending!
Thank you. I'm relieved, too! :-)
DeleteJust one of many hurdles in your life, Thankful Me.
ReplyDeleteI dare say many have had more hurdles than I have. :-)
DeleteWhat a great (true) story and what a perfect ending!
ReplyDeleteHe certainly put us on a roller-coaster ride in his early years, but everything worked out in the end!
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