Kim was pregnant. We were broke and had no insurance. I was a fulltime student, interim pastor at a small rural church, and worked part time as a delivery driver for Domino's Pizza.
I believe we grossed less than $9,000 during our first full tax year together. Logically speaking, we had no business even being married, let alone having babies.
We were foolish and excited though. We had no fears.
I cannot say so much about my Mother-in-law. We called and shared the news with her and she was very concerned and was very outspoken with her concern, as was her norm.
Who could blame her? We were not ready.
I actually had words with her and we did not speak I believe until about time for the baby to be born. My thoughts were, we could handle it without her anyway. Little did I know...
Well, things went along fairly well for the first six months, then Kim started having BP issues. (this was one of her mom's fears by the way) She ended up having to quit work and take it easy.
We survived that way for a little bit, then at about 29 weeks Kim developed an excruciating headache and drove herself to the doctor. At the doctor's office her blood pressure read 220/170. Of course they hospitalized her immediately.
Her mom came and stayed with her in the hospital room while I continued to work and go to school. By this time I was a full time security guard at a plant about fifteen miles out of town. Her mom and I still weren't talking, but that would soon change.
I was at work when I received the call. It was Nancy, my mother-in-law. She was livid. The doctor had come in and said there was nothing more they could do. I believe his exact words were, "We are going to have to terminate the pregnancy."
I'm not sure what Nancy's words were, but I probably wouldn't repeat them anyway. The same meddling mother-in-law who had ticked me off with her bold words earlier very possibly saved my baby's life with that same boldness.
She requested an immediate transfer to Baptist Hospital in Little Rock, about 65 miles away, where there was an NICU. When they called me, Med Flight was already on the way.
I don't remember much about the trip from work to the hospital. I know it went fast. The helicopter arrived about the same time I did.
I kissed Kim good bye and then rode with Nancy the long 65 mile stretch between the hospitals. She insisted on driving due to my state of mind. She drove pretty fast herself. We beat the helicopter.
We had time to talk though. There were no apologies, just an unsaid understanding that there were more important matters at stake than our petty differences.
Well, we got to the hospital and I was immediately met by hospital personell and began signing my life away. I was worried about my wife and baby and they were just making sure they got paid.
I remember looking up at my father-in-law and asking should I be reading what I was signing. He responded, "Why? What are you going to do if you don't like what they say?" Good point.
Well, while I was signing, Kim was rushed into surgery and Dawn was born at a whopping 3.5 lbs. I really didn't know if either would survive.
Immediately after the surgery I was escorted back by nursess to see my newborn baby. I remember thinking, "She is beautiful, but is my wife alive?" The nurses around me had no clue. All they knew about was the baby. I kept asking and they kept saying they didn't know. I sincerely feared my wife had not survived.
I finally met up with somebody who took me back to see Kim. She was still struggling with her BP but was alive. It was a long road for both.
Kim's BP continued to skyrocket for days until once again Nancy spoke up. Kim had not seen the baby. She was not sure we weren't lying to her about The baby even surviving. When Nancy finally got her way and Kim was able to see her baby, her BP finally leveled out.
It was a long recovery for both, but both eventually got better. Kim was released after about five days. Dawn dropped down to as little as two pounds thirteen ounces within the first couple days, but improved from there on out. She was expected to be in the hospital for eight weeks but went home after five.
When Kim was released she moved in with her parents close by the hospital, while I continued to work and go to school. It was exhausting but we survived.
Our bills ended up totaling over $100,000 yet we were only held responsible for a few hundred. There was no "ObamaCare" then but we were taken care of somehow anyway. God is good.
That little baby the doctor wished to "terminate" is now happily married, serving God in the ministry, and teaching public school....oh, and planning to have a child of her own some day in the not so far future.
Nancy ended up struggling for several years with colon cancer until she finally did succumb to it several years ago. We would have many more spats over the years, but we always managed to get past it. Her brassness did rub me wrong, but I learned to live with it. In retrospect, I'm glad she was who she was.
I guess I could look back and note the pain we went through those many difficult days and wish we would have done things differently. If we had though, things would likely be different now. We maybe wouldn't have had that precious little girl that has grown to be such a blessing to so many. What about the next five God brought into our lives. Where would they be? Where would we be?
Yes, at the time the pain seemed unbearable to us I'm sure. Out of that pain sprang not just one but many miracles. In at.least a small way, our temporary trial changed the world and ultimately made it a better place. Thank God for the miracle of life!
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