by Ann Johnstone

Created on: December 28, 2009

Of course the most wonderful gift one could ever receive from God is that of eternal life, because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ on our behalf. All other gifts must flow out of that. However, one of the most precious gifts God has given me is within my own family. I learned long ago that the most beautiful things in life come to us through death. This is true throughout creation, and it is equally true within personal experience.

 I was about to give birth to my third child. My first two had been born without difficulty. Now, however, I was told that I had placenta praevia, a condition where the placenta partially or totally obstructs the uterine cervix. In my case it was a borderline case. In other words, I could have a normal uterine delivery or, if this proved impossible, I would have to have the baby by caesarian section. I was in good hands so was not worried.

 However, the baby decided to arrive early, while my regular doctor was on holidays. Another doctor took over. All appeared to go well until Natalie was born. However she was not breathing. I anxiously watched the nursing and medical staff attending to her. It appeared she had been born with the umbilical cord looped tightly around her neck as well as knotted further down.

 I was wheeled out of the delivery room and soon the nurse-in-charge appeared with Natalie in an isolette. The nurse said, rather abruptly, “Take a good look at your baby. We have to send her to the Royal Children’s Hospital and you may not see her again!” What a way to speak to the mother of a newborn, emotional at the best of times! It was fortunate that God had already given me a sense of peace about the outcome, in preparation for the harsh words.

 Apparently the ambulance had to stop several times to attend to Natalie, who repeatedly stopped breathing. It was over three weeks before her breathing was stabilized and I got to take her home. After a week of minor problems with feeding she started to thrive. However the doctors had told me not to set my hopes too high as she had been without oxygen for long enough during the birthing process for her brain to be affected. I should wait until her 18 month examination before getting too optimistic.

 However, Natalie continued to thrive, doing all the normal things at the right age. God continued to reassure me that all was well, despite the negativity of hospital staff. When I took her to a pediatrician to have a thorough check-up he told me it was difficult to believe she was the same child who had been through all those problems at birth. She was now one of the healthiest children he had seen.

 All four of my children were very dear to me but in one sense Natalie has always been a ‘kindred spirit’. She is very perceptive and we have, at times, been thrown together in times of difficulty. We are now both nurses and often share those funny and tragic experiences which only nurses can appreciate.

 Natalie’s life was, thankfully, spared. God allowed me to go through the trauma of nearly losing her in order that I might appreciate His gift more fully. One day my daughter intends to be a midwife, assisting other mothers through the birthing process.

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