by Nellie Shani

Created on: September 25, 2007

I had been in intense labor for eight hours! I wanted to bite off my husband's head. My frustration was that each time I though it was just near enough to bite off in one quick move before the nurses could save him, another massive contraction would be on the way. "Focus! Breathe," my husband would yell and I would obey like a subdued animal.

Just when I though death was surely knocking on my door, I was quickly wheeled into the delivery room. This was our first baby. As I felt the baby trying new moves to slyly kill me from within, I wondered what all the fuss about having one's own baby was!

I gave one last heave and a ho! My husband, doctor and nurse said almost at once, "There he is!" All they can say is "There he is!" Doesn't anybody in this room know that I almost died. I had just passed through the valley of the shadow of death! Wasn't my swollen face evidence of it? No pat on the back for me?! I thought I was the hero?!

The nurses quickly prepared 'junior' to meet mommy. I looked down at my stomach that had now flopped down and looked like a prune! I knew my body would never look the same again! Then the moment came. A tiny crying wrinkled "old man" was placed in my arms! Tears rolled down my cheeks as I held him close to me. Tears of joy...euphoria...wonder....marvel. I knew this tiny bundle of life had changed my life forever!

Learn more about this author, Nellie Shani.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.