Long Road From Home

Anita's POV "Her placenta is detached." The lead nurse screamed as they rushed in towards the operating room, rolling me on the wheel bed. "She'll hemorrhage!" I reeled in pains as I tilted my head sideways, struggling to understand what was happening around me. Every movement of the wheel bed sent another violent wave of pain through my body, leaving me gasping helplessly against the cold hospital air. I rested one hand on my fully protruded belly, while the other hand went weakly to my waist. My fingers trembled against my skin as another contraction tightened painfully around my stomach. I had never experienced anything this frightening, and despite everything I had heard about childbirth, nothing could have prepared me for this terrifying moment. "Nurse, hurry!" I cried. My own voice sounded strangely distant to me, almost like somebody else was screaming somewhere inside the hospital. I desperately wanted to remain strong, but the unbearable pain was gradually stripping away whatever strength I had left. They continued rolling the wheel bed, heading in. "Switch to C-section." The head nurse announced as they approached a door. My heart immediately began pounding harder when I heard those words, and fear spread through me despite the overwhelming pain. A C-section had never been part of my plans, and hearing it announced so suddenly made everything feel much more dangerous than before. She turned to Harriet Tubman - my mother-in-law. "Please sign here!" She stretched the file to her. I turned my head toward Harriet, desperately hoping she would sign without making the situation more difficult. I could barely keep my eyes open, but I could still see the hesitation written across her face. Harriet stared at the file for a second and immediately pushed it back to the Nurse without touching it. "Why C-section?" She asked, pushing it back. "Natural birth is smarter. You think I'm stupid? How much more for C-section? I’m sure you want to rip us off our hard earned money." I could hardly believe what I was hearing while lying there in unbearable pain, fighting desperately to protect myself and my unborn child. At that moment, money was the last thing occupying my mind, because all I wanted was to survive whatever was happening inside my body. "Ma'am, this isn't about money." The nurse countered, pushing the wheel bed ahead regardless. "If she hemorrhages, both mom and baby could die!" The word 'die' entered my mind and refused to leave, making my entire body suddenly feel colder despite the sweat covering my face. My eyes instinctively moved toward my stomach, and I placed my trembling palm firmly over the place where my baby was still moving. My baby. I had spent months waiting for this child, imagining the moment I would finally hold him against my chest. I had dreamed about his face, his tiny hands, his first cry, and the happiness that would fill our home when he arrived. Now, all those beautiful thoughts suddenly felt painfully uncertain. Immediately Harriet heard the word 'die,' she stopped, holding the wheel bed so that every other person stopped. She cared less about the continuous screaming from Anita. "You want my grandson dead?" She asked, turning sharply to the nurse, her face burn with rage. "Keep it up, I'll report you! I had my son on a heated bed. Quit being so dramatic. You're just scamming us!" She pointed furiously at the nurse. I could hear Harriet's furious voice above my own desperate breathing, and somehow her argument made my fear even worse. Nobody seemed to understand that I was the one lying there, trapped between unbearable pain and the possibility of losing my life. The young nurse flinched and stayed quiet, respecting the old lady. My eyes filled with tears as another contraction ripped through me, forcing my fingers to grip the sides of the wheel bed. I wanted to scream at everyone around me, but the pain had become so overwhelming that even finding words felt impossible. They now pulled into the operating room. "Mike." I screamed, my sudden cry cut through the tension. "Just sign it! I can't take this pain anymore!" My eyes desperately searched for my husband, and when I finally saw him, I felt a painful mixture of relief and fear. Mike looked completely helpless, standing between his mother and me as though he could not decide which direction to move. Mike Tubman – my husband, appeared helpless, he turned between his wife and his mom. "Mom, sign it, please!" He pleaded, his voice breaking. Harriet hissed and finally signed the papers. For a brief second, relief passed through me when I realized the operation would finally begin. But before I could even gather another breath, an agonizing pain suddenly tore through my body with frightening intensity. A strong pain tore through me as I let out a louder scream, turning sideways in the bed. The nurses rushed closer. "Get the QR ready!" The head nurse ordered the other two nurses. I could feel several hands moving around me as the room suddenly became filled with hurried activity and frightening sounds. My body felt completely powerless, yet every instinct inside me was screaming that something was terribly wrong. One of the nurses turned to Harriet and Mike. "Please, both of you must leave now." She guided them out and closed the door. Harriet and Mike stood outside the room, watching from outside. I could no longer reach for Mike or even see his face clearly through my tears. The closing door separated me from the only familiar person I desperately wanted beside me, leaving me surrounded by nurses and unfamiliar medical equipment. The nurses began their work, scissors and other glass appliances clattering as the operation began. I was given an injection that suddenly left me partially unconscious. The sharp sounds around me made my heart pound uncontrollably, while the bright operating lights made everything above me appear painfully white. I tried desperately to remain conscious, reminding myself that I needed to survive for the baby growing inside me. My breathing became increasingly difficult as I felt another terrifying sensation spreading through my lower body. I wanted to ask what was happening, but fear had tightened around my throat so firmly that no words came out. I forced myself to look toward the nurses, searching their faces for something reassuring, but their expressions only made my fear deepen. Nobody looked relaxed anymore, and the hurried movements around me seemed to confirm the terrible feeling growing inside my chest. But then I felt something warm beneath me. My eyes opened immediately, and I looked toward the nurse standing nearest to me. I could barely move my body. Her expression had suddenly changed, and the confidence she previously carried was completely gone. I watched her eyes widen as she stared downward, and a terrible realization slowly began settling inside my terrified mind. Whatever was happening beneath that surgical covering was far more serious than I had allowed myself to imagine. "Oh no, she's hemorrhaging!" The lead nurse gasped, her eyes widened at the blood gushing out of Anita's body.