Status: enjoy.
You're the Air I Breathe
sixteen.
Nick's Point of View
Macy and I were just relaxing at home that afternoon; she was in the kitchen making dinner and I was working on some new songs on the couch in the living room. I looked over at her from behind my shoulder and smiled, but frowned when I saw that she wasn't smiling. She was cutting up some vegetables sadly.
I got up and started walking towards her, but she suddenly dashed off into the bathroom again, her hand over her mouth. I ran in behind her and kneeled beside her, holding her hair back. She threw up a few times, and sighed. She leaned against the bathtub, her back pressed against it.
"I know life's unfair honey, but we'll get through it." I said, taking her hand, smiling. She shook her hand away harshly, tears in her eyes. "Stop babying me...please, just stop." She said, breaking down. I looked at her, confused. "What's wrong, babe?" She started to cry, leaning her head against my chest. "I'm acting like barfing every morning is such a big deal, when Danielle's in the hospital with a dangerously high blood pressure level, and might have a stroke. Here I am, complaining about upchucking." She sighed and sniffled a bit.
I held her close to me and sighed. “Macy, honey, its okay. Everything’s going to work out.” She shook her head and cried louder. “No, it’s not! You don’t know if everything’s going to be okay. You don’t get to decide that!” She started getting upset, and I could hear her breathing heavily.
“Macy, you have to calm down.” I said, trying to calm her myself. She finally gave up and rested her head on my chest and cried. I held her close and stroked her back; I knew she was stressed out. The pregnancy, to Danielle and everything in between. I was trying my best to do everything I could to help her.
A few minutes later, she sighed and looked at me. “I’m sorry, Nick, for everything I put you through.” I smiled and showed her my wedding band. “I’ll always be here for you.” She smiled through her wet eyes and snuggled closer to me. “I love you so much.” I said, whispering into her hair.
Danielle’s Point of View
I woke up, dazed and confused. My eyes were blurry and I could feel my heart beating against my chest. My vision slowly came back to me and I realized that there were three nurses and my doctor standing over my bedside, frantically scurrying around the room. One of them put the blood pressure cuff around my arm, and the other two were setting up IV’s in each of my arms. I looked for Kevin, and then saw him talking to the doctor.
His face was pale and he looked scared. He looked over at me and realized I had woken up. He ran over to my bedside and kneeled beside me. He touched my forehead gently and smiled. “Hi honey.” He kissed my forehead gently. “What’s going on?” I said, weakly. He looked around nervously, as if he was deciding on whether to tell me or not. “Well, what’s wrong...?” I asked again.
He sighed. “I don’t want you to worry, but your blood pressure is rising rapidly...they want to deliver soon.” He looked at me, his eyes focused on mine. I closed my eyes and nodded. “Okay.” I finally said. I thought about it for a minute. This is no longer in my hands. All I can do is hope and pray that everything goes well. I opened my eyes and smiled at Kevin. He smiled back. “We can do this.” He said, kissing my hand, squeezing it gently. I nodded.
The Doctor looked at us, and walked over to my bedside. “Mrs. Lucas, I think the best idea for you and your baby would be to deliver within the next hour. Your blood pressure is extremely high, and you’re getting close to a possible stroke. We need to get the baby out before it affects you and the baby.” I nodded, my eyes tearing up. “Whatever you think is best, I’m in favour of.” Kevin nodded in agreement.
I looked at the clock on the wall; 7:05 am. I looked back at the doctor. “We’ll plan to start the c-section at around 7:30-7:45. I sighed. That gave us at least a half an hour to prepare ourselves.
I tried to fall back asleep after the news; but I couldn’t. I was excited, anxious, but happy that I’d be a mother in the next hour or so. I watched Kevin; he was standing by the window, watching the cars go by. Then I watched him close his eyes and pray. I smiled and watched him again.
Then I thought about how the baby would be throughout this whole thing; last time the nurses checked, the weight of the baby had just crossed the two pound mark. I was nervous because I knew I’d be spending a longer than planned stay in the NICU. [neonatal intensive care unit]
Suddenly, my thoughts were interrupted by another sharp pain in my abdomen. Kevin ran over and held my hand as I winced through it. This was going to be a long thirty minutes...
****
About 20 minutes later, a slew of nurses came in and began to prep me for the C-section. They wheeled me into the operating room in my bed. Kevin walked beside me the whole time, and they made him wash his hands and put on a surgical mask, scrubs, and booties. I laughed at him because he looked like a doctor. He smiled and held my hand.
The nurses hooked me up with another set of fresh IV’s and then they sat me up to do the spinal tap. I squeezed Kevin’s hand and rested my head against his shoulder, as I felt the needle press into my back. Tears fell from my eyes, but Kevin looked into my face, calmly whispering, “Its okay, just look at me. I’m right here.” I nodded and before I knew it, it was over.
They laid me back down. Before the doctors could go any further, I asked them to stop and have Kevin say a prayer. So, they did. All the nurses and doctors in the room prayed with us. Kevin cleared his throat and made the sign of the cross. “Lord, please guide the hands of the doctors. Keep Danielle safe and welcome our beautiful baby into the world. Amen.”
The doctor put up the blue curtain to block my view and Kevin took a seat beside my head. The nurses put an oxygen mask on my face and I began to breathe steadily. I looked over at Kevin who already had his camera ready to take the first picture of our baby.
Then Doctor made the first incision. I didn’t feel much through the whole thing, just a bit of tugging and pulling. And then I heard one of the nurses shout, “I see the legs, Doctor!” My heart began to race and I smiled over at Kevin who looked exactly how I felt inside. He kissed my forehead and smiled.
Suddenly, I heard a very small whimper and I knew it was the baby. Tears immediately rushed to my eyes. They lifted the baby up and announced that it was a boy. I began to laugh and cry at the same time; I got a quick glimpse of my beautiful baby boy, before he was whisked away to the other side of the room. Kevin was crying and he kissed my head, then he ran over and began taking pictures of him.
Three doctors were still working on me, closing up my incision and there were about five doctors surrounding my baby, getting ready to take him to the NICU.
Kevin’s Point of View
I stood behind the nurses in the delivery room, snapping pictures of him. They weighed him and told me, “Two pounds 3 ounces.” I was in awe at how small he was; he could fit in the palm of my hand. Then they began placing the wires and tubes, and they put him in an incubator and wheeled him off to the NICU.
I walked back to Danielle. “He’s beautiful, babe.” I said, showing her the pictures I had taken. She cried and covered her mouth with her hand. She was a little drowsy but was happy she had seen the pictures.
I pulled out my phone and began to text Joe and Nick. I told them that Danielle had just delivered and that they were officially uncles. I told them that I’d tell them when they should come and visit, because Danielle wasn’t feeling too great, and the baby was still in the NICU.
They finished up on Danielle and wheeled her back into our original room; the whole time the way there, she repeatedly asked when she could see the baby. The doctors told her that she needed to rest before she could see him, and they were just settling the baby into the NICU.
Macy’s Point of View
Nick and I were asleep when suddenly, his cell phone started vibrating. I was awakened from the noise and I nudged Nick to get up. He groaned and grabbed his cell phone, and began to read the text. I watched him as his eyes began to widen. He looked at me, smiling with teeth, and he laughed. “I’m an uncle!” I gasped and sprung out of bed, cuddling closer to him. I looked at his phone. “Did they send a picture?”
He shook his head. “No, he’s still in the NICU.” I gasped again. “It’s a boy?” He laughed and kissed me quick. “Yeah, a boy.” I smiled; relieved that Danielle and the baby were okay. “When can we visit?” He shrugged. “I’m sure he’ll text me. He said that now wasn’t a great time because the baby’s still just newborn and Danielle is resting. Maybe later today.” I smiled. “I’m so happy for them.” He smiled. “Me too.”
Macy and I were just relaxing at home that afternoon; she was in the kitchen making dinner and I was working on some new songs on the couch in the living room. I looked over at her from behind my shoulder and smiled, but frowned when I saw that she wasn't smiling. She was cutting up some vegetables sadly.
I got up and started walking towards her, but she suddenly dashed off into the bathroom again, her hand over her mouth. I ran in behind her and kneeled beside her, holding her hair back. She threw up a few times, and sighed. She leaned against the bathtub, her back pressed against it.
"I know life's unfair honey, but we'll get through it." I said, taking her hand, smiling. She shook her hand away harshly, tears in her eyes. "Stop babying me...please, just stop." She said, breaking down. I looked at her, confused. "What's wrong, babe?" She started to cry, leaning her head against my chest. "I'm acting like barfing every morning is such a big deal, when Danielle's in the hospital with a dangerously high blood pressure level, and might have a stroke. Here I am, complaining about upchucking." She sighed and sniffled a bit.
I held her close to me and sighed. “Macy, honey, its okay. Everything’s going to work out.” She shook her head and cried louder. “No, it’s not! You don’t know if everything’s going to be okay. You don’t get to decide that!” She started getting upset, and I could hear her breathing heavily.
“Macy, you have to calm down.” I said, trying to calm her myself. She finally gave up and rested her head on my chest and cried. I held her close and stroked her back; I knew she was stressed out. The pregnancy, to Danielle and everything in between. I was trying my best to do everything I could to help her.
A few minutes later, she sighed and looked at me. “I’m sorry, Nick, for everything I put you through.” I smiled and showed her my wedding band. “I’ll always be here for you.” She smiled through her wet eyes and snuggled closer to me. “I love you so much.” I said, whispering into her hair.
Danielle’s Point of View
I woke up, dazed and confused. My eyes were blurry and I could feel my heart beating against my chest. My vision slowly came back to me and I realized that there were three nurses and my doctor standing over my bedside, frantically scurrying around the room. One of them put the blood pressure cuff around my arm, and the other two were setting up IV’s in each of my arms. I looked for Kevin, and then saw him talking to the doctor.
His face was pale and he looked scared. He looked over at me and realized I had woken up. He ran over to my bedside and kneeled beside me. He touched my forehead gently and smiled. “Hi honey.” He kissed my forehead gently. “What’s going on?” I said, weakly. He looked around nervously, as if he was deciding on whether to tell me or not. “Well, what’s wrong...?” I asked again.
He sighed. “I don’t want you to worry, but your blood pressure is rising rapidly...they want to deliver soon.” He looked at me, his eyes focused on mine. I closed my eyes and nodded. “Okay.” I finally said. I thought about it for a minute. This is no longer in my hands. All I can do is hope and pray that everything goes well. I opened my eyes and smiled at Kevin. He smiled back. “We can do this.” He said, kissing my hand, squeezing it gently. I nodded.
The Doctor looked at us, and walked over to my bedside. “Mrs. Lucas, I think the best idea for you and your baby would be to deliver within the next hour. Your blood pressure is extremely high, and you’re getting close to a possible stroke. We need to get the baby out before it affects you and the baby.” I nodded, my eyes tearing up. “Whatever you think is best, I’m in favour of.” Kevin nodded in agreement.
I looked at the clock on the wall; 7:05 am. I looked back at the doctor. “We’ll plan to start the c-section at around 7:30-7:45. I sighed. That gave us at least a half an hour to prepare ourselves.
I tried to fall back asleep after the news; but I couldn’t. I was excited, anxious, but happy that I’d be a mother in the next hour or so. I watched Kevin; he was standing by the window, watching the cars go by. Then I watched him close his eyes and pray. I smiled and watched him again.
Then I thought about how the baby would be throughout this whole thing; last time the nurses checked, the weight of the baby had just crossed the two pound mark. I was nervous because I knew I’d be spending a longer than planned stay in the NICU. [neonatal intensive care unit]
Suddenly, my thoughts were interrupted by another sharp pain in my abdomen. Kevin ran over and held my hand as I winced through it. This was going to be a long thirty minutes...
****
About 20 minutes later, a slew of nurses came in and began to prep me for the C-section. They wheeled me into the operating room in my bed. Kevin walked beside me the whole time, and they made him wash his hands and put on a surgical mask, scrubs, and booties. I laughed at him because he looked like a doctor. He smiled and held my hand.
The nurses hooked me up with another set of fresh IV’s and then they sat me up to do the spinal tap. I squeezed Kevin’s hand and rested my head against his shoulder, as I felt the needle press into my back. Tears fell from my eyes, but Kevin looked into my face, calmly whispering, “Its okay, just look at me. I’m right here.” I nodded and before I knew it, it was over.
They laid me back down. Before the doctors could go any further, I asked them to stop and have Kevin say a prayer. So, they did. All the nurses and doctors in the room prayed with us. Kevin cleared his throat and made the sign of the cross. “Lord, please guide the hands of the doctors. Keep Danielle safe and welcome our beautiful baby into the world. Amen.”
The doctor put up the blue curtain to block my view and Kevin took a seat beside my head. The nurses put an oxygen mask on my face and I began to breathe steadily. I looked over at Kevin who already had his camera ready to take the first picture of our baby.
Then Doctor made the first incision. I didn’t feel much through the whole thing, just a bit of tugging and pulling. And then I heard one of the nurses shout, “I see the legs, Doctor!” My heart began to race and I smiled over at Kevin who looked exactly how I felt inside. He kissed my forehead and smiled.
Suddenly, I heard a very small whimper and I knew it was the baby. Tears immediately rushed to my eyes. They lifted the baby up and announced that it was a boy. I began to laugh and cry at the same time; I got a quick glimpse of my beautiful baby boy, before he was whisked away to the other side of the room. Kevin was crying and he kissed my head, then he ran over and began taking pictures of him.
Three doctors were still working on me, closing up my incision and there were about five doctors surrounding my baby, getting ready to take him to the NICU.
Kevin’s Point of View
I stood behind the nurses in the delivery room, snapping pictures of him. They weighed him and told me, “Two pounds 3 ounces.” I was in awe at how small he was; he could fit in the palm of my hand. Then they began placing the wires and tubes, and they put him in an incubator and wheeled him off to the NICU.
I walked back to Danielle. “He’s beautiful, babe.” I said, showing her the pictures I had taken. She cried and covered her mouth with her hand. She was a little drowsy but was happy she had seen the pictures.
I pulled out my phone and began to text Joe and Nick. I told them that Danielle had just delivered and that they were officially uncles. I told them that I’d tell them when they should come and visit, because Danielle wasn’t feeling too great, and the baby was still in the NICU.
They finished up on Danielle and wheeled her back into our original room; the whole time the way there, she repeatedly asked when she could see the baby. The doctors told her that she needed to rest before she could see him, and they were just settling the baby into the NICU.
Macy’s Point of View
Nick and I were asleep when suddenly, his cell phone started vibrating. I was awakened from the noise and I nudged Nick to get up. He groaned and grabbed his cell phone, and began to read the text. I watched him as his eyes began to widen. He looked at me, smiling with teeth, and he laughed. “I’m an uncle!” I gasped and sprung out of bed, cuddling closer to him. I looked at his phone. “Did they send a picture?”
He shook his head. “No, he’s still in the NICU.” I gasped again. “It’s a boy?” He laughed and kissed me quick. “Yeah, a boy.” I smiled; relieved that Danielle and the baby were okay. “When can we visit?” He shrugged. “I’m sure he’ll text me. He said that now wasn’t a great time because the baby’s still just newborn and Danielle is resting. Maybe later today.” I smiled. “I’m so happy for them.” He smiled. “Me too.”