A Life in a Day

Pete Rennie

I was diagnosed with M.E. in 1993 and was very tired and weak all the time. All I could think of was getting better and could not look too much in to the future. We were sitting at the table having our tea when Fiona hit me with the bomb shell she was pregnant!

I always wanted a family but at this time being selfish just thinking of myself and my illness I was anything but happy, all I thought of was myself, yes I should have been ecstatic but I was not I was gutted that I had this on top of everything else.

I missed most of the doctor and hospital visits and attended none of the anti-natal classes, little was I to know then but I would redeem myself and have a hand in the most important job of all 'Having a baby'

Thursday 24th. Of August 1995 at 5 a.m. Fiona woke me to tell me things were happening looks like the big day was here at last! She was her usual calm self and never looked worried in the slightest. If you know Fiona she has always got a beaming smile and today was no exception, typical of the woman she had left it as long as she could before she woke me to make it as easy for me as she could.

Fiona had been awake since 4 a.m. with dull pains in her stomach and she knew baby was on its way. I made us some breakfast which we never ate. Fiona was in a lot more pain now so I ran a bath for her and rubbed her back, as it turned out the bath was not needed by her but more of that later. Pain was getting worse but Fiona was still calm, after several trips to toilet she stayed there.

I had already informed the hospital and they said the ambulance was on its way. The lady was very nice and she was telling me what to do in the event of the baby arriving before the Para medics arrived, Oh!! Yeah!!! I thought it won't happen! Stay calm she said get Fiona comfortable lie her flat Blah! Blah! Blah I am not hearing all this it's going in one ear and out the other. Phone back later if any problems arrive. Too late Fiona said tell them to come now!!! I never waited for a walk through I just dropped the phone never to return to the caller.

Fiona said come quickly! I could see baby's head and I put my hands down and Erin just popped out like a cork. We had always called the bump in her tummy Shuggie we so much thought it would have been a boy; it was a bit of a shock when I looked and he was a she! Putting her on Fiona's stomach I made sure there was no blockages in Erin's mouth and the umbilical cord was not round her neck about this time she burst in to tears and I knew then everything would be fine, we had a healthy baby girl with all 10 toes and fingers, I was made up what a beautiful girl and she was ours.

I helped Fiona through to our room and laid her gently on the bed on a big towel, well things did get messy I can tell you! Erin was lying content wrapped in a towel as if coming in to the world was just a formality. Fiona back to her normal calm and collected self was enjoying a cup of tea when the Ambulance guys arrived not just one team but 2

The guys were good they took over, but I would have loved to have finished the job and cut the cord. I suppose I was distracted as by that time Joan and Andrew had arrived at the house. I still have the clamps used when cutting the cord somewhere, must look them out to show Erin. It seems Erin was very clean she looked like she was covered in Vaseline, one of the medics asked if I had wiped her but I had not.

We left together leaving all the mess behind for me later. In the ambulance Erin was wrapped in tin foil and Fiona was warm too and looking very sleepy. I was feeling sick so the Ambulance man gave me some oxygen to help, felt great after that and went to sit up front while the driver raced us to Kirkcaldy. When we got to the delivery room the nurses could not have been nicer or more helpful, Fiona was well looked after and got checked out. It was lovely just sitting in the delivery room watching things unfold. Erin the brave baby was getting vitamin K injection in her heel with not a whimper.

The nurses were making me feel good telling me I had did a good job, I mentioned I had no choice! Seems like I had as only last week a guy from our village when he thought his wife was about to give birth before the ambulance arrived ran in to the street to cry help!!!

When I returned home the place was a mess I cleaned up the carpets and the bathroom. Remember I mentioned the bath? Well it came in handy now, sprinkled with a little salt towel, cloths, gowns the lot went in to be machine washed later.

Well here I am years of rest since still suffering from M.E. coming up to Erin's 13 birthday the dreaded teen years another bridge to cross. Every parent has a bond with their child but I would like to think when you deliver your own baby there is just something a wee bit more special in that relationship.

Well there it is 'A Life in A day' or the story of Erin Rennie '12 going on 20'