Wake-up Call

What does it take for a person to appreciate what they’ve got? In my case, it’s almost losing it. Or rather, the threat of losing it.

I received a call, this morning, from my wife. She sounded shaken. She sounded like she’d been crying. All she said was, “I called the doctor’s office. They say I should go to the hospital to get checked out. Can you come home?” ‘

Yesterday, we’d been a little worried because the baby hadn’t moved in a couple hours and that was during activity prime-time. We could normally forego the TV because the kid was more fun to watch in Kim’s tummy. I figured this was what it was about but the urgency in Kim’s voice made me realize just how shaken she was.

Breaking several traffic laws, my mind raced furiously. Unfortunately, it dwelled on all of the negative possible outcomes of this trip to the hospital. I made it home in record-time, sprinted up the stairs, collected my wife and drove to the hospital.

For once, there was no wait. The lady at the front desk called up to Obstetrics and, a few wrong-turns aside, we made it to the appropriate place.

Once Kim was hooked up to the fetal monitor, the tension just oozed out of the room. The baby’s heart was strong. And as a show of defiance (great, we’re gonna have a rebel-child), the very second the monitor was on, the littlest Johnstone decided to start a one-player soccer game in the womb.

Drained, relieved and newly-paranoid, I’ve learned my lesson: Nothing’s as scary as being a parent.

I find it a little weird that the perception is, nothing’s safer than the womb. After that, you’re exposed to all kinds of dangers. But you can’t tell how your baby’s doing so the anxiety is that much higher.