Bundle of Joy

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"Come on nurse, get the oxygen over here"! The doctor shouted. His voice can out in loud muffles due to the safety surgical mask he was putting on. He laid the baby face down on the bed for the second time while he slowly ran his hands over the child's back. At first, he thought it was still born as the baby came out, instead of the curly fashioned head-first dropping, the head was laid backward and once it was out, it did not give the naturally welcoming cry that announced the coming of another cherished living soul into the world and which also doubles as it first intake of air. On close examination, Doctor Paltin notice the baby was alive but won't be for long if the lungs do not get the air induced expansion soon enough.
The nurse rolled over the oxygen tank close to the hospital cradle and the doctor affixed it to the baby's face while he proceeded to check other vitals. The nurses were occupied with cleaning up the mother who was still very much unconscious and the child who still bears traces of it remnant that shows it just left itmother's womb. The child was gradually dressed up while the mother got patched up and properly covered.
After ensuring the baby was stable, doctor Paltin asked one of the nurse to stay by and pay close attention to both mother and child. He left the ward and on stepping out, he was accosted by the excited and over anxious Mr Crik, who having brought his wife to the door of the labour room, was asked to wait outside. For the past four hours, he had been walking restlessly, sometimes sitting down and sometimes squatting, he could not maintain any definite position for long. This was there first child since he married Tracia two years back. At first, he cries came to his ears and every scream seems to pierce him with a sword. He was so sorry for his wife and with every scream, his love, respect and caring feelings for his wife doubled. But two hours later, he could barely hear her screams and as the nurses who went hurriedly in and out of the labour room did not wait to give him and update about the state of his wife, he went from being excited to being anxious and finally to hysteria. He now wished he could at least hear her screams, screams which wounded his heart were not what craved for since they will let him know his wife was okay, okay as alive.
"Doctor, how is my wife"? Mr Crik asked excitedly. He was shaking visibly.
" Calm down Sir, she is still exhausted but she will be fine". He replied.
"What about the baby"? Mr Crik asked.
" Let's talk in my office, Mr Crik", doctor Paltin said, motioning with his hands towards his office door.
"Mr Crik, I have some pleasant news and a not too pleasant news. Let's take the pleasant news first. I will congratulate you on just attaining the position of a father, your wife gave you a son and she is okay", doctor Paltin said, giving a little smile.
" That is great news doctor, thank you so much", Mr Crik said smiling broadly but almost immediately his countenance changed.
"So, what is the unpleasant news doctor"? Mr Crik asked?
" Well, the child was too weak to give his first cry therefore he could not breath normally. We have placed him on oxygen. Also, his heart is very weak and it will be a wonder if he makes it beyond 32 hours. I have tried all I could to remedy the condition but it is a hopeless situation", doctor Paltin said, sighing.
Mr Crik lowered his head and cupped them in his palms.
"No, this is not fair at all" he thought to himself. The doctors words shot into him like tiny shrapnels and his heart was engulfed in hot invincible flames. No, many not invincible but cannot be seen because it was internal. After two years of marriage and several miscarriages, the only pregnancy that held on and becomes a baby wants to go off even before it has lived.
"Can I see them now"? Mr Crik asked in a voice choked with sorrow. The toned shows he was trying hard to hold back himself from crying.
" After me Sir", Doctor Paltin said, leading the way.
When they got into the ICU, his wife was still unconscious while the signal from the monitor affixed to the child's vital was giving off a low beeping sound.
The monitor shows the heartbeat was very weak, in fact weaker than it had been earlier. Mr Crik first went to his wife, caressed her hairs softly, planted a kiss on her forehead before moving over to the child. The child was lying still, very cute and looking delicate. It was so neat it felt almost like a sacrilege to touch it. Mr Crik involuntarily let go a few drops of tears which landed on the child's right cheek. He put his right thumb on the little pale colored cheek and wiped off the droplets of tears. It seems almost impossible such a gift could be lost and the knowledge that it will soon be gone, like a mould of powder on the palm, it will soon vanish with the soft air made the pain in Mr Crik's chest more profound until he felt his heart will burst with grief.
"So nothing can be done doctor"? He asked with hopelessness written on his face and bordered in his voice.
" Nothing Mr Crik, am sorry" doctor Paltin replied bowing his head sadly.
"What about my wife"? Mr Crik inquired, " will she be okay"?
"Yes, she will come to soon enough" the doctor replied. "Let's wait in my office" he said.
When the got in, my Crik sat down heavily. He seemed empty but his whole body felt like lead, so heavy he could hardly hold carry it.
"Do not lose hope, this shows your wife is capable of holding a pregnancy. So, cheer up. When she takes in, we will enhance the ante-natal examination and care to curtail any such occurrence. It's alright", doctor Paltin assured him.
" Alright doctor. But I don't know how my wife will take it. She had been so filled with hope for this child, now she won't even get to hold it for up to a day", Mr Crik said.
"It's alright Mr C..
"Doctor"!
The doctor was cut short by one of the nurses attending to Mr Crik's wife and dying child,
" You need to see this" she said. Her voice was filled with impatience.
They all rushed out into the hallway and then into the ICU to the bedside of Mr Crik's wife and child.
"What is it"? The doctor asked.
The nurse pointed after the monitor.
" Oh my.." The doctor swallowed his exclamation halfway spoken and was staring at the readings on the monitor wide eyed.
"What is it doctor"? "Is the child dead"? My Crik asked dejectedly.
The doctor turned his head slowly until he faced Mr Crik.
" In all my years as a doctor, i 've never seen such a wonder, the child's heartbeat is now almost perfectly stable and other vital readings show he is now breathing normally".
"Yes"! "Yes"! Mr Crik exclaimed punching the air with his clenched fists like a footballer celebrating a stoppage time winning goal.
The noise in the room woke up his wife who just came to.
" What is the hollowing all about, darling"? She asked softly.
Everyone turned sharply to face Mrs Crik looking at them weakly but very healthy.