I was 19 when I had my first child, a daughter. She was born in 1976. That was a difficult pregnancy because I wasn't in very good health and my body was just too weak and not strong enough. After being in foster care for ten years, I was basically thrown out into the street when I turned 18 and all that, and so much more, had taken a toll on my body and my mind.
Meanwhile, I met and married the best man I've ever known. His family became my family. Before officially finding out that I was pregnant, I fainted while taking a shower. It's a good thing my husband was nearby and caught me. He was so happy when we officially found out that I was pregnant. He picked me up and swung me around as he was smiling with tears in his eyes.
The labor with my daughter was very long and I felt like I was in a torture chamber the way the nurses treated me. They were so cold and cruel...Then after her birth, it took a while to stitch me up from being torn.
My second child, a son, was born in 1978. That pregnancy was a little easier. My body was stronger. But he was sideways and had to be turned during birth.
My third child, a son, was born in 1983. I made arrangements ahead of time to have a tubal ligation after he was born. It was just a feeling I had that I needed to do that. After getting to the hospital, I knew something was wrong but nobody was listen to me. I told them that they would have to do a C-Section repeatedly. But they said no, that wouldn't have to be done. They said, you don't want to have a C-Section, that's major surgery. I said, it's not exactly what I want but that's what will have to be done. So they argued with me about it all day. They said, what makes you think you need a C-Section? I said, I just know. The labor pains kept stopping. Finally, late that day, a doctor from another city walked into the room and checked me. He started barking orders to them to prep me for me surgery and asked them why they let me lay there all day in that condition. My cervix was closing. So I had a C-Section and the doctor asked me if I was sure that I wanted a tubal ligation and I said I'm sure. He said, but you're still young. What if you remarry and your husband wants children? I said, I won't remarry. He said, how do you know that? I said, I just know. And I never did. My husband passed in 2000.
Children are a blessing from God. I have seven grandchildren and I just found out that I'm going to be a great-grandmother.
