“Hello, Max.”
I turned to see the doctor standing behind me.
“Doctor Turner. What’s wrong with the baby?”
“The baby is in a bit of distress, Max. But, please, don’t worry. We’re taking Angel to the OR now. You can come along if you like.”
“Of course.”
“Okay. Let’s go guys.”
Before long we were in the OR. The monitors beeped as soon as Angel was hooked up. A male OR nurse gave me scrubs to wear, and paper covers for my shoes. I washed my hands and then I was ready to stand next to Angel.
“I’m here, my love. I’m here,” I said and held her hand.
“Max.”
I kissed her clammy forehead and smelled her hair.
“I love you, Angel.”
“Angel,” the doctor said, “I’m going to make an incision now. You’ll feel tugging but it won’t be painful. Okay? Ready to meet your son?”
“Ready,” Angel said.
I couldn’t see what the doc was doing as there was a screen blocking them off from my view. Thank goodness. I didn’t know if I’d be able to watch as they sliced Angel open. I’d never live it down if I went down like a sack of cement when Angel needed me most.
Then, the baby was out. Our baby. My son. He wasn’t breathing.
Oh, please, God. Breathe Dasha, breathe!
The pediatrician took our son and turned him upside down. Nothing. Then he placed a tube in his mouth and sucked out whatever fluids were in there.
“Why isn’t he crying, Max?” Angel asked me.
“I don’t know.”
I couldn’t stand around. I marched over to where Dasha was and said in a loud voice, “Breathe, Dasha, Breathe!”
My son took a deep breath and then raised the roof with a fine pair of lungs!
“That’s my boy,” I whispered as a nurse wrapped him up and handed him to me.
I took him to Angel and placed him on her chest.
“Here he is, my love. Our little warrior.”
“He’s beautiful,” she said with tears running down her cheeks.
“He needs to put on a bit of fat, but he’s in good shape,” the pediatrician smiled.
“Thanks, Doc. How are you feeling, Angel?”
“I’m better now that you’re here. What happened, Max?”
“It was chaos, Babe. Didn’t anyone call you?”
“No. The first news I got was when I switched on the TV.”