ELEVATED TO MIDWIFERY

A Story by JENY

It is the story of an Indain man in 1960s

ELEVATED TO MIDWIFERY

Dear friends, I always prefer stairs to elevator as it adds to my daily exercise to keep me fit. But on that day for no reason I chose the elevator. I was on my way to the fourth floor of city Mission hospital where my friend was recovering from an accident in which he incurred a fracture on his right hand.

When I stepped into the elevator I hardly took notice of the lady inside it as my mind was preoccupied with my meeting with the friend after some moments. I couldn’t reach him when he was in a grim situation. I was thinking of ,how can I express my regrets for my absence when he was direly in need of me.

I believe that I have a helping mind. I think I am generous. But it is very unfortunate that we miss opportunities to help our near and dear ones when they are in need. Because these are the chances or ways we can enter into their mind deeply and ensure the strength of relationships once again. In other words helping moments are manures upon which relationships grow and flourish and yield fruits.

Dear friends, I took notice of the lady beside me when there was a sudden jerking in the lift. In the next moment itself it came to halt, nothing but failure of electricity. We have to wait. It was almost dark. As we waited I heard sounds of panting and sighing from the lady.

“What’s the matter” I asked

“I think it is the time for me”

“Time?” I asked with a startle, only to see her full stomach in the dim light meant for occasions of such electricity failures.

“My God…what to do? Where is your husband and others?” I got panic.

“He is waiting for me in the 3^rd floor” As she said a wail escaped from her throat indicative of excruciating pain she was in the clutch of.

“Why did he leave you alone in the lift at this critical stage? Doesn’t he know it?” I was on the verge of snapping at the lady. Panic seized me that I nearly collapsed at the thought of witnessing a delivery scene. I thought of my wife whose wails of travails I have heard but how she delivered our fist baby I have not seen it.

“Doctor told that date of delivery is next week….and….”lady couldn’t complete the sentence and she nearly collapsed on the floor.

I couldn’t even walk across this dingy room to ease out my mounting tension, which I often do to bring back the equanimity of mind. I cursed the moment I stepped into this lift instead of taking stairs. As today, if I had cell phone, I would have many options in my finger tip to solve out this imbroglio in which I am trapped.

“Look, all I can do is to pray for you, I cant do anything for you sister” I burst out in tears as the lady cried in loud voice. She was lying on the floor. I wanted to comfort her and help her in anyway I can. But, my friends, I didn’t know, how I can be a help to her. As the moments went by lady’s wailings mounted to unbearable level and I plugged my ears with my finger. Still I could here her pangs explicitly. Exhausted, I sat on the floor. As I pressed my palms on the floor to support myself, the fluid from her body smeared all over my hands. I thought of my wife in helplessness. I longed for her presence.

Finally lady gave out a loud shriek. And it was followed by a faint weeping, not from her but from infant. A faint weeping which told me that I must do something, I lifted lady’s frock and took the baby in my hands. Lady lying in the pool of fluids lay almost unconscious. I sensed her pulses and it was normal. It still took 20 mts for the restoration of electricity. I sat near the lady with the infant smeared in fluids in my arms. A bank employee, me, in the role of mid wife is a twist of destiny. In those moments I felt a tremendous proud of myself, I looked and looked at the infant and for reasons not known to myself tears filled in my eyes.

Mother and child were soon transferred to ICU. All the while I was thinking why God selects me to help others in a strange way. Anyway I was happy that he let me to help somebody.