My hero is my youngest daughter. She is awesome in her strength, humour and resilience. Last week she managed to combine being diagnosed with pre-eclampsia, a failed induction, giving birth to a baby boy and a burst appendix. She also managed to find time and energy to phone me and let me know what was going on. The pre-eclampsia (high blood pressure caused by pregnancy and threatens organs) led to her being induced at 37 weeks as the safest option for mother and baby. But it failed and the contractions faded out after a few hours. A couple of days rest and they induced again and a healthy baby boy was born. Two days later she was home but got stomach pains she told the doctors was worse than the labour pains. She also had a high fever so the docs knew she had an infection. They were thinking birth complications and uterus perhaps with incomplete placenta separation. They did think burst appendix, but judged her pain level below normal presentation as she was not screaming at 150 decibels. They did many tests and decided exploratory surgery was called for. They started keyhole, but found her abdominal awash in malodourus pus, and decided to ‘open her up’ as they like to say. From sternum to pubis. They removed the appendix and spent considerable time flushing her stomach. The next day she phoned me. She was sitting in a chair in her hospital room which she told me was an exercise in maneuvering and logistics, as she had 2 drips and 4 drains plumbed into her, each with attached apparatus. She was breastfeeding her tiny baby but it was kind of tricky avoiding all the pipes and the incision down her belly as he kicked around.
She had endured pain I cannot imagine, anxiety for her baby I have never experienced till now and according to her surgeon came within hours of death. Yet still she thought mainly of her newborn baby and her loving husband, and even managed to spare a thought for her old dad.
A hero is someone who does something of immense courage and fortitude. I am so honoured to have one in the family.
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