Boredom set in as I play Tetris into the early cold, December morning. At 3 a.m. I finally give in and shut off the game to go to sleep. It is not like a pregnant woman like me has anything important to do tomorrow. Sleep overcomes me so fast that I have no time to think, no time to worry about the day ahead. Sometimes the memory, like the pain fades, but in life altering situation like giving birth to a child, the memory lasts and is full of both unpleasant and fulfilling memories.
Suddenly, I am awakening to a moist feeling. I glance at the clock; it is only 4:30 a.m. Did my water break? No way. My due date is not until another month and besides, I do not feel any contractions. I rush to my mom’s bedroom to wake her up.
Although I reassure my mom that everything is okay, I am trying to keep my anxious and afraid emotions from surfacing.
With every passing minute, the contractions become stronger and more painful. The doctor suggests anesthesia, but I decline. As the pain and contractions escalate, I yearn for anesthesia, but it is too late. I can feel my son slowly slipping out of me. This really is painful, but I force myself to continue for the sake of my son’s well being. I cannot give up now; I have gone a long way. “Push Kim, push,” echoes in the back of my mind. I push and push; finally, I hear a baby crying. It is over! It finally over! What a relief! I can not believe I have given life to a live human being! This is the proudest day of my life.