My C-section Story – Brenda Unu

GREAT THINGS HAPPEN AT THE OTHER SIDE OF FEAR.

The statement above was mentioned by a lady I hold in high esteem for her uncommon wisdom, Karika Yonremen.

You see, many people are held down from their next level of greatness by their fears. Fears most times are very valid and understandable. It is what you do with them that is the game changer.

Early this morning, I watched the YouTube video of DUDUKE, the new single by Simi, that announces that she is expecting a baby. I’m excited for her. And thrilled that she is not hiding her bump like the average Nigerian would do.

Watching that video, seeing her joy and listening to the beautiful words she crowed, I remembered when I was expecting my first baby, over twelve years ago.

I was as excited as she was, if not more. I started eating only home cooked meals, I carried my water everywhere. I took fruits and veggies daily and regular doses of pregnancies (a daily prenatal vitamin).

I was careful… excited, prayerful, and yet, 37weeks on, I visited the hospital to complain of a persistent headache and cough. On checking my vitals, the nurse looked shocked.  “What is it?” “Nothing ma’am”. But she took my blood pressure reading a second time. And still had the gasp on her face.

I ignored her and went in to see the doctor. He took one look at the chart and opened his mouth again. What is wrong with all the staff here anyway? I asked him what the matter was. “Nothing ma’am. Please lie down here for some moments.”

I did. He checked me again, this time with a digital sphygmomanometer. He couldn’t keep calm. “Ma’am, do you have any history of high blood pressure?” “No.”
“Well, you have an extremely high blood pressure and I’m afraid I would have to admit you.”

Things moved very quickly from then, it was a Saturday evening. I told the doctor I wasn’t going to be admitted. I started to worry, to fear that something would happen to me or my baby. I calmed myself down and prayed. After refusing to be admitted, I was given drugs and told to come back on Monday morning.

I did. At vitals, another drama. Okay, it was official, I had this thing. MD said I needed an emergency C-section, I wanted to cry. Never had it crossed my mind that I could deliver that way. My heart started to beat in fear.

I started to recite my Psalm 27:1 – “The Lord is my light and salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?”

I decided then to walk through the fearful circumstance – the CS- head held high. And several hours later, I held my beautiful first daughter in my arms.

A lot happened in between, like how it took several hours for the general anaesthesia to wear off and my mother had already started calling heaven to send me back.

But I moved forward, accepted the procedure despite my fears, and today I have a blessing in my arms, twelve years old.

April is the month of C-section awareness. Embrace C-section, it may be the difference between life and death for baby and mother.

Brenda Unu is a trained and licensed architect. She is also a talented writer, whose main focus is fictional and inspirational stories tailored for the African woman.

She has written and published three books that are available for sale on Amazon.
Brenda is a wife to her college sweetheart, and mother to four amazing children. You can get to know more about her and buy her books here.