A Different Perspective
It’s the morning of my 35th birthday, and while I’m getting ready for our second childbirth class, I realize that for the first time ever, today I’m not thinking that today, 35 years ago, I was born. No. This morning, 34 weeks deep into pregnancy (that is, 3-7 weeks away from labor), what I’m thinking is that today, 35 years ago, my mom was giving birth to me. Joey congratulates me with a kiss and a hug, and asks me what I want for my birthday. Normally I would suggest some ideas for a present. Today, all I want is a good day.
My birthday goes on sin pena ni gloria. Except, this second class at the hospital feels a little rougher on the info factor. We discuss pain medication, episiotomies, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th degree tears, the painful recovery of the poor vagingo, and then we’re treated to a video illustrating what happens in a c-section surgery. The video doesn’t show the actual surgery; instead, it uses animation to show the incisions, pulling of muscles, etc. At some point the image — as cartoonish as it may be — is so brutally graphic that Joey and I explode in a burst of hysterical laughter. We’re at the very front of the room, and I hear from the back an apparently outraged masculine voice mumbling several times “that is not funny”. I want to turn to this guy and tell him “I know it isn’t, oh YOU, great sensitive man who won’t have to go through this ever in his life. Some times laughter is the only way to deal with pain”.
“Mom and I”. Watercolor by Maria Q. Stultz, May 1997.