I recently received a news letter from this site and noticed that they were looking for individuals to give an account of how they have coped living with PKU. After much thought I’ve decided to put pen to paper (metaphorically speaking) and share my life (or part of it) with you. I will try and update it weekly but because of my work load I won’t promise anything yet.
In the interest of my son, I will keep it anonymous, but to help with the story I will call him Jack. It all began on the 6th January 1993 (if I am honest it started 9 months earlier but that is a different story!). This was the day I was to become a single mum!
What should have been the best day of my life ended up being a bit of a nightmare.
I arrived at the hospital with my sister at 6pm. I was to be induced because I was late. The midwife said the baby would probably arrive tomorrow, so my sister wished me well and left (the hospital would call when the time came). I lay on the bed and saw my life flash before me. I was in a dream, but after about an hour I started to feel really uncomfortable: it was really starting to hurt. I spoke to the nurse and she just me some paracetamol. I thought, “this is not going to help” and it didn’t.
I must have looked really white: I just focused all my efforts on ignoring the pain. I was told that I wasn’t in labour yet and it shouldn’t be painful but it really did hurt. I finally couldn’t take much more and called for help. I can still remember what the nurse said when she examined me, “oh you are 3 cm dilated, I think we better get you up to the delivery suit”.
I remember a whole mixture of emotions going through my mind. I sat there just weeping, saying “call my sister, call my sister”. Debbie had only just got home when the phone rang. Apparently, she left her tea and headed straight back to the hospital.
In the delivery suit I met the midwife who was to look after me for the first time. I remember being asked if it was ok if a student mid wife could observed the birth. I can’t remember what I said (well actually I can but I am too embarrassed to think about it): needless to say the student stayed.
My birth plan was to keep everything natural. I did not want any drugs or pain killers: how stupid was I…
Debbie arrived clam as can be at about 8pm: it was great to see a familiar face. It wasn’t long before things started to go down hill.
To be continued……
For Part 2 of this story: http://blog.nutricia.com/2008/06/04/a-single-mother%e2%80%99s-perspective-on-pku-part-2/
For Part 3 of this story: http://blog.nutricia.com/2008/06/16/a-single-mother%e2%80%99s-perspective-on-pku-part-3-discovering-your-child-has-pku/