Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice

It is evident, in watching Eva Jewel grow, that she will never bend her head but will always look the world straight in the eye. She has a sheer determination about her. I can see it even at three-years-old. My mother says she is very strong willed. It reminds her of another young lady she knows. She told me, “Not to worry, teach her how to harness it and the finished product will turn out wonderful.” It would be this characteristic, alongside God’s merciful hand, that would bring Eva Jewel safely into this world.

It was my sister’s birthday, June 27, 2016. I was stopping by her office to surprise her. When I arrived, we chit chatted and laughed at how pregnant I looked. I was due in two weeks, but my C-section was scheduled one week prior to my due date. I made mention about the uncomfortable “Braxton Hicks” I was having. She jokingly said, “Wouldn’t that be funny if you were actually in labor!” Turns out, she was only off by one day; One miraculous day!

There was not much change through the evening. The contractions were still regular and now, somewhat intense, but I kept brushing them off. Around midnight I woke up as if someone had jolted me awake. I began to time the contractions. They were precise and defined. I called my doctor, who encouraged me to wait a few more hours to make sure. Since it was my first baby, she knew I had plenty of time, and she did not want me to make the one hour drive to Birmingham for a false alarm. By five o’clock AM, the contractions had intensified a great deal. My mother and father wanted me to go to the hospital right away; they both sensed an urgency. I, however, was unsure. I was two weeks early from my due date, and I knew most first-time mothers tended to be late. With so many confusing thoughts racing through my mind, I finally stopped and prayed. I heard the Lord gently speak to my heart and say, “GO.” That was all I needed.

When we arrived in the doctor’s office, they took me straight back. It did not take Dr. Routman long to see that I was definitely in labor. They wheeled me over to Labor and Delivery and hooked me up to the monitors. I was rescheduled for a c-section that afternoon. Chuck had gone upstairs to get us registered. My mother stayed with me until Chuck returned. I was in severe pain by this point and started to cry.

Within the next few minutes, things started happening very quickly. My nurse became very concerned while looking at my monitor. She immediately flipped me over onto my side and got in my face. She said, “Your baby is having trouble breathing.” “I need you to calm down, focus and take deep breaths. I am going to get the doctor.” She left out of the room in a dash! Moments later, Dr. Routman came into the room. I started crying again and begged her to get my little girl out safely. She comforted me by saying, “Don’t you worry. We are simply going to have an early birthday party right now!”

It felt just like the movies. I was flying down the corridor with the nurse’s staff in a full sprint headed for an emergency delivery. The anesthesiologist met us in the delivery room. He said to me very seriously, “There is no time for an epidural. I have to do a spinal block.” Which meant, one chance; no room for error. I grabbed the nurse’s hand and began to pray. There was no delay; in seconds, I heard the most glorious sound I have ever heard. Eva Jewel was crying.

Meanwhile, my mother was able to track down Chuck and let him know that I was having an emergency delivery. He left everything in registration and came quickly to surgery. The nurses suited him up swiftly and believe it or not, he entered the room the moment Eva Jewel entered the world. Talk about perfect timing!

Later, with family all gathered around to welcome our new arrival, Dr. Routman came into the room to check on us. My dad made it a point to ask her, “Exactly how much time was remaining for Eva Jewel?” Dr. Routman solemnly said, “Less than an hour.”

My placenta had torn off the uterine wall, and Eva Jewel was suffocating. There was no way to know this until I was hooked up to the monitors, which is what my nurse took notice of. Had I not gone into labor two weeks early, we would have lost our precious “Jewel.”

For the majority of these cases, when the baby is removed, he or she needs immediate oxygen and usually other medical attention. Miraculously, Eva’s oxygen levels were perfect, even after going twenty-four hours in dire straits. Dr. Routman said she breathed a sigh of relief when she heard Eva Jewel’s strong lungs. We left the hospital in two days with a healthy baby girl in our arms!

Months later, I came back for my check-up appointment. I was walking back to the examination room when I saw one of my nurses. She had tears in her eyes as she shared, “I was walking up and down the hallway praying for Eva Jewel and you.” The pivotal moments surrounding Eva’s delivery are more than I can recount in this short story, but it taught me that ordinary heroes are everywhere.

Back in the examination room, my doctor examined my scar. She apologized because it was not perfectly straight. I mulled this over in my mind as I was driving home. The accuracy of my scar, could not have bothered me less. It’s our imperfections that show people the beauty of our story.

Never be afraid to show people your scars. We were not meant to be victimized to the past but victorious in our future.

We will celebrate Eva Jewel’s fourth birthday in just a few days. She is an inquisitive little girl. She often asks me how God makes little girls? My mind reels with all the things I could tell her, but none seem good enough. I simply stroke her face, recalling the day, not very long ago, when the nurse laid her in my arms. I just smile and say, “Eva Jewel, little girls are straight from Heaven. They are made of sugar and spice and everything nice.”

“And to the Lord belong escapes from death!” Psalms 68:20

Happy Birthday Eva Jewel

If you are enjoying these posts please subscribe below and tell a friend!