A Ride to Remember

Yesterday afternoon, we had quite a scare.

About 3 p.m., I was sitting at my desk at work, when Jude telephoned me. I was surprised to hear from her, as she was taking the day off work. When I answered, she told me she was going to the hospital. My heart sank.

Jude hadn't felt the baby moving much at all during the day and she was worried. She had telephoned our doctor's office and spoke to our nurse, who suggested she go to the hospital and get checked out. What really worried me was that, obviously, Jude isn't one to go to the doctor unless she really, really feels poorly. I told her I'd meet here at the hospital. I got in my truck and off I went.

As I drove up I-65 North to Nashville, I couldn't help but remember how the teacher in our child birth education class had warned the husbands about speeding to the hospital when our wives were in labor. Sure enough, as I passed the Harding Place exit with the needle buried to the right side of my truck's speedometer, I saw a police car on the right shoulder of the interstate. He turned on his blue lights and pulled out into traffic as I sped past him. I changed lanes, turned on my hazard lights, and slowed down so I could find a safe place to pull over. To my surprise, the police officer drove around me and pulled over the car in front of me. Whew!

I found a parking space on the third floor of the parking garage at Baptist hospital, then rushed inside. After being directed to Triage 3, I found Jude, who had arrived just a minute before I did. We were both nervous, but fortunately, we were seen by a wonderful nurse, Michelle. She reassured us that everything was going to be all right. Jude got undressed, put on a hospital gown, then Michelle hooked her to a fetal heart monitor. Almost immediately, we heard our son's heartbeat, strong and fast. It was maybe, just maybe, the most beautiful sound I've ever heard.

Jude stayed on the fetal heart monitor for about thirty minutes, during which time our nurse, Michelle, determined that everything looked normal. She did note that Jude was having a few mild contractions, probably because she was a little dehydrated. After conferring with out doctor on the telephone and giving Jude instructions to drink plenty of water the rest of the evening, she sent us home.

Entirely too much excitement for a Friday afternoon.