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Part One
(The Parasite)
(The Parasite)
The night was calm, the breeze cool and refreshing. She lay with him again, far from the first or last time, smiling and in love, she sighed. There was peace that night, the last she would know. The next morning would be less comforting, and the days to come darker still.
In order for the parasite to grow it was required by nature to couple with a host capable of supporting it until it was able to support itself. The evening of her infection the parasite found it's mate and became one with it, at once both alive and able to adapt. It's victim was not aware of, nor prepared for, the unwanted guest that had moved in to her body and taken ownership of her flesh. Every second that passed it grew, replicating itself, forming itself, discovering what it was meant to be.
The morning came with a rush of nausea. She vomited. For several days this happened, then the feelings of illness passed and life renewed. For weeks all was well with her. School was rough and love a bit rougher, but this 19 year old was ready to take on all she could and more, to master her life and herself. Inside her the parasite continued to grow, soon it would change her forever.
Something wasn't right, she knew, but that wasn't much of a concern yet. She had never been regular and didn't think much of it. She felt good, warm and happy most of the time, so she didn't worry about her body's imperfections. A few more weeks passed, drawing concern from her lover, so she bought and took several tests. All came up negative. Not yet ready to panic, she visited a doctor who suggested she try medication to help normalize her period. She did as the doctor suggested. The parasite inside her sensed the change in her body, caused by the medication. Adapting to the new hormonal balance wasn't going to be easy for it, nor pleasant for the host. Still growing, the parasite rebelled.
She felt worse than before but blamed the flu, not thinking too much about what she was taking, or what it might be doing to her. Irritable, tired, sad and lonely, all of these words described her mood, sometimes all at once. School wasn't going as well as she had hoped, and she was falling behind. Her lover, while always there for her, sensed the changes and did his best to stay distant. Nearly a full pound in weight now, the parasite was beginning to take greater control of her hormones. Each day she took her medication her body fought back. There was a battle being fought inside her, between the medication and the hormonal changes that came along with the parasite; whichever side won, she would lose.
Four months after her body became the host, and six weeks after beginning her medication, she discovered what was wrong with her body; her mood and, in many ways, her life. Off drugs of all sort and on to vitamins and healthy living, she would deal with this problem quickly. Anger at her lover turned to rage at the doctors who had missed her problem entirely. She forgave him, as she always would, but blamed them for their carelessness in her care; with her life.
She would finish school, marry and be happy. The parasite be damned; and surely it would be for destroying nearly five months of her life. Planning to remove the beast inside her, once the decision to do so was made, took time as she tried to balance her school work, finals, etc., with her medical needs. Time was precious to the parasite too. Shortly after school ended, before her planned procedure, the parasite made its own choice.
"Toxaemia; blood poisoning resulting from the presence of toxins, as bacterial toxins, in the blood". That's what they told her she had, in the E.R. as she laid on her side, vomiting. Her lover looked it up and read her the definition. Specifically, she was suffering from "an abnormal condition of pregnancy characterized by hypertension, fluid retention, edema, and the presence of protein in the urine." Toxemia of Pregnancy. The parasite was dying, it needed help. They admitted her for observation and started an IV drip.
Several days later, feeling better with the parasite gone, she left the Hospital. As planned, she would finish school, graduate and marry the man she loved. They would struggle to have children, a sad side effect due to hormonal imbalances and changes in her body as she dealt with the parasite, but they would be happy. Years later she would conceive again, this time with a different perspective.
The morning came with a rush of nausea. She vomited. For several days this happened, then the feelings of illness passed and life renewed. For weeks all was well with her. School was rough and love a bit rougher, but this 19 year old was ready to take on all she could and more, to master her life and herself. Inside her, the baby continued to grow and soon, it would change her forever.
Something wasn't right, she knew, but that wasn't much of a concern yet. She had never been regular and didn't think much of it. She felt good, warm and happy most of the time, so she didn't worry about her body's imperfections. A few more weeks passed, drawing concern from her lover, so she bought and took several over the counter pregnancy tests. All came up negative. Not yet ready to panic, she visited a doctor who suggested she try medication to help normalize her period. She did as the doctor suggested. The baby inside her sensed the change in her body, caused by the medication which would ultimately expel it. Adapting to the new hormonal balance wasn't going to be easy for it, nor pleasant for mom. Still growing, the child's immune system, weak as it was, rebelled.
She felt worse than before but blamed the flu, not thinking too much about what she was taking, or what it might be doing to her. Irritable, tired, sad and lonely, all of these words described her mood, sometimes all at once. School wasn't going as well as she'd had hoped and she was falling behind. Her lover, while always there for her, sensed the changes and did his best to stay distant. Nearly a full pound in weight now, the baby was beginning to take greater control of her hormones. Each day she took her medication her body fought back. There was a battle being fought inside her, between the medication and the hormonal changes that come with being pregnant; whichever side won, she would lose.
Four months after conception day, and six weeks after beginning her medication, she discovered what was wrong with her body; her mood, and, in many ways, her life. She was pregnant, as she had first thought. While she was angry at her doctors for their early misdiagnosis, and the pills she had been taking which contributed to her constant sickness, she let her feelings pass and starting acting like a mother to be. Instead of drugs she took in a daily regimen of vitamins. She was not angry with her lover for long, she forgave him as she always would.
Wise or not, they would both drop out of school, a least for now, marry and try to be happy. The baby, now five months old in her womb, needed her. Planning to remove the baby inside her was never seriously considered. They were going to marry and have children anyway, so what if God chose their time for them? They would make the best of it. The mother was happy for the first time in months, maybe years. Unfortunately, she wasn't yet well. Twelve days after her wedding, her body changed again.
"Toxaemia; blood poisoning resulting from the presence of toxins, as bacterial toxins, in the blood". That's what they told her she had, in the E.R. as she laid on her side, vomiting. Her lover looked it up and read her the definition. Specifically, she was suffering from "an abnormal condition of pregnancy characterized by hypertension, fluid retention, edema, and the presence of protein in the urine." Toxemia of Pregnancy. The baby was dying, it needed help. They admitted her for observation and started an IV drip.
She wasn't going to choose to let her baby die, and neither were the doctors who attended her. Without the proper facilities, however, this uninsured mother to be might lose her child. Knowing that they could not properly care for a baby born early in the 7th month of pregnancy, the hospital had her airlifted to a more advanced facility, some sixty miles from her home and family. There, under the care of the world's finest doctors, the baby was saved.
Two pounds ten ounces is small enough to fit in the palm of an average hand. This baby, a girl, would need thirty more days in the Hospital, under special care, before she could go home with her parents. Every day the family traveled to visit their newest treasure, their miracle. She came home eight months after she was conceived, healthy and alive, just like her mother.
Something wasn't right, she knew, but that wasn't much of a concern yet. She had never been regular and didn't think much of it. She felt good, warm and happy most of the time, so she didn't worry about her body's imperfections. A few more weeks passed, drawing concern from her lover, so she bought and took several tests. All came up negative. Not yet ready to panic, she visited a doctor who suggested she try medication to help normalize her period. She did as the doctor suggested. The parasite inside her sensed the change in her body, caused by the medication. Adapting to the new hormonal balance wasn't going to be easy for it, nor pleasant for the host. Still growing, the parasite rebelled.
She felt worse than before but blamed the flu, not thinking too much about what she was taking, or what it might be doing to her. Irritable, tired, sad and lonely, all of these words described her mood, sometimes all at once. School wasn't going as well as she had hoped, and she was falling behind. Her lover, while always there for her, sensed the changes and did his best to stay distant. Nearly a full pound in weight now, the parasite was beginning to take greater control of her hormones. Each day she took her medication her body fought back. There was a battle being fought inside her, between the medication and the hormonal changes that came along with the parasite; whichever side won, she would lose.
Four months after her body became the host, and six weeks after beginning her medication, she discovered what was wrong with her body; her mood and, in many ways, her life. Off drugs of all sort and on to vitamins and healthy living, she would deal with this problem quickly. Anger at her lover turned to rage at the doctors who had missed her problem entirely. She forgave him, as she always would, but blamed them for their carelessness in her care; with her life.
She would finish school, marry and be happy. The parasite be damned; and surely it would be for destroying nearly five months of her life. Planning to remove the beast inside her, once the decision to do so was made, took time as she tried to balance her school work, finals, etc., with her medical needs. Time was precious to the parasite too. Shortly after school ended, before her planned procedure, the parasite made its own choice.
"Toxaemia; blood poisoning resulting from the presence of toxins, as bacterial toxins, in the blood". That's what they told her she had, in the E.R. as she laid on her side, vomiting. Her lover looked it up and read her the definition. Specifically, she was suffering from "an abnormal condition of pregnancy characterized by hypertension, fluid retention, edema, and the presence of protein in the urine." Toxemia of Pregnancy. The parasite was dying, it needed help. They admitted her for observation and started an IV drip.
Several days later, feeling better with the parasite gone, she left the Hospital. As planned, she would finish school, graduate and marry the man she loved. They would struggle to have children, a sad side effect due to hormonal imbalances and changes in her body as she dealt with the parasite, but they would be happy. Years later she would conceive again, this time with a different perspective.
Part Two
(Perspective)
The night was calm, the breeze cool and refreshing. She lay with him again, far from the first or last time, smiling and in love, she sighed. There was peace that night, the last she would know for awhile. The next morning would be less comforting, and the days to come full of worry.
In order for a baby to grow it is required by nature to couple with its mother, until it is able to support itself. The evening of her infants conception, her baby found its mate and became one with it, at once both alive and aware. The mother was not yet aware, nor could she have been prepared for, the child that had moved in to her body, becoming one with her flesh. Every second that passed the baby grew, replicating cells, forming itself, discovering what it was meant to be.
Something wasn't right, she knew, but that wasn't much of a concern yet. She had never been regular and didn't think much of it. She felt good, warm and happy most of the time, so she didn't worry about her body's imperfections. A few more weeks passed, drawing concern from her lover, so she bought and took several over the counter pregnancy tests. All came up negative. Not yet ready to panic, she visited a doctor who suggested she try medication to help normalize her period. She did as the doctor suggested. The baby inside her sensed the change in her body, caused by the medication which would ultimately expel it. Adapting to the new hormonal balance wasn't going to be easy for it, nor pleasant for mom. Still growing, the child's immune system, weak as it was, rebelled.
She felt worse than before but blamed the flu, not thinking too much about what she was taking, or what it might be doing to her. Irritable, tired, sad and lonely, all of these words described her mood, sometimes all at once. School wasn't going as well as she'd had hoped and she was falling behind. Her lover, while always there for her, sensed the changes and did his best to stay distant. Nearly a full pound in weight now, the baby was beginning to take greater control of her hormones. Each day she took her medication her body fought back. There was a battle being fought inside her, between the medication and the hormonal changes that come with being pregnant; whichever side won, she would lose.
Four months after conception day, and six weeks after beginning her medication, she discovered what was wrong with her body; her mood, and, in many ways, her life. She was pregnant, as she had first thought. While she was angry at her doctors for their early misdiagnosis, and the pills she had been taking which contributed to her constant sickness, she let her feelings pass and starting acting like a mother to be. Instead of drugs she took in a daily regimen of vitamins. She was not angry with her lover for long, she forgave him as she always would.
Wise or not, they would both drop out of school, a least for now, marry and try to be happy. The baby, now five months old in her womb, needed her. Planning to remove the baby inside her was never seriously considered. They were going to marry and have children anyway, so what if God chose their time for them? They would make the best of it. The mother was happy for the first time in months, maybe years. Unfortunately, she wasn't yet well. Twelve days after her wedding, her body changed again.
"Toxaemia; blood poisoning resulting from the presence of toxins, as bacterial toxins, in the blood". That's what they told her she had, in the E.R. as she laid on her side, vomiting. Her lover looked it up and read her the definition. Specifically, she was suffering from "an abnormal condition of pregnancy characterized by hypertension, fluid retention, edema, and the presence of protein in the urine." Toxemia of Pregnancy. The baby was dying, it needed help. They admitted her for observation and started an IV drip.
She wasn't going to choose to let her baby die, and neither were the doctors who attended her. Without the proper facilities, however, this uninsured mother to be might lose her child. Knowing that they could not properly care for a baby born early in the 7th month of pregnancy, the hospital had her airlifted to a more advanced facility, some sixty miles from her home and family. There, under the care of the world's finest doctors, the baby was saved.
Two pounds ten ounces is small enough to fit in the palm of an average hand. This baby, a girl, would need thirty more days in the Hospital, under special care, before she could go home with her parents. Every day the family traveled to visit their newest treasure, their miracle. She came home eight months after she was conceived, healthy and alive, just like her mother.
Part Three
(epilogue)
Twelve years later the miracle baby, and her younger brother who was conceived almost three years after her, would both be normal, bright young children. Fears that the preemie would be undersized or somehow stunted in growth or intellect, were easily forgotten. In fact, she was normal in every way, and above average in most. Her mother and father were happy, if not together any longer due to other influences. Maybe one day this baby, this choice, will cure cancer, or become president, or even become a mother herself. Maybe she will say something to someone that needs to be said, ending a war or saving a life. Maybe she will be a nurse or a nun or a leader. Whatever she does, says or becomes, this two pound ten ounce miracle of love will have been given more perspective, more choice, than the millions of parasites who are removed in order to stick to a plan; rejecting the rights of the weakest for convenience.
The second part of this post is a true story. As for the first, well, it's fiction. Perhaps one day all forms of murder will also be left to the blogs, books and magazines; to the storytellers. Until then, May God Bless the Soul of the unborn child who is chosen to die, while granting Mercy to the souls of those who offer, perform and promote this sin. 1/19/10
The second part of this post is a true story. As for the first, well, it's fiction. Perhaps one day all forms of murder will also be left to the blogs, books and magazines; to the storytellers. Until then, May God Bless the Soul of the unborn child who is chosen to die, while granting Mercy to the souls of those who offer, perform and promote this sin. 1/19/10
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