I was so expectant as my wife's due date drew nearer; to say I was extremely happy was saying the least. The scan results have confirmed the sex of the baby to be male. We had ensured we got most of the baby's things ready.
Then two days before she put to bed, she started having contractions and was moved to the hospital and remained there until she put to bed on the third day. I had left the hospital by the time the baby came out. It was about 09:45pm and I was extremely happy when I was told on phone that they were both okay.I couldn't go back to the hospital that night because of the distance, so I waited impatiently till the following morning before I rushed down to the hospital.
My joy was beyond description as I held my baby boy in my hands, glorifying God for such wonderful gift. My wife, too, was not left out. Few hours later people started congratulating us and we started celebrating the arrival of the new born baby.
They were discharged from the hospital the following day with both of them in good condition and okay. At home the celebration continues.
On the third day of its birth, I was holding the baby in my hand when I received a phone call, very early in the morning, that my only surviving elder brother, who has been sick for a while, has passed on. I was embittered and thought of the state my mother who be at that time. How could she have to witnessed the death of another child. Out of the eleven children she has, three of us were left and now one is gone. What a tragedy of life! So I quickly pull myself together and traved down to our home town. My brother was buried that and I could not leave my mother behind so I brought her with me.
That night we couldn't sleep because my baby boy was just crying throughtout the night and I had to take him to the hospital the following morning. His mother could not come with me because she was a bit ill-disposed. so I went with my sister in-law and a family friend.
He was placed on medication and was responding to treatment until later that day that his situation took a different turn and in a twinkle of an eye THE BOY DIED!
It was as if my whole world has collapsed! And I wept uncontrollably. Numerous questions raced through my minds amidst tears:
"How could I left home with a life child and return with a dead one"
"What am I going to tell his mother?"
"How is my mother going to cope with the shock of losing a son and a grandson in less than 24 hours?"
I was consoled by the family friend who arranged and assisted in buring the corpse. I was emotionally and mentally shattered. The joy I felt about two days ago has evaporated and seemed to have taken place in my imagination.
My wife almost run mad when she realized that she was not going to see her baby again. My mother could not cry. It was as if the losses have sealed off her tears; all she did was to join forces with my mother-in-law to console my wife.
Up till now, over a month after the whole incident, I am yet to accept the reality of the situation. It is as if am dreaming or that everything has been an illusion. Could everything have happened in my imagination? My wife is worst hit; she spent over a week in the hospital thereafter.
In all we give glory to God because it could have been worse!
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