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Six Sentence Story: Tear

I'm joining Ivy's Six Sentence Stories again this week.  The prompt this week is "tear."

The stark white hospital walls blurred as the gurney raced down the hall to the waiting ambulance.  The emergency vehicle had been summoned to take her to another hospital, one with a level four neonatal intensive care unit.  Just before she entered the open back doors of the ambulance, a nurse appeared, tasked with preparing the pregnant woman for the imminent birth.  

 "Your baby weighs about a pound, and he is about a foot long. . . ," droned the nurse, who wore a ridiculously wide smile.  

 No matter what expression the nurse wore, and no matter how much the pregnant woman longed for her baby, the news was unwelcome at this stage of the pregnancy.  She redoubled her efforts to just stay calm; the tears would have to wait. 

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postscript:  The baby held on for 6 more weeks, being born only 10 weeks early.  He weighed 2 pounds, 15 ounces, and was 15 inches long.  He is now a happy, healthy young adult.  


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Thanks for medical professionals and the miracle of birth.

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Comments

  1. Clark FarleyOctober 15, 2015 at 7:44 AM

    yow! (the beginning grabs you with that sense of urgency and ... makes you want to read faster to find out what happens)

    what a good Story (of only) Six Sentences!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. KristiOctober 15, 2015 at 8:53 AM

      Thanks. I was toying with the idea of trying to show the simultaneous sense of urgency and the stoppage of time, but wasn't able to convey that adequately, so I scrapped the "time stopped" aspect.

      Delete
  2. Clark FarleyOctober 15, 2015 at 7:45 AM

    oh yeah, FRIST!

    lol

    ReplyDelete
  3. Tired TeacherOctober 15, 2015 at 9:15 AM

    Well written, and I love the happy ending.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. KristiOctober 15, 2015 at 9:34 AM

      Thank you. The ending is definitely the best part. :-)

      Delete
  4. AnonymousOctober 15, 2015 at 3:06 PM

    Your baby, Kristi? I bet time did stop.

    ReplyDelete
  5. messymimiOctober 15, 2015 at 3:27 PM

    Wow! It's amazing the strength that can be commanded in an emergency.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. KristiOctober 15, 2015 at 7:12 PM

      It took me a while to process everything after the fact.

      Delete
  6. UnknownOctober 15, 2015 at 3:42 PM

    Great story!! And thanks for the epilogue!!! I eould have been flipped out not knowing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. KristiOctober 15, 2015 at 7:13 PM

      I figured it was OK to cheat a little and add an epilogue (that's the word I was looking for!) to the 6 sentences.

      Delete
  7. UnknownOctober 15, 2015 at 3:43 PM

    Great story!! And thanks for the epilogue!!! I eould have been flipped out not knowing!

    ReplyDelete
  8. KristiOctober 15, 2015 at 6:15 PM

    I didn't either, at the time. Now I think she was probably trying to convey positive thinking, and also probably trying hard to keep herself from crying. The odds were certainly not in our favor at that gestational age.

    ReplyDelete
  9. UnknownOctober 15, 2015 at 6:20 PM

    Great story! It's such an emotional experience and I am so happy for the happy ending!

    ReplyDelete
  10. UnknownOctober 15, 2015 at 6:20 PM

    Great story! It's such an emotional experience and I am so happy for the happy ending!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Old EggOctober 15, 2015 at 6:23 PM

    The body takes over and tries to shut out emotion which my hinder things as it tackles the task in hand. What a great story this is.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. KristiOctober 15, 2015 at 7:14 PM

      Eventually, though, the emotions needed to be dealt with.

      Delete
  12. GirlieOnTheEdgeOctober 15, 2015 at 8:36 PM

    You describe the scene so vividly Kristi. I can't even imagine what you were feeling.
    I'm so relieved this story had/has a happy ending!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Pat BOctober 16, 2015 at 2:46 PM

    Just one of many hurdles in your life, Thankful Me.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. KristiOctober 16, 2015 at 4:37 PM

      I dare say many have had more hurdles than I have. :-)

      Delete
  14. UnknownOctober 16, 2015 at 6:16 PM

    What a great (true) story and what a perfect ending!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. KristiOctober 17, 2015 at 10:49 AM

      He certainly put us on a roller-coaster ride in his early years, but everything worked out in the end!

      Delete

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