GET ME PREGNANT
*****Part 5*****
‘Congratulations madam”, she repeated to the first three women who went in before me as they came out smiling. It was my turn to go in, I had planned within me how I will change my steps when coming out with my white envelope. I love the old woman and I planned to hug her when she will be telling me “congratulations madam”. All the three women who went in before me spent between fifteen to twenty minutes and they were out. Forty minutes after I entered, the lab technician was yet to give me my result. I saw him going over the same process again and I knew something was wrong. Just a minute madam, he requested like three times. I became unnecessarily agitated and worried. Why is my own test taken so long? Has he discovered something else different from pregnancy in the test?
What could be wrong? I thought of many things including being HIV positive. Even if I was HIV positive it must be from a different source and not sex. He finally handed over the envelope to me but mine was a brown envelope. All those who had come out before me were given white envelope, why is mine brown? I queried my mind. I was expecting him to say something but he handed over the envelope to me and continued his work as if I was no longer in the lab. I waited for about two minutes, expecting him to say something but he said nothing. Oga what is in the result? I asked him. He was not polite at all when he told me “madam the result is negative”. I quickly asked meaning what? As if I don’t understand what he meant. ‘Madam you are not pregnant’, he said carelessly. My whole body system changed immediately. Is this man sane? Is he a professional at all? ‘How can you tell me I am not pregnant after missing my period for more than twenty days. I have been having unprotected sex more than a month now. This can’t be true, I will go elsewhere to redo this test.’ I replied angrily. As I was about carrying my handbag I remembered the old cleaner at the reception and how I will face her with my brown envelope. I quickly squeezed the envelope into my bag.
When I opened the door of the lab my legs were missing target as all other women seated turned at me with the old woman looking already pitiful. I felt like entering the ground that day, nobody told me congratulations like other women who came in before me. I looked at the old woman and tears dropped down my cheeks. She held me and whispered to me, “God will do it”. I quickly rushed out of the scene to avoid more pity from the waiting women. On my way to another clinic to prove the test wrong I felt a wetness in my pant. I stylishly put in my hand, it was blood, my menses just came. I told the taxi driver I wanted to drop, madam you no dey go Felele again? He asked. No I’m not going again, I changed my mind. He dropped me and I gave him N200 without asking for my change. When I dropped I went to I nearby shop and cried my life out. What will I tell my husband who is waiting for the good news? How do I explain my behavioural change and dramas? I felt like committing suicide that moment. While I was lost in thought my phone rang, it was my husband. Hello sweet heart, how did it go, are you through in the hospital, have you done the test? What is the result of the test? I didn’t know which of his questions to answer. I will be home soon, I replied and ended the call. Between ten minutes, series of questions and thoughts had overwhelmed me. Why and how can Sally who is a well known sinner be pregnant before her wedding and me who have been serving God faithfully to the best of my knowledge is made to go through this? I kept myself, Sally wasted herself yet Jacob’s blessing is given to Esau and Esau’s blessing given to Jacob. What have I done wrong? What is my offence? What did Sally do right that I didn’t do? ************************************
GET ME PREGNANT.
****Part 6****
I came home and met my husband in a happy mood. He had set the dining table ready in anticipation of the good news. It wasn’t closing time but he was already home, obviously to hear the news first hand. However, there was no good news to tell my husband. I looked at the joy and excitement in his face and felt very bad at that moment. I started imagining the treatment I would have received from my husband if I could just announce to him that “I am pregnant”. Why did God turn my happiness to sadness? It was really heavy for me to inform him that I was not pregnant after all the drama. I handed over the envelope to him and rushed to the bathroom to fix my sanitary pad so as to avoid the flow from staining me. He took the brown envelope and stared at it for a long time without altering a word. My husband is a man of faith and I know that. After some minutes he joined me in the bedroom where I was sobbing, ‘why are you crying my sweet heart?’ He asked. ‘Why won’t I cry? When God seems to have forgotten me but choose to show kindness to a sinner. I may not be a perfect Christian but I am a good one. Why will I keep myself for all these years and God will choose to pay me back in this painful way, I retorted as I sobbed bitterly. My husband was temporarily confused, he was short of words and I understood as he tried to mutter some words but swallowed them again. He couldn’t withstand my tears as some unsolicited tears dropped down his own cheeks uncontrollably. He later summoned strength and courage and said, ‘sweetheart, it is too early to worry about pregnancy. We are barely less than two months in marriage and you are already devastated because you didn’t conceive in the first month. You need to take it easy, if you didn’t achieve pregnancy this month, you can achieve it next month. Stop accusing God that way, that’s close to blaspheming. Stop crying and wipe away your tears. I am your husband and we are in it together.’ He hugged me, cuddled me, kissed me, etc but all that made no meaning to me at that moment. For three days, I lost my appetite. My husband tried to make me eat but I couldn’t. All the times he forced me to, I threw it all up eventually. He was so worried that he called my mom to inform her of all that has happened and my attitude towards the matter. My mom called me and cheered me up. She took her time to explain the ovulation process and how I should take advantage of it next month. I thanked my mom and we ended the call. That gave me some small relief and was able to eat some noodles. I made up my mind to yield to my mom’s advice and take full advantage of my ovulation time. I started calculating based on the way my mom taught me. From my calculations, my ovulation was supposed to be around 15th, by 12th I started giving my husband enough water melon and dates fruit to boost his performance for the period. Even when I was having pains I didn’t let my husband know so as not to advice we should minimize the number of times we met together. I made him sleep with me twice before he left for work and when he came back from work, we did it before his meal. At night, we could go as much as three to four rounds. I was determined not to leave any stone unturned this time. At some point, he complained mildly, ‘sweetheart don’t you think we are having too much of sex?’ He asked. ‘What is too much sex for a new couple who wants a child?’ I replied. ‘Don’t tell me you are already getting bored with sex just after two months of marriage. If we don’t have sex how do you want me to be pregnant?’ He was pacified and apologized for complaining. After a weeklong sex romp with my husband I started having some pains around my lower abdomen, the pains were hurting and sharp. I didn’t bother to tell my husband because I don’t want him to tell me to go to the hospital. I endured the pain for two weeks thinking it will subside but it rather grew worse. On the 3rd of November I went to the nearby pharmacy to get pregnant test kits. I will carry out the test myself before going to the hospital for confirmation. I was anxious it will be positive this time. I did the test and I didn’t understand the result. I went back to the pharmacist the following day for him to explain to me how to interpret the result of the test. He did and asked me to get another kit to re- conduct the test. While I was going home that day I asked myself, “Maryam why the desperation? Why do you want to kill yourself over pregnancy for a marriage that’s less than three months?” I challenged myself in many ways but yet I was still worried. I threw away the new pregnancy test kit I just bought and went home trusting God. The pain in my abdomen became unbearable by the day. I spoke to my husband about it and of course he said we will see the doctor tomorrow. He didn’t seek for my consent the following day when he came back from work and told me to prepare for a visit to the hospital. ‘Sweet heart, I think I am better now and there will be no need going to the hospital again,’ I told him. My husband took me by my hand and pulled me up and pointed towards the room, ‘go in there and put on your clothes now,’ he said. I obeyed him and went in to change my clothes. ************************************
GET ME PREGNANT
******Part 7******* My husband practically dragged me to the hospital. He made all the complaints to the doctor as I was economical with information about my health so as to avoid any treatment that will jeopardize my chances of conceiving that month. Immediately the doctor asked me to lie on the patient stretcher so he could observe me. He did I quick scan on my abdomen, ‘madam you may stand up.’ He said after the scan. My eyes were fixed on his lips, anxious to hear his diagnosis. ‘Sir, madam is having an infection and that is the cause of the pain, I will place her on medication for two weeks. I will also treat you so you won’t pass it to her again through sexual intercourse. Does it mean I am not pregnant? I asked myself and unknown to me my silent question was loud enough that the doctor heard it. ‘No madam, you are not pregnant. Even if you were pregnant I would prefer we take care of this infection first.’ At that moment I hated my husband for bringing me to hear this bad news, I hated the doctor too for giving me this bad news. For the period we spent with the doctor I was quiet all through. Inside the car while going home I didn’t say a word to my husband neither did I reply any of his conversations. We got home and my husband gave me the dose for that night. ‘I won’t take these drugs because I know I don’t have any infection. Even if I have an infection, my God will heal me.’ I told my husband. My husband was not happy about my attitude and I could see anger all over his face. The drugs were too powerful for an expectant mother and I didn’t wish to take such medication at the moment . It will suspend my plans of getting pregnant for two months. If I take the drugs now, it will flush out my pregnancy and will not allow me observe my ovulation time for the next month. I refused to take the drugs but kept praying to God for this month’s pregnancy to stay. I started vomiting some days later. I quickly rushed to the calendar to calculate the days I missed my period, it was the 29th day after the last circle. I quickly put a call through to Sally, ‘I think I am pregnant’, I told her on phone. ‘Have you gone for a test?’ she asked me. ‘I have been vomiting for two days now and I haven’t seen my menses for 29 days, do I need any test to know I am pregnant?’ ‘Missing your menses for 29 days and vomiting are not enough to conclude you are pregnant. Dear friend, please go for pregnancy test tomorrow. I know it will surely be positive, congratulations in advance.’ she said. I couldn’t explain what I felt because of what Sally said and the congratulation greeting. My fear with going for pregnancy test is the fact that I will not be able to withstand “madam you are not pregnant” or “madam the test is negative”. I decided I won’t go to the hospital for a test until I see more signs of pregnancy. My husband and I had not been friendly terms because of my refusal to take the drugs prescribed for the treatment of the infection. I knew I was still in control of his heart because of the love he had for me, so I wasn’t afraid. More so, I know telling him that I was pregnant will change his attitude, all I needed was just to be sure I was pregnant. I waited on till the 36th day before I told my husband I was ready for a pregnancy test. He smiled and said ‘pregnancy test you will have.’ He quickly dressed up and we drove to the hospital. This time I was more optimistic because I had seen almost all the pregnancy signs I have heard of in my life. My blood sample was taken, ‘you may wait at the reception,’the lab lady announced to us. But this was not the method last time, I sat with the man while he did the test. Why is this lady asking us to go out first for a test that’s less than fifteen minutes? We obeyed and went to sit at the reception. Fifteen minutes later she called out my name to come for my result. My husband asked me to sit down while he went for the result but I pretended as if I didn’t hear him, so I followed him right behind. As soon as I saw the lady handing over a brown envelope to my husband I started feeling dizzy. Before my husband could collect the envelope I was down on the floor. All that happened thereafter was explained to me when I regained my consciousness. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To be Continued!!!
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