Oh baby where are you??

Baby Richard’s due date has come and gone… I keep getting asked by certain family members why my Doctor hasn’t done anything to “help me” because of how miserable I have been. While it’s true that if I were home, back in New York or Pennsylvania more than likely the Doctor that I would have seen probably would have gone ahead and brought Richard into the world earlier. However the Military Doctors here have a completely different policy.
I’ve shed many tears over this, and I’ve been in A LOT of pain and endured with a significant amount of discomfort. I’ve even asked God the same questions over and over. Why? Why would the Doctors here allow a pregnant woman to go through a month of seemingly perpetual misery? Knowing that the baby inside her is on the large side while the woman herself is small in stature, why not do something to ease the woman’s pain?
The only answer I got from the Doctors was; “We have to follow the guidelines. And that means we won’t induce you until you’ve reached 41 weeks.”
I figure that I’ll never really understand, because in the end as long as Richard comes out “ok” and perfect… Large and perfect that is all that matters. Everything I’ve endured will mean nothing because in the end no matter what I’ll have the precious little life that God has granted me the privilege of nurturing.
I know when I go home for Christmas, more than likely some family member will ask me why the Doctors didn’t help me or didn’t induce me earlier than what they are. And will have some criticizing comment to make. Here is my answer to anything that may be said to me: I have been in a completely different situation than anyone here has ever had to deal with. I have been in a foreign country, being taken care of by military doctors. Who have been educated and trained that they must always go by guidelines and policies that have been set aside by the people who are in command over the entire Navy medical. In the end all that matters is Richard is born, and I live through it.
And as I sit here and look at the swing that was given to us, hours ticking by, bringing us closer to the moment when the precious life inside me will take its first breath of air, I can’t help but realize that life as we know it will truly never be the same. Life will be so much more important and special, all because by the end of this month we will be parents, and only God can take that away from us.