Dorothy's Story

My husband and I were very excited as we waited for the last month of pregnancy to end...we couldn't wait to meet our first child. My doctor was on holidays until 9 days before my due date so I had an extra pre-natal appointment with a new doctor 3 weeks before my due date (just in case I needed someone while she was away). Directly after the appointment, My husband and I left for a camp 2 hours from home where his band was to play an evening concert.

Arriving at the camp, I began to feel some slight cramps but didn't feel they were anything to worry about since this was my first delivery and from what I'd heard, it could go on for days like this. During supper, the "cramps" were about 10 minutes apart and although they were very light, I mentioned them to my husband so that he could reassure me. Over the next hour and a half, they began to get a little more uncomfortable and closer together and even though they were still light, I interrupted my husband's set-up and sound check and asked if we could go home soon, rather than stay for the concert because I wanted to be at home with my discomfort.

Two minutes after asking, I had a very painful contraction and within five minutes, they were strong and 4 minutes apart. The camp sent their camp nurse along in the car with us and we sped off toward home. Once I was in the car, the contractions became continuous and very painful. My husband called 911 from the cell phone and we arranged a place to meet an ambulance about half-way home. My water broke as we pulled up at the rest stop where we had agreed to meet the ambulance. The camp nurse jumped out of the back seat, ran around to the front and delivered my daughter's head. The ambulance pulled up just then and the attendants came and cared for her, delivering the rest of her, clamping the cord and allowing my husband to cut it. Then we got out of the car and rode the rest of the way to the hospital in the ambulance.

Everyone is happy and healthy. We didn't think of the things that we couldv'e been scared about until afterwards...I guess at the time you just do what you have to do. We're extremely grateful to the nurse with us, great ambulance attendants, a reliable car and cell phone...and a God who watches over us all the time!