Chapter Twenty Seven

Twenty Seven

Grace Cottage

Early Spring

Thrust out of her deep sleep by a pain like nothing she'd ever experienced before, Sandy cried out with a shriek. Oliver sat up in bed with a sudden awareness something was desperately wrong. He immediately recognized the love of his life was in serious distress.

“What is it, Sandy?” he asked with urgency. “What's wrong?”

Tears streamed down Sandy's pain wracked face and she stammered, “I don't know. It's the babies! It's the babies! Something is wrong! My stomach is cramping terribly. Oh, Oliver – I can't lose these babies! I can't!”

Doctor Bourbon had given Sandy and Oliver his private cell number, “just in case”. Oliver reached for his phone and quickly found his number. After three rings the doctor answered.

Not waiting for him to finish saying “Hello”, Oliver shouted into the phone, “Doc, it's Oliver Grace, something is wrong with Sandy! She is in major pain. What is wrong? Help us!”

Asking a few basic questions, Doctor Bourbon assured Oliver these types of cramps were not unusual in pregnancies with multiple babies and neither Sandy nor the babies were in any real danger.

“Oliver, give her some Tylenol, elevate her feet and help her get some sleep. Make sure she is drinking lots of water. She has to stay hydrated. And bring her into my office first thing in the morning. I'll give her a good look over!” Doctor Bourbon explained calmly.

“Whew,” said a much relieved Oliver. “Thank you so much. And, I'm sorry for waking you up. I'm a bit embarrassed.”

“Don't worry about it. First time parents do this a lot to me! You aren't the first, and you won't be the last!” He replied with a chuckle, “I'll see you in the morning. G'night.”

“Good night, Doc. And thanks again!”

Oliver did what the doctor instructed. Sandy's face returned to normal and her fear left her as the pain subsided. Wrapping her in his arms, Oliver began to pray, “Papa God, thank you for my wife and for these babies! Protect them with your mercy, strength and kindness. You've given them a destiny far larger than anything I can imagine. Let nothing hinder them for accomplishing your purposes! Amen.”

Sandy fell into a deep and peaceful sleep and didn't awaken until nearly 9am.

Doctor Bourbon's Office

The Next Morning

By ten o'clock the young couple were in Doctor Bourbon's examination room awaiting his evaluation. “Listen, I'm getting some blood work done just to be safe. But everything else looks just fine,” he said after the exam. “You've got three strong babies in there. Each one has a great heartbeat and is growing just as we hoped. But, multiples are always a challenge, and you've come to the stage of your pregnancy where you've got to make some lifestyle changes.”

Explaining that it was time for her to stop drinking coffee, work less and keep her feet elevated more, Doctor Bourbon explained the rational for each change along with some of the risks and hazards that can come at this point in a pregnancy. 

“Give up coffee?” she whimpered. “Seriously?”

“You can drink decaf,” he replied with an understanding smile. “Just less of it.”

“Why bother?” came her response as Oliver laughed hysterically in the background. Ignoring him, she continued on in a more serious vein, “I’m pretty much only drinking decaf already. But you are saying no caffeinated coffee at all?”

“Yes. Sandy, listen. I'm serious. The stimulant in caffeine is exactly what your body doesn't need right now.” Tapping her on the expanding belly, he continued,  “You've got three little babies right here, and that's exactly where they need to be, for as long as possible. The caffeine causes all kinds of issues for a woman who is pregnant with multiples. So, you've got to stop. Cold turkey, today.”

Turning to Oliver with a sad face, she said,  “If I've got to stop, so do you boy!”

“Give up coffee?” he said to the Doctor. “Seriously?”

“Listen, I'll get back to you tomorrow about your blood tests. But you should assume all is well and if you take the precautions I've laid out, all is going to go great and in a few months you'll have three little one's to take care of. So, get your rest now, you are going to need it!” he said as he was leaving the exam room. A moment later, he stepped back in the room. “Oh, I almost forgot. Listen, I really don't think our little hospital is equipped properly for your delivery. Like I said before, you will need to go to the mainland for that. I've arranged for the babies to be born at Bangor Regional Hospital. They've got everything needed, including a Neo Natal Intensive Care Unit. I'm not saying you'll need the NICU, but I want it available. Also, given that multiples are frequently early arrivers, I want you there at least two weeks prior to your due date. They've got non-hospital rooms for family of patients with long-term medical problems and I've already reached out to them asking for a room for the two of you. Given the special conditions here, I'm sure they'll grant an exception and let you use one of their guest rooms. Best of all, your health insurance will pay for it. So, start planning now,” Doctor Bourbon quickly explained. “Sorry, but I've got to go right now. Got a patient with appendicitis. See ya!”