Nathen's Story

<BGSOUND SRC="pachelbel_canonind.mid" LOOP=INFINITE> This day did not start out like any other day.
I was afraid to death as I looked down at
the pregnancy test and saw a positive. I felt like I couldn’t breath.
All I kept thinking was “I’m 17,
how can I be pregnant.” I sat in my room
for the rest of the day thinking about what I was going to do.
At around 8:00pm that night Mike called
me and I told him I was pregnant.
He didn’t even seem scared.
I think that is because we already knew the
results before the test was taken.
A few days later I decided to take another test just
to make sure and this one was negative.
I was confused and relieved.
I knew in my heart that I was pregnant
but I thought maybe I’m wrong. Mike convinced me to go
in and see a doctor.
The doctor did a urine test
and it came back negative.
The question remained “Why had I not gotten my
period for the last 3 months?”
I had a blood test done and that came back positive.
It was conclusive, I was going to have a baby.
I actually felt relieved when the results came back
because at least I knew for sure now and
there was no question. Mike and I
had no idea what we were going to do but a part
in both of us was happy about this.
I was scared but I knew I’d be a good mother
and Mike and I were inlove.

This pregnancy was unbelievably easy,
I had no morning sickness or anything.
I went into the doctor at 17 weeks and
had my first ultrasound.
We were having a boy! We were really excited.
Time was going by so fast and I was getting
big but we still had not told our parents anything.
Finally when I was 22 weeks pregnant my parents,
Mike and I were eating dinner when
my parents confronted us about the baby.
They had known for a while but were
waiting for us to tell them.
I felt a million emotions all at once.
I was ashamed and knew I had
disappointed my parents. That night I sat in my
room again trying to figure out what I was going to do
because this baby was coming in a few months.
I decided that there was no way I wanted to stay
in my parents house and have them raise my baby for me.
I just felt too guilty to stay there.
I talked to Mike and he talked to his parents,
they agreed to let me come stay with them.
The next moment is something I will never forget.
I walked into the kitchen where my Dad was
and told him I wanted to move out.
He asked where I was going to go
sarcastically as if he thought I was joking.
I told him Mike’s parents already said
I can stay with them. I was crying by now.
He looked at me in my eyes with this look of shock and sadness.
He asked me why? I didn’t want to stay
and be a burden with my child. I felt too guilty
for what I had done. I couldn’t face him knowing how
disappointed he was in me. I went to
my room and started packing right away. He came in
and begged me to stay and told me we’d work it out.
I left that night and broke my Dad’s heart.

The remainder of my pregnancy seemed to fly by.
The only complaint I had was the backache.
I went into pre-term labor several times
and the hospital just would give me a shot to stop the labor.
I remember laying in bed and crying for my child
because of everything I couldn’t give him.
I cried for myself and the life I had to give up.
I knew my life would never be the same
and that it is now revolved around this tiny person
growing inside me. A strong bond was
created between my son and I very soon.
I knew his likes, dislikes, the way he loved to sleep,
when he was awake and so on. I wanted to give him a
name that meant something. It did not take us long at
all to pick out our son’s name. His first name was Nathen
after my big brother. His middle name was Michael
after his daddy. I loved that name right away and
love it more everyday.

One night around 8:00 I started to feel some contractions.
They weren’t too bad so I thought if I walked and moved
around they would go away. I drank lots of water
like the doctor told me to when these contractions
would start. They started getting stronger and stronger.
I knew I needed to go to the hospital. I told
Mike and his parents that I needed to go now
because I was again in labor. They did not take me
seriously and said I was over reacting. They told
me to calm down and they would go away. I went to
the restroom and found blood. I freaked out.
Finally I went to the hospital. By the time I got
there I was in active labor. The nurses tried to
stop the labor by giving me the same medication
that had worked to stop the labor many times for
me before. This time it could not be stopped. They
told me I would have to delivery my baby and there
was nothing they could do. The doctors weren’t
very worried because I was 33 weeks pregnant so there
was a really good chance Nathen would be okay.
The labor was going by like a breeze and I refused
any pain medication. All of a sudden
Nathen’s heart rate started dropping, he was in distress.
I had to delivery him quick.

Nathen Michael was born on October 20, 2000 sleeping.
He passed during the delivery because his cord had been
wrapped around his throat. He was 4 lbs, 7 oz
and 17 inches long. When he was born and he didn’t
cry I knew something was wrong. I knew I had lost my
son. The nurse wrapped him in a blanket and asked me
if I wanted to hold him. I said yes. She handed him
to me, he was so small. I sat and held him for hours
just staring at him. I sang to him and held him and
kissed him. I opened the blanket and counted
his fingers and toes. He looked so much like me.
He had blonde hair and my blue eyes. He had my nose
and my lips. I remember wondering how my son that
was so perfect could be gone. I stared at him waiting
for him to breath and hoping they were wrong.
What do I do now? I based my life around Nathen
and now he was gone. When it was time to give Nathen
up to the nurses I just couldn’t. I knew this was
the last time I could hold him or look at him.
I knew I had to give him up but I couldn’t.
When I handed him to the nurse I watched her every
move after that. I watched her place him in his
little bed and cover him perfectly. She turned and
walked out of the room with my son. There was
something in me that wanted to scream for her to
bring him back and run after her. I just sat there
looking at the door.

I was young and Nathen didn’t come at
the best time but I loved him. I wanted
him and I would’ve been a good mother if I would’ve
had the chance. Nathen was taken before him or I
ever got a chance. I felt so empty and my heart
was broken.

When I got home from the hospital I
moved back in with my parents. They did their best
at supporting me in the way they knew how. I knew
in my heart I belonged with my parents. Soon after
Nathen passed away Mike and I broke up. I sat in my
room shut away from the world for weeks. All I
did was cry. I had lost everything. I had boxes
of Nathen’s things in my room that I didn’t have
the heart to look at or get ride of. Finally,
I knew I had to get my life back. So, I started
over from the bottom. Nathen is not something
I regret one bit. I cherish him to this day and he
will never be forgotten.
We love and miss you Nathen.

Email: prowdmommyof3@cox.net