God Is Gracious

Excited Yet Anxious

This is my feeling when I was still at work and my wife was at home, sending me BBM about her situation. Good that she decided to file and start her maternity leave that day, Monday, February 4, 2013.

I kept my mobile phone open, which I don’t usually do at work, but I need to hear every beep or ring of my phone from whatever that is. But on that day, my line was busy between only me and my wife.

We were actually observing any increase of pain felt in every contraction she was having. My wife is about to deliver. This is what I have conveyed to my officemates as well, to at least inform them, that anytime I could be out in the office running home to bring my wife to the hospital.

Time travels fast and that my day at work was finished unnoticed. While on my way, latest info was, the in betweens of her contraction is still part of the so-called pre-labor stage, meaning it was not that intense yet. When I arrived home, as if nothing big is going to happen. My 3-year old son was busy reviewing his favorite cartoon movies without minding her mother giving ohhhs and ahhhs brought by every contraction, which is progressing. It was like, my son is mature enough to fully understand what his mother is experiencing that time. But at least, he has an idea that his baby sister is about to come anytime soon.

On my part, I was also trying to make myself look relaxed even if I was not. LOL! One thing is that I was positive already that she’ll deliver soon.

The clock struck 9:30 and she signaled it’s time for us to go to the hospital. Everything’s ready. And great that our son’s already asleep so I just message our dear friend and asked her to accompany our son till morning, which she willingly heed.

Instead of calling a cab, I ended up calling 997, it’s the US’s 991 rescue team version here in Dubai. I asked them to give me the number of Dubai Ambulance, and in seconds I am already talking to a lady operator asking me the situation, location and other important preliminary investigation while at the same time, advising a team of 3 to proceed to our location.

Dubai Ambulance’s Dependable Response

Two ladies hurriedly arrived on time, checked the condition of my wife who’s already feeling the real excruciating pain if I have to base it from her louder screams this time. 🙂 When checked, one of the medics said, she’s already fully dilated and her bag of water had burst. I was told by the Arab lady medic that she can assist the delivery inside our apartment as my wife is already stressed although we still got time to go to the hospital – my wife just had to hold off that natural urge to push.  We chose to head straight to the hospital, comforted by the assurance the medics gave that if my wife could not hold on any longer, they are capable of delivering the baby even while inside the ambulance.

While inside the ambulance, I took time to post a status on FB that we are now heading Latifa Hospital (a government owned and managed hospital in Dubai) just to keep my mind diverted from any unnecessary worries. My trust is with the 2 lady medics attending my wife.

When we arrived, she was then proceeded to the delivery room while I hurriedly made the payment on the spot. And minutes after, I was there inside the delivery room standing beside her, helping the DR staff in telling my wife when to take a deep breath and when to push hard etc.

It was my first time to be inside a delivery room. My left hand was with my wife while my right hand is busy taking snaps with my mobile phone. After the 2nd loooong hard push, our baby was out. Time recorded, 12:58 in the morning 5th of February.

What a relief! A smile on my wife’s face and our baby’s first cry at the same time. It was an experience that I will treasure in my lifetime.

Myself with the 2 lady medics of Dubai Ambulance. Thank you ladies for a job well done. Thanks to all the staff as well of Latifa Hospital, Dubai.

Our lovely daughter is smiling here. This is after letting us hear her first cry. T’was one of the greatest moments of my life. 🙂

God Is Gracious

As what I have posted earlier in my social network accounts, during my wife’s pregnancy, we felt and experienced how truly gracious God is. Though having our second baby is part of the family plan, we’ve faced so many challenges and trials while baby was inside her tummy.

Having our 3-year old son also here in Dubai is not that easy especially that time when my wife finished her contractual job from a big IT consulting company which she was hoping to become permanent. Our secondbaby has been part of the difficult situations we faced.  There was even a time when we were decided for them (wife and son) to go back to our home country for good.

But with God’s Grace, my wife’s patience and perseverance well paid off. After long months of hunting a job, she got hired by a company and given a job which she really desired to have.

Actually, the company that hired her was the last company we agreed for her to interview with. Had she not been hired, then our plan for them to go back home while I stay here in Dubai alone would have pushed through.

It was like, everything happened accordingly and very timely.  Everything just fell into place. And so with all these, we are naming our lovely daughter IVANA, a Russian inspired name which means, “God is Gracious”.

Our cute little angel, enjoying the warm temperature, and having a sound sleep.

The morning after, with our Kuya Yuri giving a thumbs up sign. Our kuya was excited to see his sister that he then climbed up to Nanay’s bed. This is my family and I thank God for all of these. Indeed, God is Gracious!

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