Ignorance is bliss, there are many things I have accomplished that I possibly would never have ventured into had I known the risks and costs involved. Eventually, it has all paid off but that does not discount the difficult journey to getting to where I am. Some things I would repeat because the rewards are well worth it though I did them in ignorance not aware of the full impact of the risk I was taking. These are having my babies at an older age and leaving my country to start a business amongst Nigerians. Both risks were equally crazy and I am thankful and happy I pulled through. Not many are successful with such risks but when your gut and circumstances put you in the right place and you give it your all, providence ensures everything works together for good. Many successful entrepreneurs will tell you after hard work, doing all they knew to do right, providence or luck played a major role. So don't take your success or failures personally ...
Elan finishes talking to Dela and slowly walks to the bed. The doctor shifts his attention to his patient, after checking the clipboard at the foot of her bed.
‘Hello Elan, how are you all feeling?’
Elan is still struggling to catch her breath after the short walk from the window so Leila answers.
Leila, ‘Doc. The babies are fine but my sister here seems tired’
Afraid to be stopped from goinģ home. Elan smiles trying to look better than she feels. ‘Doctor I am fine, I suppose it is just tiredness from the whole process?’
‘Did you have time to rest?‘ he asks while squinting at the clipboard.
Looking bored Elan can’t imagine what other rest she would have needed. She has just been sitting doing nothing and occasionally holding the babies for feeds. The doctor asks Leila and Zan to leave realizing how much Elan does not appreciate the stress her body has been through gives her a little extra information to set things in perspective.
The doctor goes on explaining as he examines her, ‘Sitting doing nothing does not necessarily mean you are rested. Your mind has to be rested so your body can repair. You need to sleep – lots. Your pressure is still a little high, but that is normal it will go down. It’s the exhaustion I am concerned about. What is troubling your pretty head?’
‘Nothing doctor. It’s been nice just having time with my friends and my babies. But I miss work. I love the babies but there is routine in my work that orders things. The babies are not exactly orderly’, says Elan smiling guiltily. ‘They need to be changed when they want to, cry, wake up and I am overwhelmed yet I am not doing the changing or feeding yet! - I AM scared - how will I handle the two when I am alone?’
The nurse smiles though the doctor clearly understands her predicament. First-time mothers usually are nervous but for one who was much older and had had an organised way of life, it was more than a simple shock to her routine, let alone the fact that she had a business to run.
‘Hmmm! It is normal to be apprehensive with your firstborn. Do you feel you made a mistake?’ he asks.
Elan shakes her head emphatically, ‘No of course not. Oh if you think I am having postnatal depression forget it - not at all! I love my babies but I am overwhelmed.’
The doctor goes on to examine her but warns that she would not be released on the day as she needs rest not just for the day but for the week. Given that Nurse Kate has just finished her attachment and is not able to get employment at the hospital, the doctor recommends that she considers employing her for extra help.
Elan is elated at the idea. It would be nice to have someone who at least had a medical background to take care of the children in case of anything. Having had the conversation with the doctor it was clear that her tiredness if not well managed could result in complications. With 45% per cent of postpartum deaths happening within 24 hours this meant more than 55% occurred up to six weeks after.
To be able to relate, Elan had to put on her business mind. This was very similar to business ideas with most ideas not failing immediately when conceived especially with a good market but rather within the first 1-3 years after they were formed. But human life was much more important and much shorter to make such a comparison she thought.
‘Your stability and that of the babies is very important right now. Your arm -?’ the doctor continues to educate her with some of the information that she would have not been able to handle prior her delivering the twins. And she is grateful because despite all the research she had done, nothing would have prepared her for the gruelling truth of first-hand knowledge from her experience.
Some times you take the plunge with only the surety of your vision.
Sometimes ignorance is bliss. Makes you braver than you ever could have been she thinks.
SEE YOU TOMORROW
