In my life, nothing has humbled me more than motherhood. Thirteen years ago, we waited to go to the hospital. A planned induction because I was ill. Pre-eclampsia was the initial diagnosis. After delivery, it was determined I had HELPP syndrome. At 37 weeks gestation, I gave birth to the tiniest little baby. It was not an easy delivery. Fortunately, the baby was fine.
I did my medical residency at the Medical University of South Carolina. There was a very frail, ancient Gullah woman who had been a long term patient at the residency program and whom I had the great honor to care for for the years of my training. Miss Ruthie had a knack for predicting the gender of babies in a womb by the laying on of hands. Mind you, Miss Ruthie was a toothless woman with a panache for chewing (gumming) Bubble Yum and large leaf tobacco…..mixed. I can still see and hear her gumming that giant pink wad of gum with black swirls and rubbing my belly and telling me I was having a boy. Through my whole pregnancy, I was certain I was having a girl. And I was nearly 30 weeks along before I realized the baby could not hear me think. I was driving out to Summerville to the quilt store in search of a particular color fabric for the baby quilt I was going to make when it struck me that this fetus inside me was going to do whatever it wanted and I had already lost control. I almost pulled off the road and got on my knees in terror.
I could not have been blessed with a better first born. Paul Cameron Smith was a tiny thing at 6 lbs. He was punky and had a huge hematoma on his head. He would not nurse and turned the color of a sweet potato. Seriously! I have never be so lost. And then, all on his own, he figured out how to nurse and POOF! He thrived. And it took me years to stop being so neurotic…..well, less neurotic. It helps to have such an easy child.
He is so amazing! Smart, funny, uncanny memory and recall. He is one of the most compliant children that has recently found his voice. He is confident and assured. I must believe it is because he knows he is absolutely loved. We adore him.
Memories, images and snippets roll through my mind. I could fill volumes of the things than take my breathe away, make me laugh, make me cry and silence me with awe.
Happy Birthday Cameron!
