Deliver a Baby
Title
WARD: Labor Tomb
…
It is a story of those born on Sunday and often have a psychic ability to communicate with the pregnant.
If they get close to a pregnant woman, they will be able to see “spirits” around.
…
Sunday
The sun shines blinding ruby red.
A ghost awakens from her death.
You can avoid all the unsaid,
but the pregnant will take your head!
…
The cries of a pregnant woman echoed throughout the obstetrics ward at night. Two nurses were vigorously preparing a birth supply while they were waiting for a doctor who would deliver a soon-to-be mother's baby.
The wheeled stretcher was pushed into the delivery room, where the surgical lights lit up. One of the nurses prepared to scrub (1) the mother's belly while speaking to her softly with a friendly tone.
“I will clean your belly while we are waiting for the doctor. Please take a few deep breaths. The doctor is coming.”
Despite the nurse’s soft assuring, the pregnant woman was still bawling in pain. The two nurses were neither shocked nor excited, probably because they had already had to deliver scores of babies a day. It was their routine. They repeatedly practiced the same procedures until they couldn't help but think they were immune to women’s screams and blood.
After that, the delivery room's door was slowly swung open. A young doctor, a sixth-year medical student who was awakened in the middle of the night, walked in without haste. He grabbed a lab coat from the nurse and introduced himself to the pregnant woman according to the regulation.
"Miss, I am your doctor. My name is Doctor Achira. I will deliver your baby today," said the doctor as he took the patient's file for a quick look. “Your name is Sasitorn Keawkajeenam-ngern, correct?" said the young doctor, returning the file to the nurse as he asked.
“Is the patient fully (2) yet?”
“Fully.”
“What’s station (3)?” The young doctor asked again as he was wearing rubber gloves, preparing to deliver a baby who would open his eyes to the world tonight, the night that the doctor assumed he would have a good sleep till the morning.
“Already seen (4), doctor."
“What’s BP (5)?”
“It’s 120/70.”
The young doctor lowered his eyes to look at the pregnant woman's vagina and started delivering the baby according to his learned procedures. This was not his first delivery, so there was not much excitement on his face, only a sign of sleep deprivation.
“Please push. If you experience any dull stomach ache, like the feeling when you want to use the toilet, please push three or four times. Take a deep breath, let the air fill your lungs, that's it... Good job, please put your chin to the chest and give us a strong push. That's right. Blow the air out through your mouth. Try to think of the baby's face and push a little more..”
Seeing that she was about to give birth, the young doctor incised the perineum so that the baby's head could pop out. After that, the mother lightly pushed again, and the baby's hair-filled head emerged into the world.
“Suction Clear Airway (6).” Even without hearing the doctor's instructions, the nurse knew her duty. She brought a phlegm suction machine to suck the phlegm out of the baby's mouth without delay.
"Care (7) the eyes too."
“Noted.” The nurse followed the instructions. “It's all set, doctor.”
The young doctor nodded in agreement before proceeding to the next step. He held the baby in place before pulling him out of his mother's womb.
Everything should have ended... but it didn't!
Just like that, the tiny flush infant suddenly opened his eyes and jumped onto the doctor, laughing loudly... It was a terrifying, howling laugh.
“Help… help me!” The young doctor cried for help from the people around him. The two nurses didn't come to help but cackled at him instead. The same mother who had just given birth raised her head to look at the young doctor and smirked. Her smile ripped through the corners of her mouth!
No..........................................No!
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
"Hey... Aun!" Someone called "Doctor Aun," a sixth-year medical student, in the middle of the night. He startled up with sweat all over his back. The light was turned on with the appearance of "Doctor Golf," who opened the door. The doctor's face now looked so tired from the sleep deprivation.
“What are you yelling about? You kept crying ‘No... no.’ Were you dreaming about nurses having it away with you?” Doctor Golf still had a sense of humor, even though his eyelids were heavy.
"Pervert! But hey... how are you doing, working at the ward (8), ER (9)?" Doctor Aun got up from the bed and asked his friend. He stretched to loosen his muscles as the dream from a moment ago was still haunting him.
“I'm going crazy. There is a refer (10) patient sent from the private sector because there is no one to sign for confirmation of his condition. Don't let me start. He shouldn’t have made it to the hospital. It was a motorcycle accident again, as usual. This time, he collided with a ten-wheeler. Let's guess whether he makes it or not?” asked the other.
“Yes?”
“No...” Doctor Golf's tone of voice almost instantly softened. Doctor Aun understood the heart of a good doctor; even though he subduedly wanted to reproach those speedy bikers every time he saw them coming to the hospital in severe conditions, he, as a doctor, would naturally want to help the wounded.
“Come on… You did your best. Go to sleep. You look like a walking zombie now.”
“Hmm... but tomorrow you will go to OB/GYN ward (11). I’m so jealous of you, how chill it is.”
"Not really, my gut says that if I go, there must be some chaotic case to handle. You see, even if I haven't been to the ward yet, I keep dreaming about it." Without realizing that the listener had fallen asleep in the white coat, Doctor Aun turned to look at his friend and shook his head with a smile. Then he turned to look at the clock at the head of the bed, which told him it was 5.37 A.M.
He had better get up now because he had to go to the ward today. If he was late on the first morning, he would probably be cursed by the professor. Then Doctor Aun got up, grabbed a towel, and walked to the bathroom…
Without noticing that the bed he was lying on had marks... It was as if someone was still lying there, even though the owner of the bed had already gotten up!
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(1) scrub is to clean the abdomen before cesarean section
(2) fully is a level of the fully enlarged vagina.
(3) station describes how far down a baby’s head has descended into the pelvis, such as -1 is still high above the pelvis.
(4) seen means the top part of the baby's head has emerged ready for birth.
(5) BP stands for Blood Pressure
(6) suction Clear Airway is a collective measure used to clear the airway to prevent cessation of breathing.
(7) Eye care means wiping the newborn’s eyes.
(8) Ward is a patient building or department.
(9) ER stands for Emergency Room
(10) Refer is to transfer of care for a patient from one hospital to another
(11) OB/GYN ward (Obgyn) is shortened from obstetrics and gynecology ward, respectively