The seating arrangement in the car was a bit awkward as Emily and I sat in the back of Jane's car. I wasn't sure how easy it would be to tell Jane things from the back seat and I wasn't sure that I would have the capability to pass on whatever it was I needed to tell her. And I wasn't sure that Emily would be able to either if things continued for her as they were.
In our haste to get Emily someplace safe we had forgotten one very important thing. Emily hadn't notified her doctor. Once she was through squeezing my fingers together into an aching mess of bone and skin I signed, "Your Doctor you need contact. You have phone number, something?"
She dug in her pants pocket and pulled out a wallet. From it she produced a card. "I not have way contact. No TTY here."
I produced my cellphone from my shoulder bag. "I can call."
"You hear phone?"
"I hope," I answered as I dialed the number from the card. I turned in the seat so that Emily could read my lips if she wanted to as I waited for someone to pickup on the other end of the line.
"Dr. Johnson's Office how can I help you?" a woman said that I managed to hear well enough to understand.
"Hi, My name is Rachel Stevens. I'm making this call for Emily Wesson. She's a patient of Dr. Johnson's. She's having contractions. There have been 3 in about 20 minutes. They are strong enough that she is in pain."
"Why are you making this call for her?" the woman asked which I felt was strange as I'd have thought Emily would be rather well known by the Doctor's staff by then.
"She's Deaf."
"Oh… sorry yes, I know who you mean now. How far along is she?"
"About 27 weeks. I'm not sure exactly."
"Do you know how long the contractions are lasting?"
"No, we've not timed duration."
"Just a second while I confer with the Doctor and the midwife."
"Hmm," I thought, "So Emily had switched over to a midwife." "Okay," I replied as I signed waiting to Emily who looked to be growing uncomfortable again. Jane was watching us in rearview mirror whenever she could take her eyes off the road for a second.
The woman came back online, "The doctor said to go ahead to the hospital and have her checked out. She's had too many complications. Wait and see isn't an option."
"We are in route to the hospital," I replied.
"Good," the woman answered as Emily started to breathe fast again.
"Wait she's contracting again. I'll try and get duration for you," I said before the woman could hang up.
"Fine."
I put my hand on Emily's abdomen, pressing slightly so I could really feel the intensity of the contraction and watched my watch. As the contraction subsided and Emily let go of the door handle where she had left marks, I told the receptionist, "That one last 45 seconds."
"Definitely get her to the Hospital."
"Traffic's heavy. We should get there in about 20 minutes with luck." I replied as the line went dead.
When I looked at Emily she looked green. "You okay?"
"No, sick."
"You feel throw-up."
"Yes," she signed swallowing hard.
"Uh oh, not good," I thought as I tapped Jane on the shoulder. She looked at me using the rearview mirror. I signed, "Stop car. She sick."
That got Jane's attention considering her car was new. I hadn't thought to tell her that if Emily's water broke there would be a flood in her new car. She quickly swerved to the side of the road amongst horns and rude gestures from motorist that could care less that someone was ill. We hadn't even come to a complete stop before Emily had the door open and was being sick on the side of the road. I have heard that some people react to pain by being sick. I also have heard before that some women become sick when in labor when they normally don't react to pain in the same way. So I suppose it could have been either reason.
By the time Emily was done making the roadside less than beautiful the traffic on the freeway into the big city had let up. But being sick threw her into another contraction. I was beginning to think that dehydration and stress were again the culprits. The contraction was the strongest that I'd seen her endure up until that point. She was making sound with the pain. Not actual words but vocalizing. I knew she had only been to one natural childbirth class and they don't normally start breathing techniques the first week so she had no clue on focusing and breathing to ride the pain. "Look me. Next pain breathe like this… he he he hoo. Look at me when hurt. Breathe. Maybe help."
She only had to use the breathing technique one time before we managed to get to the hospital. I am not certain that Jane didn't apply some of the lead in her foot to the peddle to get us there a bit faster than what the law allows. Emily had had six contractions in about 45 minutes by the time we helped her in through the Emergency Room door.
Jane grabbed a wheelchair and Emily sat while I waited for a nurse to actually notice us. "Can I help you,"
"We think she's in pre-term labor. She's Deaf. She'll need an interpreter."
"We'll take her up to labor and delivery and hook her up to a monitor. I'll call for the interpreter while the orderly takes her upstairs. We'll need some information."
"Oh, um… I'm a friend but I don't know a lot of personal information. Let me get Jane. She's Deaf too. But maybe she can provide what you need. I'm not exactly qualified to interpret so this may be a lot of note passing."
"Okay…", the nurse answered as an orderly came for Emily and I motioned for Jane to come to the counter.
"She need information about Emily. I not know answers," I explained to Jane.
"I know you think?" Jane replied.
"More me." I answered as Jane sat down.
The admissions person started writing out questions. Jane would then write the answers she knew in reply as I watched. Jane didn't know everything. I hadn't expected she would but she knew more than I did. The admissions person typed everything into the hospital database leaving Jane and I to sit and wait. She never told us if she was done with Jane. But when she got up and left us sitting I had to wonder if she was in fact finished. "Excuse me," I said when the lady returned to the counter.
"Yes?"
"Are you done with us? We'd like to be with our friend if possible. She doesn't have family."
"Oh, yes I'm sorry. Let me see where they put her."
I turned to Jane," Finish. Looking Emily."
"She's in room 525 West Wing, Labor and Delivery. Take the green line to the elevators. Take the elevators to the 5th floor. Turn left, go through the double doors and ask at the nurses station for her room."
I attempted to tell Jane in ASL order what the receptionist had said," Green Line, elevator, floor 5th. Door open, go left, through door, stop Nurse's desk, ask Emily room." I don't think I said it exactly right but for once Jane didn't bother to correct me she just took off following the green line to the elevators.
By the time we got upstairs and were allowed to join Emily in her room more than an hour had passed. I'd forgotten to call Cherry so I let Jane go see Emily first which was as it should be since Jane was her close friend and I was just sort of a tag along that got myself into a mess. Not that I actually regretted anything but I still didn't consider myself a friend of Emily's on the same order as Jane was. Cherry answered her cellphone after the 3rd ring; "It's me."
"What the heck took you so long? Everyone here is going nuts worrying."
"Well, I sort of did have my hands full. Forgive me will you for having a lot on my mind."
"Of course I forgive you. What is happening? Is Emily okay? The baby?"
"She's in pre-term labor. They are trying to stop the contractions with Brethine. It's dicey if they can actually stop them or not. She's dilated to two centimeters. That's like the threshold for this medication to work. If they can't stop labor, they hope at least to slow it down and hold off delivering the baby for a few more weeks."
"Not good news then. Do they know why she is doing this?"
"Well, it's a combination of things. Her age is against her. Older women are more likely to deliver early, even first babies. Plus she's under a lot of stress. Today she found out that Jack is dead. I don't think she was mentally prepared for that conclusion to their lives. She did love him even if he was a pain in the butt. She's also dehydrated again. Hydration is very important with pregnant women. It seems lack of fluids causes uterine irritability. Add it all up and you get why Emily is spending at least a few days visiting with the doctors and nurses on the L and D floor here."
"Yikes. Do I pass this information on?"
"I think you can tell Sally and Betsy. I'd just pretend you don't know anything with the rest of the students. I'm not sure that Emily will want everyone to know. She'll probably contact Sally and Betsy herself later after she gets use to the Brethine side affects."
"Have you seem her yet?"
"Not personally, no. Her Doctor came out and told us what was happening. I then had to explain things a bit better for Jane since Emily's doctor didn't stick around long enough for Jane to get clarification. He knows ASL but well he's a busy man. Emily also has a midwife who is with her now along with Jane and the interpreter."
"Okay. Call me later and tell me if there are any changes. I'll not sleep tonight worrying."
"That makes two of us Cherry. You might say a few prayers while you are at it. The baby's lungs are not mature enough yet that it can be born without a lot of medical attention."
"Of course I will. Remember my parents are missionaries. Prayer is something I know well."
"I'm not exactly on the best of terms with God but I'll be saying my share of prayers today too. Oh Jane's back. I have to go."
"Okay. Talk to you later."
"Later," I said as I hung up.
"Who that?" Jane asked.
"Cherry. I say I call."
"I see."
"Any news?" I asked.
"Medication work maybe. Labor slow down. Hope stop."
"Emily I see?" I asked not sure that I should go in.
"Yes, she want see you," Jane said before giving my shoulder a squeeze.
"Thank you. I need that," I replied as I left the L and D waiting area and strolled down the hall towards Emily's room silently praying as I went that Emily and her baby would be fine.