Valley of the Shadow Pt.2

Kellie is my husband's administrative assistant in the office, very pleasant and professional. Notwithstanding, why would my husband get her to be the one to plan my son's birthday party? Even if am stressed should there not be a conversation where he hears me out and we both discuss how to handle our busy lives or should I say his busy schedule that is spiraling out of control? My head was pounding, my heart was racing and I felt dizzy, I knew if I tried to get up from the floor where I laid I might just fall down again. I reached for my phone in my bag on the floor not too far from me to call my Mum. Mum would always eulogize me singing lovely songs anytime I call her. I wanted to mask the seriousness of what I was going through and get straight to the point but she was just in a very excited mood. Her excitement was driving me crazy and I was trying not to snap or give myself away.  I said "Mummy, thank you so much, I need you to come over to my place". She immediately realized that I did not sound like my usual self. "Is anything my jewel"? She asked. I responded I was not feeling well and I wanted her to come for a couple of days. "Ok I will be there soon" she responded and hung up the phone.

I felt nauseous after speaking with my Mum,  I attempted to get up, clean myself up and get ready before she arrives. Mum arrived 2 hours after our conversation. I had vomited on the floor, she asked why I did not call my household staff, with a knowing smile on her face.I wondered why she was smiling but I had little or no time for whatever lecture she was likely to give me. I said Mum I am not feeling fine, I need to go to the hospital but I want you to be at home with my son. "My pleasure dear" she responded yet smiling. Mum's smile was beginning to get on my nerves. My Mum is a superwoman, you know the kind that hardly seats still. She was calling for vacuum and mop as I managed to go upstairs.

I got into my room, and the sight of the lady staring at me in the mirror was scaring, her hair looked unkempt and she was a mess! Wait a minute, is that what I look like now? I had little or no strength for pity party, I was having a doom-like feeling and just wanted to get to the hospital. I picked up the intercom to call my driver to be ready in 10minutes. Mummy came upstairs to check on me, "you do not look well dear" she said. The next thing I knew was that I woke up on a hospital bed with lines attached to me. The doctor came around to talk to me once I opened my eyes, my husband, mother and another  person, Folawe my childhood friend were all at my bedside. The doctor told me to take things easy as I almost had a heart attack. My blood pressure was so high they had to give me a medication intravenously to force it down.

Theo was the perfect husband at my bedside, he held my hand and looked into my eyes as he uttered these words, "baby, you are my world, please take care of yourself, I do not want anything to happen to you. Our son and I need you. I love you" he kissed my forehead. Everyone there was impressed, moved and looked at me as if I was doing something wrong. My Mother ignorantly assumed I was pregnant, she said "you will need a lot of rest with another baby on the way..." I cut her short by asking who told her I was pregnant. "I am sorry dear, with the vomitting, tiredness and the fainting I just added and concluded or am I wrong?

As much as I wanted to be in charge and composed, my life was weaving a web of confusion round me. Here is a man I love with all my heart, he is killing me silently and the whole world thinks he is a great man because of this stupid drama. I wish I could just be excused from all this! I was too tired to keep my eyes open, the alarm on the monitor went off again. My blood pressure was going up, every time it was out of the range of the parameters set, the monitor alarm goes off. The nurse came around, a pretty lady who approached me smiling. She must be around my age and she looked around my cubicle, there were a number of people and she nicely told everyone to agree on who needed to be in at the time because only two people are allowed at a time. My husband decided to go back to the office. Mum stayed and my friend went to my house.

Mummy told me stories about growing up and the struggles some women go through in the hands of cruel men who are never there. The men never  provided for their wives and made the lives of the women miserable. She concluded by saying, God settled my children in the area of marriage and I will always thank Him for that. When I think about you, your sister and your brother, it has nothing to do with me but God who chose your partners for you and have made you happy. I looked at her and it was my turn to smile at her ignorance. She misunderstood my smile to mean consent. "God will bless Theo, he is one in a million my dear, nothing will separate you two" she continued to pray. When it was getting too dark, I told Mum to go home as I was going to get a medication to help me sleep and there will be nothing for her to do. She agreed to go back home, she kissed me and eulogized me again. I tried not to shed any tear but my heart was heavy for her and for myself. Good night Mummy, I love you I said as she stepped out of my hospital cubicle.

I sighed heavily. My nurse, Thelma came in again to offer me my night medication,  I had previously asked her for a pill to help me sleep. She brought the medication and a cup of water. There was something about her that made her looked peaceful, I watched her move around doing her work with a sense of fulfillment. How come my own life seems meaningless I questioned silently. It was as if Thelma heard what I was pondering in my heart. Do you own a business Mrs. Chuma? No, I replied. She pressed the monitor to take my blood pressure reading,  it was 187/110, well, your blood pressure has come down a bit but we still have a long way to go. "Are you working at the moment?" Thelma asked again. No, I responded wondering why she was asking. "This is off the record, but usually when people have stressful jobs, it takes a toll on their health. You may just want to take things easy" she concluded.  She handed me the cup of medication, asked if I needed anything and said goodnight.

I laid on my bed for another hour and a half before the effect of the medication kicked in. I just hope this will be all sorted out by the time I wake up.  To be continued

I welcome your comments on lessons learnt as we go on in this series. So much is happening negatively in homes and men and women are dying senseless deaths because we are not living our lives the way God wants us to. Marriage is for companionship, these days a lot of spouses have become enemies. We can pray but knowledge is power they say. If things are not working right, seek help from appropriate quarters.

Blessings.