Zane turned 15 today. That is a landmark in New Zealand because it is the age that one can drive a car. The first step is to pass a written exam then you can drive on the road if a fully licensed driver is with you.
Tonight I started thinking. 15 years, 9 months and a bit before that. It actually has been quite a long road already. With the blessing of God, I might enjoy a bit more of the journey.
In a land and time long, long ago…….
Thinking about Zane my first memory was of that awful ultrasound. Then I remembered other things. Like buying Merinos. In ’89 and ’90 I went south to buy sheep at the annual Merino fairs in Otago. They were in Feb / March. Why this comes to mind is that I remember Kerrie complaining that “Doesn’t your father know we are trying to start a family and how is being away going to help?” I can’t remember what or why but Kerrie came on one trip as we brought sheep and visited the stations that they came from. Anyway, back to Zane.
Next thing you know, it was time for a scan. There he was in glorious black and white on the monitor. I thought it was getting a bit hot in the room. Well, as the patient was semi dressed, it seemed reasonable that they would have the temperature a little higher. It all got rather hot for me so I decided to go out for some fresh air. I stood up and walked out to the corridor. As I walked I started to see white spots. Realising I could pass out and unable to find a door to the outside I located a chair and sat down before I fell down. That is the story of how I almost blacked out at the sight of a TV monitor.
As first time parents we went to ante natal class which was pretty much a waste of time except for the revelation that no indigenous people were there, despite the hospital wards being full of them with new babies. Lack of education starts young.
Apart from endless arguments about suitable names, pregnancy went smoothly. At least I felt no pains. Kes was working and planned to stop 3 weeks before the due date. We were getting the baby room ready. I had sensibly added extra sound proofing to aid sleep post baby. At this stage there was a 3 day weekend trip with the farm forestry association to Taupo. I had arranged to drive the bus. Although Kerrie was getting on, I had suggested she come along. She declined. While I was away she wanted to paint the baby room. Well, saturday came along and the trip was scheduled to visit Rangipo Prison Farm’s forestry operation. As we went In I got a pager alert. I phoned Kes from the prison. She had been painting the room and when she squatted down her waters broke. Zane was on his way. Nothing I could do I thought, I’m driving a bus 300Km away. We went into the forest for the day. I got numerous pager alerts but could not respond. Eventually we got back to the accommodation and a phone at 5.30pm Kes was advancing in labour and my sister in law Lynette was with her. My oldest sister had convinced my Dad that I should be with Kerrie for the birth. Having come close to passing out at the scan, I was not so sure…. Anyway, Dad found a substitute driver. The only problem was he was at a party and scared stiff of flying which was the only way to get there in time. Dad chartered a plane which flew the driver from Auckland to Taupo. I met him with the bus. We swapped and I flew home. I got to the hospital 10 minutes before Zane was born. He arrived at 11.45pm on the 3rd November. The bus driver and I were relieved.
Actually, seeing a woman bring forth life is possibly the most amazing miracle that is part of our existence. To think that fathers used to be denied being part of that. And most women never get to see another woman give birth ( not their own). Lynette was there and set a trend. She was at all our childrens births except one. It became a bit of a tradition.
So Zane arrived three weeks early and introduced us to SCBU – Special Care Baby Unit. That became home for a week before everything came right.