Happy Birthday, Dasia Wasia

(Dasia at 6 months)

(Dasia added her signature scribble at two)

(Dasia at 12)

I can't believe 13 years ago today, I when to school started feeling some thunder bolts in my tummy, not sure what to do I raised my hand and told my teacher because I was 38 weeks pregnant. She replied, "Don't have your baby in class". After that comment I when on with my normal day finished the school day went home had a snack and when to sleep. Later that night something out-of-this-world painful woke me up at 3am. I found comfort in putting my long legs on the wall while my back was on the bed (I know how weird that sounds) the contractions starting coming at 1 minute apart. I would literally wait for a contraction to pass run upstairs to my Mom to talk and make sure I had everything that I needed to go off to Sentara Norfolk General to deliver baby Dasia at the exact same hospital I was born just 15 years earlier.

I remember them checking my cervix and telling me I needed to dilate 4 centimeters before they would admit me, and I was only 2 centimeters. They told me to walk around the hospital but with those painful thunder bolts coming, I knew there was no walking for me so I locked myself in the bathroom, laid my floral hoodie on the floor and stayed there for an hour when the pain was seriously just unbearable, they checked me again low and behold I was 4 centimeters...and the showdown begins...of course I asked for numbing shot in my back to stop the pain (let me just say who ever created epidural anesthesia needs a platinum medal, a star on Hollywood's walk of fame, and a personal thank you from me.

 After I received those amazing drugs, I took a snooze, my nap was interrupted when a nurse decided to check my cervix again and noticed that Dasia was crowning (yes, Dasia was on her way out without the Dr.) So everyone had to rush and get into position to deliver her. I remember someone telling me to push but I was so pain-free from the good drugs that I had to hope I was pushing. Finally at 1:37 on this day in 1999 baby Dasia was born into the world. Ironically, my doctor was not available so Dr. Anderson deliver baby Dasia and my Mom told me Dr. Anderson was her doctor that delivered me.