Название | Please Don’t Take My Baby and I Miss Mummy 2-in-1 Collection |
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Автор произведения | Cathy Glass |
Жанр | Биографии и Мемуары |
Серия | |
Издательство | Биографии и Мемуары |
Год выпуска | 0 |
isbn | 9780007527458 |
‘I don’t think so,’ I said, my calm manner belying my racing heart. ‘You’ve still got quite a few weeks to go yet, but I think we’ll get you checked by a doctor, just to be safe. I’ll help you into my car and take you up to the hospital.’
‘Na. I want to go in an ambulance like you see on television,’ Jade said.
‘I don’t think that’s necessary,’ I said. ‘How did you get here?’
‘On the bus, but the pain’s worse now. Supposing I have my baby in your car?’ And to prove her point Jade doubled over and groaned loudly.
It’s very difficult to judge another person’s pain; our thresholds are all different, and I didn’t know if or how much Jade was exaggerating. If she’d been my daughter, whom I obviously knew very well, I would have helped her into the car and driven her to the hospital to be checked over, but I couldn’t take the risk with a foster child, especially as Jade was asking for an ambulance. If I refused and something went wrong I’d be responsible and I’d never forgive myself.
‘I’ll phone for an ambulance,’ I said.
Jade uncurled and stopped groaning.
As I went to the phone on the hall table Adrian and Paula appeared from the sitting room; they stood at the end of the hall, looking very worried.
‘It’s all right,’ I said. ‘Jade’s not feeling so well so I am going to phone for an ambulance.’
I lifted the receiver and keyed in 999 for the emergency services. The control answered immediately and asked which emergency service I wanted. ‘Ambulance,’ I said.
‘And the number you are calling from?’
I gave my landline number.
‘I’m putting you through now.’
‘I’m a foster carer,’ I began as soon as I was connected to the ambulance service. ‘I’m fostering a seventeen-year-old girl who is seven months pregnant. She appears to be having regular contractions.’
A calm male voice on the end of the phone asked for my name and address, which I gave.
‘And you want the ambulance to this address?’ he confirmed.
‘Yes please.’
‘An ambulance is on its way,’ he said. ‘Stay on the line, please, while I take a few more details. What’s the full name and date of birth of the young person?’
I told him.
‘Have her waters broken?’
‘I don’t think so,’ I said. ‘I’ll ask her.’
I looked at Jade, who had stopped moaning and seemed to be revelling in the drama.
‘Jade, have your waters broken?’ I asked her.
‘Dunno,’ she said. It should have been obvious to her if they had, and her leggings were dry.
‘I’m sure they haven’t,’ I said to ambulance control.
‘All right. Stay with her and reassure her. The ambulance will be with you soon.’
‘Thank you.’
I replaced the receiver and smiled reassuringly at Jade, although she was pain free at present. ‘It’s OK,’ I said to Adrian and Paula, who were looking serious and watching me intently from the other end of the hall. My thoughts were racing. I needed to phone Homefinders, who would notify the social services – they always had to be informed if a child or young person went into hospital as an emergency. I should also phone Jackie and tell her what was happening, and I would need someone to stay with Adrian and Paula while I went in the ambulance with Jade.
‘I’m just going to phone Sue, next door, and ask her to look after you both,’ I said to Adrian and Paula. ‘Then I can go with Jade in the ambulance.’
‘Na. I want me mum to come,’ Jade said, grasping her knees again and moaning loudly.
‘Yes, I’m going to phone your mother,’ I said. ‘But there won’t be enough time for her to come here before the ambulance arrives. I’ll tell her to go straight to the hospital.’ Clearly I didn’t know if Jackie was available to go to the hospital with such little notice but I appreciated Jade wanted her mother with her and I dialled Jackie’s mobile first.
Jackie answered after a couple of rings and when she heard my voice she immediately assumed Jade was missing again, as she had been the last time I’d phoned her. ‘She’s not here,’ she said straightaway.
‘No, I know. Jade’s with me,’ I said. ‘Look, don’t worry, Jackie, this might be a false alarm, but I’ve called an ambulance as Jade is experiencing some contractions.’
‘I told her she needed to check her dates!’ Jackie exclaimed. ‘I always thought she was further gone than she said.’
This was news to me. I didn’t know on what Jackie had based her assumption, but now wasn’t the time to ask. ‘She wants you to be with her,’ I said, as Jade groaned loudly in the background so that her mother could hear. ‘Are you able to go to the hospital?’
‘Yes. I’ll get Margaret from next door to sit with my kids,’ Jackie said. ‘Tell Jade I’ll see her in A&E.’
‘I will. Thank you.’
I relayed what Jackie had said to Jade, and throwing her, Adrian and Paula another reassuring smile, I telephoned Homefinders. To my delight Jill answered; it was her turn on out-of-hours duty. I explained what was happening: that Jade appeared to be having contractions and I wasn’t taking any chances, so had called for an ambulance. I also said I’d phoned Jackie and that she was on her way to the hospital, where she’d meet us in the Accident and Emergency department.
‘Good. Well done,’ Jill said. ‘I’ll inform the duty social worker at the social services. Take your mobile with you and keep me updated; I’m on duty all night. If Jade has gone into labour and has her baby early, it will probably go into an incubator. But first thing in the morning I’ll make sure Rachel has a mother-and-baby placement ready. I suppose it could be a false alarm?’
‘Yes, it could be,’ I agreed. ‘But I didn’t want to take any chances, and Jackie says Jade might have her dates wrong.’
‘You’ve done right,’ Jill said.
I ended the call to Jill and again reassured Jade: ‘The ambulance won’t be long.’
I saw Paula was now looking very anxious with all Jade’s groaning and moaning, so I asked Adrian to take Paula into the sitting room, which he did while I keyed in the number for my neighbour. Sue was a good friend and neighbour and knew I fostered; we’d helped each other out before.
‘Everything all right?’ she asked as soon as she heard my voice, for I didn’t normally phone her in the evening. I quickly explained what had happened and before I’d finished she’d said, ‘You’ll need someone to look after Adrian and Paula. I’ll come round now.’
‘Thank you so much,’ I said. And I thought: Thank goodness for good neighbours!
I replaced the receiver and as I did Jade cried: ‘Phone Ty! He needs to come too.’
‘I will, but I don’t have his number.’
‘It’s in me phone,’ Jade said. ‘I’ll do it.’ Delving into her pocket, she took out her mobile and pressed Tyler’s number. It took him a while to answer, so that Jade wasn’t in the best mood when he did. ‘You need to get your arse up to the hospital now!’ she cried down the phone. ‘I’m having our baby. Yes. Now!’ she bellowed in response to something he’d said. I guessed Tyler had been playing pool with his friends, for Jade now exclaimed: