(NB This was written retrospectively)
Lucy and Georgie, J’s step-sister and her business partner, came to have a brief lesson on how to use an accounts package for their business. The morning went well, and Lucy very kindly offered to go with J to take his car in to be fixed after I had caused some damage in a minor RTA some weeks previously. J came home from work and together they left for the garage. Meanwhile Georgie and I were left at home with strict instructions to order pizza for us all to share over lunch.
Whilst on hold (for ages) with Basilico I felt something unusual happen and a few minutes later my waters broke. Due to the excess fluid, the water just would not stop pouring out of me. Georgie called Lucy and luckily she drove J home, otherwise I’m not sure he would have made it. His face was in shock all day and he clearly wasn’t functioning on all cylinders!
The three of them gently manhandled me into the car and off to the hospital with Lucy at the wheel, driving ever so gently over the bumps for me. Both she and Georgie were brilliant throughout and we will be eternally grateful to both of them for being there to help.
At the hospital I was examined and scanned. The baby was fine, there was still plenty of fluid and my cervix was shut, indicating that labour was unlikely to be imminent. I was given a steroid injection to promote the development of the baby’s lungs, with a second injection to be given 24 hours later. In the interim, I was given a patch to put on my tummy which would attempt to hold off labour.
I was admitted to Gwillim Ward at St George’s later that afternoon and I discovered that hospital food is so awful that, in comparison, boarding school food is far, far preferable! Due to a shortage of beds in the wards I was given a private room which I have to say was very lucky as our health insurance refused to pay up!