Writing for Fun
May 2015
The First Time - Jenni Bowers
She was so tiny, the first time Laura saw her little granddaughter she was smitten, no other love had ever been so amazing – her own precious daughter looked pale and exhausted as she gazed at Laura cradling the sweet new addition to the family.
It had been an 'easy' labour, so they said, but Laura wasn't so sure – however, within 24 hours the little family were sent home.
Laura was devastated to find that Janina didn't want her there every day to fuss and cuddle the new adored child, 'we need time to adjust having a baby' she told her very hurt mum.
That was the first time Laura had felt unnecessary in her precious girl's life, a spare part now, not the main connection and unable to cope with the rejection she threw herself into other good works.
Her friend had died suddenly and his daughter, now with children of her own and a single parent was always glad to have a free babysitter so Laura gave all her love to the two little girls who seemed so sad, taking them to the beach, park and on bus rides all things their own mother didn't do, hadn't been shown by her mother who'd deserted her at age four.
As the months flew by, Laura got to see Janina and the baby a few times and was pleased to welcome the little family into her home on one surprise visit. 'Come in, come in she gushed; tea, cake, Steve?' she asked her son-in-law.
'Yes, mum, but sit down we have some news for you.'
Smiling, Laura sat expecting them to announce another new arrival – but so soon after little Nicola?
'Mum, Nicola has it too,' whispered Janina.
'What? Oh no,' gasped Laura and held out her arms to hold and protect her new granddaughter.
Holding her tightly the couple explained about Von Willebrands Syndrome, inherited from her father; the bleeding disorder was a lifelong curse, but it could be dealt with, they would cope and she was not to worry. Laugh out loud, not worry? This form of Haemophilia was awful, no factor 8 or plasma meant a lifetime of being careful not to get cut, grazed or fall. If she did bleed it would go on for hours and her iron levels would drop so low as to need transfusions . . . not worry?
This was the first time Laura had ever thought about bleeding disorders and from then on she learned as much as possible. She began to understand her daughter's terror at allowing anyone else to take care of Nicola but she did manage to enjoy a few babysitting hours now and then.
On hearing the news Laura's sister Pauline had decreed, 'Oh, she won't live past 12 then,' to Laura's horror.
She'd replied, 'Don't you dare repeat that to Janina!'
Over the years there had been moments when Nicola came close and on the birth of her baby brother Luke, they held their breath . . . was he? But the blood tests came back negative; wonderful, especially as true Haemophillia does go down through the male line and not the females in a family - unfortunately Von Willebrands is random through both sexes.
As she grew older and learned to deal with her condition, she told Laura, 'There are far worse things than VW Nan, I'm ok and I'm going to nurse people like me one day,' because too many times she'd had to endure her factor 8 injections being given badly and ended up with huge bruises on her hands.
'I'll do it gently and better Nan.'
She worked hard, used her 'Transamic acid' pills when her spontaneous nosebleeds got too bad and was checked every year in the large Haematology department at the Royal Free Hospital in London, where all her father's family were well known and cared for during their own 'bleeds'.
Nicola is now studying for her degree in nursing and is a lively, fun loving teenager, normal in every way except that she can't join in sports with bodily contact. Not bothered as she's not sporty anyway, she told Laura. Recently Laura realised that she'd stopped worrying about this precious young woman – for the first time.
Over the years there had been moments when Nicola came close and on the birth of her baby brother Luke, they held their breath . . . was he? But the blood tests came back negative; wonderful, especially as true Haemophillia does go down through the male line and not the females in a family - unfortunately Von Willebrands is random through both sexes.
As she grew older and learned to deal with her condition, she told Laura, 'There are far worse things than VW Nan, I'm ok and I'm going to nurse people like me one day,' because too many times she'd had to endure her factor 8 injections being given badly and ended up with huge bruises on her hands.
'I'll do it gently and better Nan.'
She worked hard, used her 'Transamic acid' pills when her spontaneous nosebleeds got too bad and was checked every year in the large Haematology department at the Royal Free Hospital in London, where all her father's family were well known and cared for during their own 'bleeds'.
Nicola is now studying for her degree in nursing and is a lively, fun loving teenager, normal in every way except that she can't join in sports with bodily contact. Not bothered as she's not sporty anyway, she told Laura.
Recently Laura realised that she'd stopped worrying about this precious young woman – for the first time.
