Sample Narrative

Narrative Essay

     The alarm clock went off at four in the morning. I could see the faint lights of the Christmas tree from the crack under the bedroom door. The time had come and the reality of it all was starting to actually sink in. Soon I would get to see my special Christmas present. I woke my husband up and told him it was time to go. The look of anxiety flushed his face over. My stomach moved from side to side, up and down, giving it the appearance of an out of control roller coaster. In just about five hours, our lives would change forever. We would be on a path that was totally out of our control, yet it all seemed so incredible. My husband and I got in the car and headed towards Mercy Hospital for the Cesarean birth of our son, Bryan.
     All over the city, I could see the decorations of one of the most special holidays of the year to me, Christmas. The birth of my son Bryan at this particular time of the year gave me such a feeling of warmth inside that I almost forgot about all the nervousness I was feeling. Bright, colorful lights adorned the streets as if to welcome this special little person into the world. It seemed as if the whole world was in preparation for the miracle about to take place.
     Upon arriving at the hospital, my husband and I were greeted by my obstetrician and his colleague who would assist in the surgery. The fact that my doctor felt the need to be assisted brought back all the feelings of apprehension I had briefly forgotten about on our drive here. My doctor assured us that this was a common practice and that everything would be fine. The only thing I could do was sit there and let the staff at the hospital prep me for the surgery. By this time, I was sweating and out of breath from the impending uncertainty of the events that would follow.
     First there was the epidural. This is a form of anesthesia that is given with a needle inserted into your spine. It is used to completely put your body from the waist down to sleep. The thought of this alone had my husband and I frantic with the fear of something going wrong. I kept thinking that the slightest move on my part or by the anesthesiologist would dramatically change the course of events from a miracle to a tragedy. I tried to keep perfectly still and prayed for the best. The technician's hands were like a perfectly programmed robot. I must admit he put my fears to rest, because before I knew it he was done and the numbness had set in.
     With the epidural in place, it was now time to perform the actual surgery. My doctor kept reassuring me that everything was going to be fine. He told me that he would have to make a bigger incision due to the fact that the baby was estimated to weigh over ten pounds. He must have seen the horrified look on my face because he then assured me this was a common problem in pregnancies. The surgery itself only took about five minutes. Then, I heard that sound that even to this day brings back so many wonderful memories. It was my son's first breath of air, his wonderfully perfect cry to announce his arrival into this world. He was wrapped up in a blue blanket and given to me to hold for the first time. It was at that precise moment that I knew my whole existence had changed forever and that everything was going to be magnificent.
     Needless to say, the birth of my son has brought a tremendous amount of joy into my life and the lives of anyone else who is blessed to know him. The feelings of apprehension I felt the morning of December 25th, 1995 were put to rest the moment I heard that first little scream from his tiny body. Leaving the hospital and bringing my glorious Christmas present home was the best experience I have ever had. All of the feelings of uncertainty I experienced that morning were quickly put to rest forever. It is now time to sit back and enjoy what jolly old Saint Nick delivered to me, with a little help from my husband of course.