Kris Massie's memories of Kitwe.
Part 11
One of the firemen rang me one day to say his wife was in labour at home but that there was a problem, her mother had arrived and taken complete control, the likes of which he thought were incorrect for the early stages of labour and would I please go and somehow get his wife to hospital …
On arrival I found a tall woman, arms crossed over her chest and with a defiant facial expression letting me know that I wasn’t about to usurp her position! Her daughter was crouched in a corner of the room having been told by her mother to ‘bear down.’ This was far too early for first stage labour and quick thinking was required by me!
I decided to flatter her and proceeded to complimented her on her fine looks saying she was far too young to be become a grandmother in the first place ... compliments were flying from my mouth … and by golly, it worked a treat! After pondering a while she suddenly launched a huge hug on my person and I was given the command of ‘take her!’ It was with great speed that I whisked mother-to-be off to hospital. True to form the baby wasn’t born until the following day!
Our involvement occasionally required psychological input other than practical aid.
My next accomplishment was to again fall pregnant! How different were my two pregnancies for this time no such weight gain, I was as fit as a fiddle from playing hockey and was able to carry on working until I was 8 months. My Dutch in-law’s came out to visit in December 1966 to be with us for the birth, predicted to be the following month. I had not met them so I was understandably quite apprehensive but I need not have worried for they were wonderful! They occupied the third bedroom and settled in. True to form my waters broke at home in the wee hours of a January morning and we got to Kitwe Central without mishap where my second son duly arrived weighing 7lb 7oz. Do not for one moment think it was easy for the pain experience of my first now appeared to be worse and I very nearly gave up! Sheer guts and gritting teeth … no wonder we women can cope with anything!
There I too I came across a severe sister in charge! How different were the hospital stays for on day three my doctor said I could go home. I was busy packing when sister entered ‘what are you doing?’ ‘Doctor said I could go home’ I replied ‘He hasn’t told me!’ she retorted not happy at all that her position had been usurped. My mother-in-law had been a nursing sister in her day plus having had a baby I was quite happy at handling a new born this time round. So, home I went. Son No 2 slept in his pram carry cot in our room while his grandparents occupied what was to eventually be his bedroom.
One evening while preparing dinner I happened to open a cupboard door and out popped a cockroach! The stigma of these insects fresh in my mind from years ago I quickly looked round to find mother-in-law standing in the doorway having viewed the whole scene - and having seen my reaction – she was laughing while I stood red-faced with embarrassment. ‘These are nothing in size to the ones we had in Curacao!’ My father-in-law had been in the Royal Netherlands Navy and was stationed there for a few years.
Many years later I was to witness cockroaches flying which I didn’t know at the time having naively thought the wings were ornamental!
We showed the in-law’s around as best we could as unfortunately husband was unable to obtain leave so the trips were at the weekends.
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