My cousin decided that she will continue with the pregnancy and prepared everything for the big day of Ariana's arrival. At thirty four weeks suddenly my cousin went into labor and was rushed to the hospital. My cousin and her husband feared that once again, the pregnancy would end sadly.
At the hospital, the doctors had to remove the stitches on her cervix to prevent the uterus from rupturing. Doctors tried everything to stop the contractions, but their efforts failed and Ariana was born soon. Ariana spent three weeks in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and the doctors informed my cousin that Ariana had a problem with her heart and that she will have to be operated in order to survive the first year of her life. My cousin and I went to a heart specialist who informed us about the risks that the operation can have because of the poor health that Ariana presented at that time. The operation was performed when Ariana was seven months old. It was a success and she was eventually placed into the care of her parents. The perseverance demonstrated by my cousin in addition to the positive support and excellent care given by doctors helped my cousin and the entire family overcome a physically and emotionally difficult time. Even though it was not me who directly had to confront with this situation, it gave me a unique perspective on life as well as on my personal desire to become a doctor.
From this experience I have learned the importance of proper access to medical care. Ariana was extremely fortunate to have had parents who were able to obtain the necessary medical care for her survival. Knowing that many babies or adults may not live because they do not have modern medical procedures, has afforded me a thorough understanding of the critical necessity of appropriate medical treatment. The risks and consequences attributed to each medical procedure is an important role to fulfill within many communities that will help families become more knowledgeable and confident regarding decisions on their health.
