A story from me...

This is one of the stories that I wrote, about one of my experiences. All names and dates have been changed to protect privacy. I have submitted this story to Chicken Soup for the Soul, and over 8 magazines. Enjoy!

July 18, 2006 is a date that will always be special to me. Sure, it was my dog’s first birthday. But it was also the day that Jennifer entered the world. And, I was there for the delivery. I didn’t know her mom, Kim. The reason that I was present was because of the kind and generous heart of an OB nurse that wanted me to be there to witness my first live birth.
Earlier in the year I had been to a conference for girls who were interested in careers in math and science. I attended, and spoke to a lady from the local hospital. To make a long story short, we made some connections with her and were eventually were given the name of a Labor & Delivery nurse named Nancy.
I have wanted to be a doctor since I was 2, and an OB/GYN since I was 9. Clearly, healthcare has always been something very close to my heart. Each June, I attend a camp for people interested in working in the medical field. We dissect a pig, and listen to lectures from doctors and nurses. But by July, I ache to go back for more. Medicine is not something I like; it’s something I love. So when Nurse Nancy offered to have me shadow her for a few hours, I was all for it. Little did I know, this day would not just be an ordinary day; it would be the beginning of a new life.
My mom and I arrived at the hospital at around 3:00pm. We went up to Labor & Delivery, where we met Nancy. She surprised me by telling me that today, I would be watching a new human being enter the world. I was ectastic. After all, this is what I had hoped and dreamed of since I was nine. I went into the mom-to-be’s room, just after they had given her an epidural. I met her, and was so excited that finally, I was standing in Labor & Delivery, exactly where I wanted to be. Time passed quickly, and at 4:51pm, Jennifer was born, with me standing right in front of the bed. I was in awe. This was unlike anything I had seen before. Nurse Nancy took Jennifer over to the warmer, where she cleaned her up and checked to make sure she was healthy. She listened to her heartbeat with a stethoscope, and then let me listen. She put her footprints on my arm.
Today, exactly six months have passed since I witnessed this extraordinary event. I’m sure that as I grow older and achieve my dreams, human birth will continue to astonish me everytime it happens. I know that none of this would have happened, if it hadn’t been for the truly, kind and gentle heart of a nurse.