Pictured above is the new hospital that was built in Ocean Falls only a few years before the entire town was shut down. Fortunately, I never set foot inside.
A few months after I arrived in Ocean Falls, my sister's due date came and she flew to Vancouver to await the arrival of her new baby. It was interesting for me to see a family dynamic other than the one with which I had grown up. I had a mom and dad and 4 sisters, and now seeing a newly married couple, expecting their first child, my eyes were opened to what my future could possibly hold. I began, for the first time in my life, imagining what it would be like to have a family. I always knew I would one day be married and it was something I looked forward to, when the time was right, and I found the right person. Of those two things, I was not yet sure. My relationship with the girl with no middle name was progressing and I missed her a lot, but I was not sure if I just missed all the social life I had had at home, or if I missed being with her specifically.
When the baby came, my brother-in-law flew to Vancouver and they did not come home for a few days. It was my first experience as a bona fide bachelor. I managed fine enough as far as the daily requirements were concerned, but found it particularly difficult at the end of the day, coming home to a cold house and finding things as I had left them. Often I would fix a meal and then not eat it. I was getting lonely, missing my new family, my old family, my friends back home, my car, my freedom, and sunshine.
And then the baby arrived. By this time, I felt so much a part of my new family, that I almost felt a little like her father. Her name was Stephanie. She was a like a good dose of sunshine everyday. For the first time in my life, I had some hands on experience with a baby. When my youngest sister was born, I was 13 and as a young teen aged boy had no interest, especially since she was just another sister. But now I could watch the rapid day to day development of a little person and I took a real liking to her. I would look forward to seeing her as soon as I got home from work. I spent a lot of time with her and I knew that I was getting a little too involved when one day I told my brother-in-law that he was too rough with her. I had been getting under his skin on this issue before and he lashed out at me to let him treat her the way he wanted because she was his kid. He was absolutely right and I did back off and was not greatly offended after having given it some thought. I did not realise it then, but what I needed was a family of my own.
The Autumn went by quickly and soon Christmas was on the horizon. It would be my first trip home since arriving four months ago.
3 comments:
Interesting post. When I was in "Nurses Training" so many years ago, there was a student in my class from Ocean Falls...and her goal was to go back to that community as a nurse in that little hospital. I have no idea where she landed up but stayed at VGH as a new grad to get some experience. That first year away from home certainly is a learning of some life lessons, isn't it?
You had good practice with Stephanie before I came along. I wonder how rough you were with me :)
The new Hospital! I remember as a child when it was built. I spent 3 weeks in it, doctors thought I had rhuematic fever. Blood tests were lost on the way down to Vancouver. Never did find out exactly why I was in there.
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