FINDING ALEX...

It was another late night, trying to submit an assignment and term paper. Ignoring the sound of my alarm and snoozing on, I barely made it for the last 15minutes of the first lecture but just in time for the submissions. I struggled with sleep for most part of the lecture, my delight came as the last lecturer for the day left the class, I sluggishly got up to keep my appointment with my dissertation supervisor. I knocked on his door after exchanging pleasantries with his secretary.  just then power went off and he said come in, I stepped into his office, my eyes struggling to adjust to the dimness and unable to see much but figures; slowly moving closer to his table when he called my name “Murna” and tapped me on my shoulder from behind, I trembled in utter shock, shouting “Jesus” and almost stumbling. The lights came on and my old school Jeff was on one knee, talking but I only heard “right where it started”. And there goes the sleep I was hoping to get after seeing my supervisor, I wish he knew how important that sleep was. 

While waiting for service, the wedding plan was in full swing, it was draining and exciting. Hand in hand my Dad, walked me down the aisle of our home cathedral and there stood Jeff in a grey suit and a tie that looked more like a cutlass. I smiled and he said “beautiful”. Vows exchanged, you may now kiss the bride, dancing, gifting, winning and dining, the day was over.

Leaving home 3 days later, I started my new life in Gombe, in a few weeks I went for the compulsory N.Y.S.C and thereafter started working in the same insurance company. As he moved up the corporate Ladder of the financial sector, he was transferred to Niger state, and along I went. 

 A year after the move, I started having some abdominal pains, took some over the counter drug but it wasn’t helping. I decided to go see a doctor, then it was discovered my I had ovarian cyst (3 cysts). I was scheduled for a surgery to have them removed. The Doctor said it would be an hour surgery, as I lay there the 1 hour surgery turned to 4 hours, the doctor explained, they discovered adhesions after opening me up, some internal organs were so tight even my intestines were stuck together which they had to separate; and that it would be difficult to conceive. But I rebuked and binded all he said.

This was 2 years after my marriage, since I was already on the corporate ladder I decided to climb them, navigating my way through the banking systems and the new people in my office, my nights were filled reliving the days’ experience with Jeff, listening to his wealth of experience and advice as he thought me how to wade through office politics, some-days this conversation end up with me in tears, other days, we end up laughing or angry at something or someone. And Just when you seem to be getting used to the drama, there comes a twist in the plot, but life goes on.

Three years after, I started visiting the doctor regularly, wondering what was happening?? Jeff would always say I should relax, babies would come at God’ time. I started to pray more, fast some more, sow seeds, pray for others in similar condition, listen to messages, calculate ovulation cycle like i was preparing for an exam. 

Some-days, it became so overwhelming, I would breakdown in loud sobs, my husband would console me almost to no avail. Then I started midnight prayers, attended special programmes where I learnt to pray for others in similar situation, took some prescription drugs, visited one specialist to another. Just in the middle of this, they had me transferred from Minna to Bida. I was almost frustrated just

driving 2 hours back and forth every day, managing a home and trying to make babies at the same time.

Six months later I moved to another bank, that got me back to Minna thankfully. A former colleague was also there, she told me of a ministry in Abuja; where we went to attend a 3 days programme for prayers concerning the blessing of the womb, we cried our hearts out in prayer and ended up sleeping in an uncompleted building, I returned home with aches all over. By the end of that year, my colleague had taken in, I was happy for her, but I wondered if something in my past, my husbands or parent’ was responsible for the delay. The questions were plenty, but I answered them with thank God for this or that. As much as my parents wanted grandchildren, they were equally encouraging and praying for me. My in-laws were so supportive.

It’s our fifth wedding anniversary and its two of us at the dinner table again. last year we hoped to celebrate it with a baby or at least a bump, short of complaining, we decided to find things to laugh about. A week later, A friend of mine called and recommended IVF treatment, while making the inquiry and visiting doctors, when I give medical history of Ovarian Cysts they say that’s not a big deal then I add with “Adhesion's” then the look on their face changes, followed with the recital of how difficult it would be as adhesions tamper with positions of some vital organs… Whew!

While between hospital visits and scans, I was promoted and things got so busy, it took another year before I tried it and I was excited at the result. 3 months later, slight headache and cramps in ... To be Continued.