Let's Not Be Another Statistic

When I lived in London, I worked with a Scottish bloke. He was from a rough part of the country and was drunk most of the time I knew him. In those drunken nights spent drinking cheap cider in the streets of Hammersmith though, he'd often offer up words of wisdom, like a drunk Scottish buddha. "Don't be another statistic," was one of his little pearls. He was all about living outside of what the world expected of us. And it kind of stuck with me.

Today the doctors did their rounds and told me that 70% of women will go into labour within 72 hours of their waters breaking. I was still inside that window. Another 5% go into labour within a week of their waters breaking. I was well and truly still inside that window and would not be going home today. Once they left I cried like I hadn't cried since this whole thing started, my belly bouncing with every sob. I stood staring out the window of my hospital room and heard my tears bounce onto the vinyl bench seat below me. Then I sat in bed and cried some more. Stood in the shower and cried some more. But then it hit me. This baby has so far outrun every bloody statistic people have thrown at it. So who's to say that we won't live up to Scottish Ric's prophecy and not be another statistic.