In December 1990, I had just mailed our Christmas cards,
from Guangzhou, China where we were living.
We were preparing to go to Virginia to await the birth of
our fifth child, due in late January/ early February.
The day after mailing those cards, my water broke. My husband was on a three-day trip to another
province [in China} and I did not know how to reach him.
I got the three oldest kids out the door to catch their
school bus. I was home alone except for
my three year old.
I called my husband’s secretary who got things rolling. The
US Consulate nurse came to make sure I was okay. A neighbor took my three year old to her
home. I was told that there was a helicopter
on standby.
Since the nurse determined I was not in active labor, and the
timing was right, instead, the nurse and I took a train to Hong Kong.
Our son, Chance Burke Sherwood was born on December 6,
1990. At 32 weeks, he was only 17” long and
weighed 5lb 6oz. (Compared to my fourth
who was 9lb 15 oz. at birth).
Chance will be turning 30 in two days. He is a strong, healthy and independent man.
The picture of me was taken by the nurse who was traveling
with me on the train to Hong Kong. I
think I am smiling because I know that I am leaking amniotic fluid and soaking
the train seat. And I wasn’t wearing
underwear!
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