baby

The other day something happened that made me think about how the issues I have are so meaningless compared to others. Recently I extended by trip so I could travel south with a few of my friends. Very exciting, but in a way stressful because it requires planning.  Some of them have not changed their flight yet which frustrates me because I don’t understand what they are waiting for. I want to start planning so I everything would be set up by the time I leave Manali. Also I have been frustrated by the food here. I eat rice, bread and bananas everyday which leaves me hungry and also none of this food has any fiber in it. I feel my stomach is distended with food. Needless to say my friends and constipation (lol sorry) were driving me crazy until the other day. There was a lady at the hospital, she was in the neonatal room having a check up on her soon to be born child. She was surrounded by other healthy expecting mothers. The doctor went to check her baby’s heart beat and it was not there.  Her child had died. She was a very submissive women and her husband did most of the talking. Apparently they had not been able to have a child yet and this was her fourth miscarriage. The husband was very angry and he blamed his wife because she was unable to have children. He asked the doctor if there was anything that the doctor could do. The doctor said i can’t bring a dead baby back to life. He said they could run tests to see what is wrong but he explained to the husband that his wife needs to come to doctors before there is a problem not when something is seriously wrong.  The man yelled at his wife and they left to make an appointment to abort the dead child. In the Indian culture it is very important that a woman can bear children, especially a male child. In traditional families without being able to have children you are worthless. I would hope that because they are husband and wife he would stay with her but in reality I know this is probably not true. She has had four miscarriages and men have this mentality that if you cannot give me a boy then there is no point in me supporting you. I don’t know what happened to this women but I can guess she will soon be without a husband, without a home and without someone to take care of her.  Puts life into perspective.