If You Don't Have Anything Nice to Say... (Part 1)

I took the girls to Gymboree the other day and got a little more than I bargained for.  It was a slow day at class and a couple of pregnant moms were sitting around chatting.  I was playing with the divas and wasn't paying too much attention until I overheard the following conversation:

Preggo #1:  Do you know how lucky those women are that get hospitalized bed rest?  They get massages and pedicures.  I mean, I guess it sucks if your kid ends up in the NICU but those services are all free for them and they get a beautiful new room in the NICU!

Preggo #2:  Wow!  That must be so nice!

At this point I turned to my friend, Marge, who was rolling her eyes.  If you don't know my story, I was on hospitalized bed rest for 7 weeks and the divas were in the NICU for 3 months.  I took a deep breath before I spoke because what I wanted to say wouldn't have been appropriate in front of small children.

Me:  Yeah, well, I was on hospitalized bedrest for 7 weeks and let me tell you, when you are fighting for your babies' lives day in and day out, no massage or pedicure can make up for that.  And the NICU really does suck.  We spent 3 months there.

Preggo #2:  Did you have your own room at least?

Me (eyes bulging):  No, we were in the old NICU and I wouldn't have felt any better if we had had a private room!

At this point both preggos, and the Gymboree teacher, were looking at their feet and not saying much.  I'm sure that I ruined their wonderful discussion on elective C-Sections and where they were going to get their nails and hair done before the big day. 

Look, I get that most women have a "normal" pregnancy and that they had no idea what I had been through.  I also understand that I have a slight chip on my shoulder because of everything my family has gone through.  I guess the point I'm trying to make is that it's a pretty ignorant to go on about how "lucky" someone is when their child's or children's lives are at stake.  I would have traded places with those women in a minute if it meant that my daughters wouldn't have had to struggle so hard for their lives.