story5662.xml

story5662.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-11

At approximately 9:00 AM on September 11, 2001, I received a phone call from my niece Laura telling me what was happening at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. My husband and I were traveling on the Atlantic City Expressway on our way to Atlantic City Medical Center for a Non-Stress test. I was 9 months pregnant with our son Blake. My due date was September 12, 2001. Later that day I had an appointment with my doctor. At my last visit she had told me if our son was not born by September 11, she was going to put me in the hospital and induce my labor. This was my seventh pregnancy over a fourteen year period, but my first child. It had been a very rough, high risk prenancy and she did not want me to go beyond my due date. After my examination, she called Shore Memorial Hospital to make arrangements for me to be admitted the next morning at 7:00 AM. Upon calling the hospital she was informed that I could not be admitted because all beds had to be kept open incase they were needed for people injured in New York. I was afraid something would happen to my unborn son. Having had six miscarriages I really didn't believe I would have a child until he was born alive and well. Luckily, first thing in the morning on September 12, I received a phone call telling me to get right to the hospital. At 4:22 AM on September 13, my son Blake was born alive and well.