As soon as I got out of my house, I called Dr Sophia to know where she was and when it was convenient to see her. She told me she was in the hospital attending to her OPD patients. She was a gynaecologist and was always busy, but I knew she'd be able to help me.
Sophia, my erstwhile roommate, was in her final year when I was in my third year. We bonded so well that even after she left school, we were very much in touch. She graduated from the school of medicine and having finished with her housemanship, was now working in a private hospital.
Back then in school, she worked with the school health centre. She'd go there after classes and because of her intelligence, the CMO in the school health centre loved working with her. My regular visit to the health centre made me know about some students who on account of financial hardships went to the health centre to 'donate' blood to those who could pay for it.
The laboratory technician kept a catalog of students' names, their blood group and the last time they donated to enable him to determine who to call when he needed to get a donor for a patient. I was actually going to see Sophia with the hope that she'd be able to connect me to a laboratory technician so I can somehow raise my fees.
When I walked into Havillah hospital that morning, my mission was to meet Sophia and get the things sorted out. I didn't know my life was about to take a new turn. All I wanted was to graduate and prove to Roy that I won't let him throw me to the floor and stay just where he threw me.
My poor parents believed I paid fees again because of poor grades, but I was only in this condition because of my poor choices and decisions. I kept wishing I could turn the hands of time. The Uber I booked took me directly to the hospital. I had to sit in the hospital lobby where I waited for Sophia to finish with her patient.
When I finally got to see her, she was terribly shocked to hear why I had come to see her. I told her about the painful heartbreak I've just been dealt with and why it was of utmost importance that I got the money raised at all costs.
Sophia praised me for my bravery, not every one would be up and about after what I just got served, she said. But I wasn't there for her compliments, I needed to raise my fees, and quickly so
'While I empathize with you Anita, I have to let you know that the token you'd get for donating blood to the hospital's blood bank won't be anywhere near what you need for your fees' Dr Sophia said.
'Then I'll just have to donate now, and continue the next day and the next until I'm able to gather the money' I said, almost crying. She laughed for a while before she started explaining.
'Anita, men can donate safely once in every three months while women can only donate every four months and it seems I have to explain in details for you to understand the intricacies of blood donation.' she said.
'Women have more difficulty when blood is withdrawn and are more susceptible to vasovagal reactions, which negatively affect their experience as donors. A good number of women donate blood though, but you see, that isn't in this kind of circumstance we've found ourselves now.' She tried so hard to explain.
She advised me to tell my parents the true position of things and see how I could get things sorted before it was too late. I explained why I couldn't tell my parents about the fees and how I intend to see them only after I have written my final exams.
'There has to be something you can do to help me Sophia, I know my predicament isn't your making, but I know you won't like to hear that I lost my life because of this frustration' I told her to make her understand how desperate I was. I needed her to understand that I could do anything to get the money I was seeking.
She thought for quite a while before she asked me 'Can you be a surrogate mum?' 'Surrogacy?' I asked, clutching my stomach. 'The pay is very good and this client of mine wants the very best. He is willing to make the surrogate have all the comfy and luxury while the pregnancy lasts, but insists the laws of surrogacy must be upheld the moment the babies are delivered. And I think that's all good, considering you won't want your parents finding out about the pregnancy.' she said
I was beginning to see the bright side of this offer. 'I think this will be good for me' I soliloquized. 'When do we start?' I asked cheerfully. 'I'll let him know immediately that I've found someone. We just have to hope he accepts you, but I must warn you, he's extremely arrogant; you may need to endure his arrogance the entire time,' she said matter of factly.
'Who cares?' I thought. All I need is the money to sort myself out and then after the baby is born, I won't need to see him again after all' I thought happily. We agreed on time and date to meet him and possibly sign the contract to enable her to begin with the insemination process.