True-life
I thought I’d never be a mum but my pooch knew better
Rachel O’Donnell, 43
Running around after the kids at nursery, I felt a familiar pain spread across my belly. Not now, I thought. I tried not to focus on it. It was April 2023, and for as long as I could remember, my periods had been extremely painful. My cycle unpredictably long.
At 18, I’d been diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a hormonal disorder causing enlarged ovaries with lots of small cysts.
‘You might never have children,’ the doctor had warned me.
Sadly, over the years, I’d loved and lost a few babies to miscarriage in past relationships.
‘Being a mum isn’t on the cards for me,’ I’d tell friends, accepting I’d never get to experience the magic of motherhood.
Filling the part of me that yearned for kids, I’d qualified as an early childhood educator.
And now, sharing my life with my wonderful partner of three years Jason, then 49, and being stepmum to his five beautiful children, Matthew, then 28, Nicola, 25, Alex, 22, Jaxon, 10, and Indie, 8, helped fill the void too.
At home after work that 10 April day, I rested in the living room.
The pain in my tummy was worse than ever.
Then, our 6-month-old French bulldog pup Max padded across the room, climbed up on to the sofa and lay his head on my belly.
Max was a big softie, and recently he’d found a new fave napping spot.
On my tummy!
‘Thanks for looking out for me,’ I cooed to Max, stroking his head.
Max had seemed more protective of me than usual these past few weeks.
Cosying up beside me, even barking protectively when Jason showed me some love with a kiss, or an arm snaked around my waist.
‘Maybe I’ve got an ovarian cyst?’ I said to Jason.
I was at higher risk of them because of PCOS.
‘Or a ruptured gallbladder,’ I added.
Jason looked concerned.
‘Perhaps we should get you to hospital,’ he said.
I brushed it off.
‘It’s fine. Once the cyst bursts, the pain will pass,’I said.
Having had multiple burst cysts before, I was a veteran. But after three days of pushing through the pain, it only felt worse.
‘I need to go to hospital,’ I cried in agony, dialling for an ambulance.
Jason had to stay behind to watch Jaxon and Indie as I was loaded into the back.
‘I’ll give you a call when I’m ready to be picked up,’ I told him, expecting to be back home soon.
At A&E, I was checked over, gave a sample for a urine test.
Then… ‘Did you know you’re pregnant?’ the nurse smiled, showing me a positive pregnancy test. ‘That’s unlikely!’ I laughed. But in moments, the nurse had squirted c
