New York. 6:35am and fast asleep. The phone rings. I pick it up and I hear, "The baby was born last night". And from that point, it has been a non-stop whirl-wind. I get on a plane to Tampa. The mother, who I will call Ataya was found passed out in her hotel room and had to be taken via ambulance to have an emergency C section. I get to the hospital at 6pm. The baby was born at 1:45 am , so I arrive and am able to see her 15 hours after I got the call from my lawyer. What has just happened? One month ago, I was convinced that no one would choose me as the mother of their child. I am widowed, and pushing 50.
So, in the first week of March, 2012 I went to another lawyer and began the surrogacy process. I was no longer going to take "no" as an answer regarding my wish to become a mother. And now...Holy shit! This is some sort of altered reality? What has just happened? I could be a mother. Florida law allows 48 hours for the birth mother to change her mind. When I arrive at the hospital, Ataya looks good. They think she smoked "Spice" and I didn't have any idea what that was, until I looked it up. Oh God. I cannot care for a damaged baby. If I were in my twenties or even thirties I might be able to but now? No. I cannot. I ask Ataya if that is what she did and she says no. "Euww. I would never do that to her, to Camille." She has named the baby. She says," I smoked Pot. " THC did come up in the tox screen. Nothing else. But still, the doc and nurses treat Ataya as if she is a crack whore. I am upset by this.