National Adult Literacy Database

July 31, 2000

April Tran is a creative thinker with a wonderful sense of humour who attended the B.O.O.K.S. (Books Offer Our Kids Success) and LEARNING AND READING PARTNERS programs of Prospects Literacy Association in order to help her children with literacy skills.

"Unborn"hood - Story of Thao

by April Tran

I was an unborn fetus who the egg conceived over a honeymoon trip to California. I could see myself dividing in every second in a fluid-like sac. Mom felt my presence as soon as conception occured since she felt nausea and got really sick. At first, she thought she got a flu so she took lots of Tylenol. Mom found out she was pregnant on Aug. 11, 1989 after seeing Dr. Marko. She was furious and blamed my dad for that.

I could feel pressure on me everytime Mom vomited especially in the morning. The bathroom was Mom's best friend at the time. The rocking motion when Mom moving made me felt dizzy; though I tried to relax, the hormone secretion turned against my will. Poor Mom she was sick all day long. The smell of toothpaste, shampoo, and meats agitated my slumber. I loved chocolate and strong coffee so much that Mom became chocoholic and drank dark coffee like a pro. The end result, we spent one week in Royal Alexandra hospital (Feb.23-Mar.1/89) to be on diet and to keep the blood sugar from zooming up to 11.

After 1st trimester (about in October '89), I settled down and Mom got used to my presence. Mom catched up her weight quickly as I just a grown up girl. Mom talked and read to me a lot; she kept saying: "bear with me, I'm going to make you happy." Books Mom read to me were: How to be a success person spiritually, The Mother (VN), and how to take care of a baby.

On Mar.29,90, about noon I sensed a strange molecule invade my territory; I started kicking and became very agitated. Mom felt the cramping and felt like nesting. She and Dad set up my clothes and clean the entire house. About 4pm, my parents went to Norwood Mall to buy a changing table cover. About 6:30 pm they dropped by Royal Alex hospital after visiting Aunty Kieu. Although I wasn't due till Apr.12, 89, Dr. Marko ordered to let me out since Mom had trouble with blood sugar. At 7pm, the water sac broke, my distress became intensify. The only feeling I had was Mom kept pushing me down the canal and the urge to get out of the "home" I had been staying for the last nine months.