
A relative's brat pushed me, causing a difficult labor. In excruciating pain, I wanted an epidural, but my husband insisted on stopping me. He calmly had me sign and fingerprint a document. I thought it was a surgical consent form, only to discover it was an agreement for me to bear all childbirth expenses myself. The list itemized supplies and specified the epidural must be paid by me alone. Looking at the cold agreement, my physical pain grew numb. I smiled bitterly.