Today's Battles Are Tomorrow's Triumphs: The Jacob Noah "Jake" Ingalls Story

Jacob Noah "Jake" Ingalls

Not even two minutes later, Charles and Jonathan came upon the scene as they approached the mercantile to get some supplies to finish the repairs on the post office. "Oh, my God! Caroline," Charles said shakily as he knelt down beside her. "Ch... Charles, you've got to help me. My water just broke— I'm in labor," Caroline cried out.
"Jonathan, help me get her up off the ground and over to Doc Baker's." Jonathan nodded. Caroline cried out in pain as Charles and Jonathan lifted her up off of the ground and carried her to Doc Baker's office. "Doc, open up. It's an emergency— Caroline's hurt and is in labor," Jonathan shouted as he banged on the door. Doc Baker opened the door and was utterly shocked by what he was seeing. "Get her on the table," Doc Baker ordered. Following a thorough examination, Doc Baker said, "Caroline's gonna have to have an emergency cesarean section in order for her and the baby to survive." "Do whatever you need to do— just save my wife and child," said Charles. Doc Baker replied, "I'm gonna do everything I possibly can for the both of them, and I uhhh... I think it'd be wise if you go get the girls and tell them what has happened." Charles nodded and rushed off to the school. "Mr. Ingalls," said Mrs. Simms as she sharply turned around. "Mrs. Simms," said Charles, "I'm sorry to barge in unannounced, but I need Hannah, Mary, Laura, and Carrie to come with me. Caroline's been hurt and has gone into preterm labor. Doc Baker said he's going to have to perform an emergency cesarean section in order to ensure both Caroline and the baby's survival." Mrs. Simms, Hannah, Mary, Laura, and Carrie were at loss for words.

On the way back to Doc Baker's office, Laura asked, "Ma and the baby aren't going to die are they, Pa?" Charles replied, "Don't go thinking like that, Halfpint. If there's anyone I know who can survive this— it's your ma and the baby." Laura smiled and hugged Charles. As they reached the door of Doc Baker's office, the most beautiful sound filled the air— the cries of the newest addition to the Ingalls family. "Charles, Girls, come meet the newest Ingalls— a little boy," said Dr. Baker as he escorted them over to the bed where the infant was swaddled in a blanket and laying on his mother's chest. Caroline gushed, "Charles, Girls, I'd like you to meet Jacob Noah Ingalls." "Jacob Noah Ingalls," Charles repeated, smiling from ear to ear. "May we call him Jake," inquired Carrie. "Jake Ingalls— I like it," said Charles. "Me, too," Caroline replied. "Welcome to the world, Jake. I love you," Hannah, Mary, Laura, and Carrie said in unison. Charles said, "Would you girls go and pick up Baby Grace from Mrs. Edwards and come straight back here?" "Yes, Pa," the girls replied. "Charles, I need you to take Jake please," said Caroline. Charles, taking his newborn son into his arms, asked, "Are you alright? Is something wrong?" Right after the word 'wrong' escaped from Charles' lips, Caroline began seizing. "Doc, I need help! Caroline's seizing," Charles yelled out.
Just as Doc Baker had started administering a medication called magnesium sulfate to stop the seizure, Hannah, Mary, Laura, and Carrie arrived back from the Edwards' after picking up Baby Grace. "Pa, what happened? What's Dr. Baker giving Ma," questioned Mary. "Your ma had a seizure after you girls left and Doc Baker had to give her something to stop it," Charles explained. The girls embraced one another as they cried into each other's shoulders. "I have finished administering the magnesium sulfate, so we should know soon if the medication has done its job," said Dr. Baker. Jake then began to cry. "It's as if Jake knows something's not quite right with Ma," said Laura. "I guess you can say that, Halfpint," said Charles, holding Baby Jake close to him. 30 minutes later, it appeared as if the magnesium sulfate had had the opposite effect, therefore, Caroline slipped into a coma. Charles was beside himself, so he decided to take a walk.