November 19, 2008

The day started off as a normal Wednesday. As normal of a day as you can have and be 9 months pregnant anyway! I got up and got ready for BSF. I was feeling a few small, crampy contractions but didn't think much of it because I had been to the doctor the day before and was only dilated to a 1. He had set our inducement for the following Monday and didn't think I would go before then. I made it to BSF and made it through the morning. I remember telling a few of the ladies that I thought I was having Braxton Hicks contractions. I was supposed to have lunch with a friend afterwards but really didn't feel up to it, so I grabbed Subway on my way home. I continued to have the contractions and when I got home I began noticing a few other things that I knew could signal labor, but I didn't think there was any way that was what was happening. I went ahead and called the doctor. They thought I should come into the hospital to get checked out. I was so frustrated....I thought we would go all the way down there and then have to turn around come all the way home. I grabbed my bag and Drew's bag and headed to pick up Hal at the plant. He drove on the way to the hospital and I noticed that the contractions were coming quicker but were still 5-6 minutes apart. When we got to the hospital they checked me into the Labor and Delivery triage area and began to monitor me. The nurse did tell us that we were dilated to a 2 and that my contractions were 5-6 minutes apart. She called my doctor and left a message. I told Hal that we were headed back home. While waiting on Dr. Shroder to call back, the contractions started getting stronger. Hal was surprised to see my grimace for the first time when one came. After a couple of those contractions, I thought I felt my water break. Hal went to get the nurse and indeed it had broken. I was know dilated to a 3 and being admitted to labor and delivery around 2:30. Hal went to call our parents and they got me ready to go upstairs. By the time they got me upstairs and in a room, we were dilated to a 5. The doctor came in shortly after and said we would have this baby before the night was through. They got my IV going and after what seemed like forever my bloodwork came back and they were able to give me my epidural. I felt great for about two hours and then I started to feel a sharp pain on my left side. It didn't come and go with contractions....it was just there constantly. They topped off my epidural and I felt better for about an hour. We had to wait one more hour to receive more medication. We repeated this process again, but with no relief on the left side at all. They tried to give me more medication through my IV as well...but no luck! I was continuing to dilate all along as they were giving me Pitocin. By 10:00, I was dilated to an 8 and couldn't get past there. At one point, they came in and said I was 15 minutes away from pushing. Hal and I were both excited and I was ready to see this little man and of course for the pain to be gone. When they came in for me to push, they weren't quite pleased with where I was. There was still a little bit of my cervix that needed to soften and they weren't sure why I wasn't going past 8cm. They called the doctor around and he cam e in around 10:30. He said I was at 8 cm still and that Drew's head was not chin down and facing straight. His head was turned to the right side and his chin was out. This caused him to be lodged in my pelvis and this was the cause of the pain I was experiencing on my left side. He said we could continue to try to deliver him, but that it would be painful for me and put stress on Drew. He recommended a c-section and Hal and I were trust him completely. They began to prepare for a c-section immediately. They prepped me in my room and then transferred me to the operating room. Hal had to wait until it was almost time to start before he could come in. I was shaking like crazy due to the pain medication and I am sure my nerves were kicking too! It seemed like they had him out so fast after we got started. Hal was right beside my head when Dr. Shroder lifted him over the curtain. Surprisingly, I didn't cry. I just remember feeling relief that he was here! They cleaned him up a bit and then brought him around for me to see him for a few seconds. Hal then went with Drew as they assessed and cleaned him. I joined them about 30 minutes later in the recovery room. I was very happy to see them both! It was a quiet night in delivery so they let us stay in recovery a little longer. It was a precious time. We then went upstairs to the Mother Baby Unit. The next few days seem like a blur! Hal stayed with us the entire time. We headed home around 3:00 on Saturday afternoon. It was so nice to pull into the garage with our little man.

Thank you so much for all of you who have prayed for us through our entire pregnancy and especially on the day of his birth. We have been well taken care of by those who were away and could just lift us up in prayer as well as by our Christan family here who has loved us and done anything they could to take care of us! We are amazed at the genorousity of the people we have meet here and what they have done for us over the last few weeks.