As many of you know from my earlier postings I don't have the easiest pregnancies. There are many women out there who have it harder than me, but overall both my pregnancies have definitely had their challenges. Josh's birth story isn't the typical "my contractions started getting closer together" or "my water broke" type of birth story. His story really begins when I started having complications, so I'll give you some background.
Beginning at week 30 the doctors found out that my blood pressure was starting to get into an unhealthy range, and so I was put on medication (Labetelol) that I had to take twice a day. I also had to go in every week for an ultrasound/biophysical profile to check my fluid levels and the growth of the baby. It was really special for me to get to see my baby on ultrasound every week, especially because we didn't know what we were having. Every week I got to see the baby sucking his thumb, stubbornly staying in the "head up" breech position, and even got to see his little foot kicking me! After my ultrasounds I would get my blood pressure checked, and then head home. I was so blessed that Ben's mom, Jeanne, would come over every week to watch Abby for me during my appointments so that I didn't have to worry about bringing her with me to the doctor every time.
Since I began the medication at 30 weeks my blood pressures were pretty well controlled. The doctors like it to stay under 140/90, because any higher than that and it can begin to negatively affect the baby. And if it gets too high, then the mother is at risk of seizures. Most weeks my blood pressures were about 130/80, which the doctor was satisfied with. So for me the weekly visits began to feel fairly routine. I felt a huge sense of relief that the medication was working and that the doctor considered me to have a totally normal pregnancy otherwise.
My due date was April 28, but because of the complications that can potentially arise at the end of a pregnancy where there is high blood pressure present, the doctor planned to deliver me at the end of my 38th week. Because Josh was breech, that meant scheduling a c-section. Although I wasn't happy about the impending surgery, I felt like at least I would get to have some control over when to schedule the birth! Ben and I were hoping for a Friday, so that the majority of his days off would be at home with us, rather than in the hospital during the week. We got lucky and found out that my doctor does most of his c-sections on Fridays, and so the nurse said "So, does April 26 sound like a good day to have a baby?" At that point I was as big as a whale, so ANY day would have sounded like a good day to have a baby.
I was really nervous about the upcoming surgery. I'd never been hospitalized before (aside from Abby's birth), and had never had surgery. I was terrified of laying on a table in the operating room, and the more I thought about it and pictured it the more anxious I became. So I told Ben, "Look, I don't want to sit here and wait around to be cut open. We've got 3 weeks before this baby is coming, let's do something fun." So I asked him to get us Phillies tickets. I just wanted one last night out doing something special. Ben was a little skeptical that I would be able to make it through the whole game... but I insisted that it was what I wanted to do more than anything. So he bought us the tickets for Thursday, April 18. We lined up a babysitter, and I counted down the days before our last date night.
The next couple of weeks were uneventful. We finished washing all the baby clothes, getting the bassinet ready, and spent time with Abby. I continued going to my regular Tuesday doctor appointments.
One of the things I had to be careful about was watching for signs of preeclampsia. The specialist that I saw told me that I had a 50% chance of getting it again, and so I needed to watch out for the symptoms, like blurred vision, headaches, or suddenly swollen hands/feet. Preeclampsia is so serious that if you do develop it, and the baby is close enough to term, they will deliver the baby immediately. But so far I didn't have any symptoms, and for that I was thankful.
Then, on Sunday, April 14, during church, I remember feeling a pain on my left ring finger. I looked down and my hands had swollen to the point that my ring was starting to cut off my circulation. I was able to get it off, but in my gut I knew something wasn't quite right. I went home and immediately took my blood pressure. It was high, over 140/90, but I had just huffed and puffed my way up the stairs to take it, so I decided to lay down for a few minutes and take it again. Looking back now, I think I should have called the doctor at that point, but I had become a little desensitized to the high blood pressures, so I decided to wait it out. About 15 minutes later my pressure came down, and I knew I had a doctor's appointment coming up on Tuesday, so I could wait until then to talk to the doctor about my symptoms.
Tuesday (April 16) rolled around, and I got myself and Abby up and ready for Grandma (Jeanne) to come over so I could go to my doctor's appointment. I remember running late that morning trying to get Abby dressed and ready, and so I unintentionally skipped breakfast. My appointment was at 11am, and I figured I could run and grab some lunch afterwards on my way home. Jeanne came over, and I hugged and kissed Abby goodbye. I promised her that when I got home we could go outside to play, and that I wouldn't be gone long. I remember that morning that although Abby had become used to our Tuesday routine, she was more stressed than usual that morning. She cried when I was leaving, which was unusual, and as I left I remember thinking I couldn't wait to get home to her. I knew the new baby was coming in just 10 days, and I was really trying to soak up every minute of my time alone with her before everything would change.
My usual routine for Tuesdays was first to go upstairs to the ultrasound office to have my biophysical profile, and then afterwards head downstairs to see my doctor. I went upstairs, and said hello to the office staff, who knew me well by this point. Another woman was in there, showing off her new week-old baby to the nurse. She asked when I was due, and I told her it was 10 days away. She said "don't be so sure, I thought I had two weeks left, and this one surprised me by coming early." I remember rolling my eyes and thinking "there is no way this baby is coming early..." I went in and had my ultrasound, confirmed my little stinker was still breech, and joked with the ultrasound tech that she only had to see me twice more before my surgery. She said "well, unless he comes early!" Yeah, right.
I was 38 weeks along, and so at that point I was seeing my doctor every week. This particular week his schedule was so full they couldn't fit me in to see him. I was told I would need to see a different doctor in the practice. When I walked into the appointment the nurse handed me a pamphlet on what to expect during and after my c-section. I didn't have time to look at it before I was called back into the exam room to see the doctor. I was a little annoyed that I was seeing someone different in the practice... I had a lot of questions and anxieties about my upcoming c-section, and I really wanted to talk it over with my doctor. But I didn't get to think much about it when they started my appointment by taking my blood pressure. It was 140/90. The nurse frowned, and left to get the doctor. The doctor came back in, a young woman in her 30's who had just had a baby herself a few months before. She took my blood pressure a second time... this time it was 150/92. She told me that she was concerned by those numbers, but she wanted to give me a little time to lie down and rest, to see what would happen. She said she needed to run over to the hospital to do a delivery, and to rest while she was gone. She came back about 20 minutes later (wow, that was a quick delivery!), and rechecked me. It had gone back down to 140/90, but the doctor said that she was concerned that I was heading in the wrong direction, and she would feel better if I went to triage to be observed for a couple of hours to see exactly what my BP was doing over a longer period of time. I asked her if I needed to call my husband, and she said "No, I think it is ok to wait. It might turn out to be nothing, and you might get to go home. Go ahead and check into the hospital, and then we will let you know in plenty of time if something changes and we need to deliver you."
I stepped out into the waiting room, and visions of Abby's birth began coming back to me. I remember going in at 37 weeks with her, and getting similar BP at my checkup and going to the hospital for observation. I was induced that night and delivered her the next day. I wondered if today would be the day that I would meet this baby. I called Jeanne as I left the office, and told her that I wouldn't be home for a few hours, and needed to be observed in the hospital. She sounded worried, but I tried to downplay everything, hoping that if I could convince her it was no big deal that I could convince myself too. I felt guilty that I wouldn't be home in time to play with Abby like I had promised. Funny the little things we worry about as big things are happening.
I walked out to my car and called Ben. By then it was about 12:30pm. I was really hungry, because I had skipped breakfast, but I had no time to stop for lunch. I explained to Ben what was going on, and that I was headed over to the hospital (which is right next door to my doctor's office) to be observed. He asked me if I wanted him to come, and I told him that I could handle it by myself for now, and didn't want him to have to leave work for no reason. I told him that I would just be laying there on the monitors, and would call if I needed him. He sounded unsure... I don't think he wanted me to be alone. I remember feeling a sense of calm as I was walking towards the hospital. I didn't know what was ahead, and I was a little bit nervous, but I sensed God's presence with me, and I knew that no matter what was about to happen He was right there. And so it was like a supernatural confidence that kept me calm as I headed into the hospital.
I got checked in, and a nurse brought me into a small room to take my blood pressure. It had risen to about 160/100. She raised her eyebrows as she looked at the numbers. And then she leaned over and whispered "I'm no doctor, so don't quote me.... but I've been here a long time... and you're having a baby today." I remember feeling a huge mixture of emotions come over me... excitement, nervousness, a little fear, and some disbelief that this was really happening. They took me into a room, I got changed into a gown, and was hooked up to all kinds of monitors. I fidgeted as we awaited the official word from the doctor. I called my mom to tell her what was going on, and within minutes she was in the car headed to the hospital. Just a few minutes later the nurse came back in and said "We got word from the doctor! Today is a great day to have a baby! Call your husband!" I called Ben and told him the news. Turns out he had ignored me when I told him I could handle being monitored alone and was already on his way to come and be with me. He asked if he had time to turn around and go home for my hospital bag and our camera. I remember feeling so overwhelmed by the idea that I was actually going to have my baby that day... have SURGERY that day... that I couldn't even answer him. I wanted him with me that very second... but I didn't have anything with me! My whole hospital bag was at home, patiently waiting for April 26. I told him yes, to turn around and get our stuff. After what seemed like an eternity (but was only about 30 minutes) Ben arrived and I could tell he was in a state of disbelief too. We were both trying to wrap our heads around the fact that the baby was coming TODAY. We called Jeanne and told her to go upstairs to our room to find the list I had written out of all the things that Abby needed packed in order to go to Jeanne's house (sometimes being Type-A is a wonderful thing). And then we realized that if the baby was coming today that meant we were going to miss the Phillies game later that week! My date night had gone out the window... but I was going to meet my baby, and that was MUCH better than any date night :)
The nurses and doctors came in and out, asking me lots of different questions, and doing another ultrasound to confirm baby was still breech. After determining that yes, baby was still head up, and that I would need a c-section, they asked me when the last time was that I had eaten, because I would need to wait at least 12 hours after my last meal to have my surgery. Well, I told them, ironically enough I ran out of time to eat breakfast today, and I never made it to lunch, so I haven't eaten since 9pm last night. They were happy to hear that, as my blood pressure was continuing to climb and they needed to get the baby out quickly. They scheduled my c-section for 5pm. And that's when I started to see that verse that says "And God works all things together for the good of those who love him..." really start to play out. Had I eaten breakfast that day I would have had to wait until 9 or 10:00 for my surgery, all the while trying to control dangerous blood pressure. And then I got some more good news. My doctor (the one whose schedule had been too full for me to see that day), was the doctor on call in the OR doing all the c-sections that day! Isn't it funny how God works? Here I was frustrated I didn't get to see him in the office earlier... but God knew I was going to have my baby that day. And He knew it would be an emergency c-section. And He knew I would feel most at ease with my own doctor doing the surgery. And He knew I shouldn't have breakfast that day. And there He was, despite all my annoyances over missing breakfast and lunch and not seeing my doctor, working out EVERYTHING for my good.
I went upstairs to the pre-op area (the same place I had gone for my version 10 days before). I remember it was the day after the Boston Marathon bombings, and so the news was replaying the images over and over. I asked Ben to turn off the tv... I was so nervous about my surgery I just needed to stay in a positive frame of mind. The nurse came in and gave Ben a set of scrubs, and then attached some strange wrap sort of devices to my legs. She told me it would help with my circulation after surgery and prevent blood clots. Then the anesthesiologist came in and talked about the spinal that I would get to make me numb, and then the resident OB came in to introduce himself and explain that he would be doing my surgery along with my doctor. I don't remember much else that they told me.. I was getting more nervous by the second. After I was all prepped and ready, Ben and I headed to the OR.
Ben was told he had to wait outside while I went in and was given my spinal. After I was completely numb he would be allowed inside. I was terrified. All that warm-fuzzy supernatural confidence I had felt in the parking lot earlier was gone. I was facing surgery... I was about to be CUT OPEN... people were going to see my INSIDES... MY GUTS... and I was TOTALLY FREAKING OUT. I was wheeled on a stretcher over to the operating table. It was my first time in an operating room. It was huge! A lot bigger than I had imagined it would be. There were bright lights everywhere, and it was really really cold in there. I had to shimmy my way from the stretcher onto the table. The nurse anesthetist came over and introduced himself. I forget his name, but I will never forget his kindness. He explained exactly what would happen as the doctor put the needle into my back. He smiled and reassured me, "Everything is going to be 100% ok." I told him "I'll believe you after this is all over." The spinal went into my back, and within minutes I was numb. They laid me gently down onto the table, and put up a big blue curtain in front of my face. I could see their reflection a little in the lights over my head, so I refused to look up there for fear I might see my guts hanging out of my body. Then a nurse came over and moved my arms out to the sides next to me. Typically they tie your hands down so you don't have any sudden movements while they are working on you. I told the nurse anesthetist that I was afraid of having my hands tied down. He whispered that he would just make it look like they were tied, but leave the strings totally loose so that if I got nervous I could lift them at any time. It would be our secret.
Ben was allowed in and he came and sat down on my left, up by my head. The nurse anesthetist said "someone will always be near your head in case you need anything." I said, "Will it be you?"... he looked around. I could tell it wasn't his usual job... but then he looked at me... and I think he must have sensed the terror I was feeling and so he gently said "Yup! It will be me. I promise I won't leave your side." It's funny, I had just met him 5 minutes ago, but hearing him say that brought me more comfort than anything else. He reminded me everything would be ok... and I reminded him that I would not believe him until after it was over.
My doctor came in (a graying man in his 60's) and said "hey kid! looks like we're having a baby today huh?" The resident leaned over and asked if I felt anything. I said no. He said "good, because I just pricked you pretty hard, so that must mean the spinal is working." I nodded, but was still secretly afraid that I would feel them cutting my belly open. I still wouldn't look up at those lights. I was NOT going to risk seeing my insides.
They began to cut me open, and literally within minutes they had the baby halfway out. He came out feet first, little butt sticking up in the air. Once he was partially out, they let Ben stand up and watch the rest of him being born. We kept asking "What is it? A boy or a girl? WHAT IS IT?!!" Ben couldn't see because the baby was breech, and his butt was blocking the view of his boyness or girlness. My doctor said to the resident "TELL THEM WHAT IT IS!!!"
"IT'S A BOY!"
Oh my gosh. It's a BOY! IT'S A BOY! I couldn't even wrap my head around it. A BOY. I turned to Ben, "We have a BOY! Can you believe it?!!!" They lifted him the rest of the way out and took him over to the incubator. We waited in silence as we watched the nurses and doctors work. He was having trouble breathing, and needed some extra help at first. But within minutes they had him stable and I got to watch from the table as they took his footprints and rubbed him till he was a pinky, rosy color.
Soon a nurse came over, and asked if I felt ready to hold him. At this point I was still flat on my back, totally numb from the waist down, and not totally sewn up yet. But nothing was going to keep me from my baby. The nurse brought him over, and laid him on my chest, skin to skin. There is absolutely nothing in the world like meeting your child for the first time. There are no words to describe the emotions that come over you like a wave as you hold that tiny, warm body close to your chest, and look into their deep blue eyes. He was mine. All mine. I forgot about the fact that I was lying on an operating table with my belly cut wide open. It was just me and my Joshie. My little man.
The nurse anesthetist asked Ben for our camera so he could take some pictures of us as family. He said we'd treasure this moment forever. He was right. I told him that I believed him now. Everything would be 100% ok.
They finished sewing me up, and a nurse took the baby to wrap him up. A large piece of machinery moved over top of the table, and the nurses hooked straps up to the blankets I was laying on. Then the machine lifted me up, sort of like in a big taco, and moved me over to a stretcher so I could be wheeled to the recovery area. The nurse handed me back the baby, and let me hold him all the way down the hall and into recovery where I was able to nurse him right away.
I kind of wish the story ended there... with recovery going great and sunshine and roses. But things didn't exactly happen that way. And that's ok. It's my story, and I've got to own it. Nothing really happened like I had imagined it would, and recovery was no different.
Typically you are brought into recovery for 2 hours, and then moved down to your postpartum room. That's where your family comes to see you and you have your baby in your room with you, etc. Well, 2 hours turned into 4, and 4 hours turned into 6 in the recovery room. Our parents were able to visit us, and I was pretty happy from whatever magical drugs they had given me, so I didn't really notice that I was in the recovery area a lot longer than they had said I would be. But about 11pm my doctor came back in. He said the reason they had delivered me was because it was the only way to get my blood pressure to go back to normal. But instead of going down, my blood pressure was still rising. It was about 170/115 when he came to talk to me at 11pm. My liver enzymes were high, and I was showing signs of developing eclampsia. Eclampsia is a life threatening situation that can cause seizures and even death to the mother if left untreated. I was told I would have to be put on a drug called magnesium sulfate for the next 24 hours to keep me from having a seizure. At the time I nodded, hearing what he was saying, but not really understanding what it all meant.
They started the medication in my IV, and took me over to the labor and delivery floor where I would be monitored around the clock. I still hadn't been able to get out of the bed since my surgery. Typically women are practicing getting up out of bed within a couple of hours after a c-section. My pain medication was starting to wear off and I was in a lot of pain. I went down to the labor and delivery room, and the nurse explained that I was going to get very tired and weak from the magnesium sulfate. I was exhausted from my surgery and the late hour, and could barely lift my head up off the bed. I wanted to nurse my baby, but I honestly was afraid I would drop him if I held him. She asked if I wanted her to take him to the nursery overnight, and feed him a bottle. Even though I felt 1,000 pounds of guilt over it, I weakly nodded yes. I was starting to feel as sick as I really was. That night and the next day were some of the worst I've ever experienced. The magnesium sulfate works by slowing down everything in your body. I could barely hold my eyes open, and I felt drugged an unable to understand a lot of what was going on around me. I barely even remember our parents visiting us. I was seeing double because the medicine made one of my eyes go lazy, and I couldn't eat or drink anything while I was on the medication. That meant I hadn't eaten anything since late on April 15, and it was now mid-day on the 17th. I had a hard time bonding with Josh because I was so sick, exhausted, and drugged.
I know I was lucky to have such good medical care. My condition was really serious. I needed that medication to keep me from having a potentially life threatening seizure. But it wasn't easy. I asked not to have any visitors outside of our parents for those first couple of days. I wanted to be able to enjoy seeing our family/friends, but I couldn't when I was stuck in bed with a catheter and a lazy eye. Thankfully at 5pm on the 17th I was allowed to come off the medication, and slowly start walking around.
Things got much better after that, and within a couple of days we were headed home with our Joshua.
It wasn't the way I imagined it would go. But it's my story. Our story. And I've been blessed with the most precious son a mother could ever hope for. He is sweet and loving, slow to anger, and quick to cuddle. He loves his sister, and laughs every day. He reminds me of what's important, and to cherish every minute because he is growing way too fast. And I love him with my whole heart 100% forever and ever. He was worth every second of what I had to go through for him to be born. I am so, so blessed.
I loved reading your story, Jenny. You are so brave. What a wonderful mama you are, and what an amazing God we serve.
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