May 3, 2009

The Arrival Of Twain

First of all, a HUGE thanks for all of your sweet thoughts and words of encouragment...and your amazing patience with me.

Thursday, April 30th. My big day. Our big day.

Even though I was not due at the birth center til 5:30AM, my day began at 1:00AM when Finn woke up crying. By the time I got him settled back in bed, I was wide awake. And then, as I started to nod off, my neighbor's dog started barking and woke Finn up again at 3:00AM. Finn rarely wakes me up, so this was unsettling.

So, pretty much no sleep for me that night. Being a mom can be hard.

Around 5AM I started getting ready and before I knew it, John and I were heading out the door to the birth center. It was pitch black outside. I prayed that Finn would stay asleep for my mom. I always hated this part of having a baby: leaving my boys. I wanted to cry. At the same time, I was a ball of nervous excitement for the arrival of our baby.

I cannot describe how bizarre it was, walking into the birth center, with my caboodle from high school clutched in one hand. We walked up to the nurses' station.

"Hi guys. Um, we'd like to have our baby now please, if it's not too much trouble..." Like we are ordering a pizza. 

I was having a few contractions. I'd been having them nonstop for the past few days. Step. Step. Contraction. Step. Step. Contraction. I couldn't even go to Target anymore.

A very friendly and efficient blond nurse was in charge of my dreaded IV. My veins stink. This was not going to be easy. Thankfully, my nurse believed in litacaine first, so I lucked out. Or so I thought.

Left arm. Sting of litacaine...IV attempt 1...failed. Rats.

She turned on the tv to distract me.

Swine flu here, swine flu there, swine flu everwhere. Hm. This was relaxing.

More contractions.

Left arm. Sting of litacaine...IV attempt 2...another failure. By now I am getting uneasy. My left arm is throbbing and my contractions are worsening. I know, I'm such a big baby.

And by now I HATE the swine flu. Is there nothing else on tv?

Right arm. Litacaine. Awful stinging. Major contractions. The nurse looks uneasy. Lots of wiggling of the needle into my arm.

There was lots of praying on my part. Time stood still. At this point, she had been patiently working on my IV for 45 minutes. My contractions are now painful.

And then, finally, the IV goes in. "Your right arm is waaaay better than your left arm, for future reference", my nurse tells me as she wraps me in tape.

Dr. T(that is what I will be calling my OB) arrives. Normally very friendly and laid back, she begins barking orders right and left. She seems irritated with the staff."Where is the decadron? Why isn't daddy suited up?" etc...

By the time they wheeled my throbbing arms into the freezing OR, I am a mess. I can't stop shaking. My contractions have no start or stop points, it seems.

Enters anesthesiologist. Spinal attempt 1...Ouch!..failed...what the heck is wrong with me today??? My nurse is hugging me and and trying to make me feel better. This never happened before and was kind of scary.

"Lean waaay forward", my anesthesiologist instructs.

Spinal attempt 2. Double ouch. but...SUCCESS! It's in. Praise the Lord. And then I start to go numb, starting at my toes. I HATE the feeling. How does numb hurt? I am so cold and so hot. And I cannot stop shaking. And contracting. I am numb, yet feel everything. Hopefully not the cutting though.

"Whose crazy idea was it to have another baby?" I wondered. And "Why do people have babies at all?" And I think of 1st-time-mommy-to-be, C. Sherm, who is next in line. I prayed she would not have to endure a c-section--I know, I am soo sweet to think of someone else;)

"I want my happy drug NOW", I tell my anesthesiologist. (We had previously discussed injecting something to warm me up and stop the shaking. I just wanted to zone out.)

"No", he says calmly, "Not just yet, we have to wait til they pull the baby out so the drugs don't interfere with the baby's breathing".

"Oh yah". I forgot about the baby.

Finn, Calvin and Ollie were all out within 5 minutes of the c-section. I could wait 5 more minutes for my drugs. Omigosh! I'm gonna meet my new baby in just minutes!

"I smell those darn doritos again", I say, as they cauterize my skin. But then I heard something different.

Snip. Snip. Snip.

and

Snip. Snip. Snip.

5 minutes go by.

Snip. Snip.

What is going on? Where is my baby?

Snip. Snip. What is up with all this snipping?

10 minutes have gone by. And no one is talking.

I'm nervous. And miserable. I want to talk, but for some reason, I don't. Or can't.

15 minutes have gone by.

"What is going on?", I finally managed to squeak out. My voice could barely work. The anesthesiologist says "Oh, they are just removing all the scar tissue on your abdonminal muscles."

Goodness. I guess that's what happens with 4 c-sections. John later said the 2 docs working on me were like a well-oiled machine, snipping together very efficiently.

20 minutes of eternity have gone by.

WHERE IS MY BABY?????

And then they start tugging. And tugging,

"Here's the head", Dr. T says.

And finally we heard the most blessed sound in the world.

The sound of our little baby squealing.

to be continued.

21 comments:

  1. That was beautifully written. I almost cried. And, by the way, congratulations on your sweet, beautiful little guy.

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  2. Oh, sweet Davi. I know how traumatic this delivery was for you. But he is here! Your sweet Twain. And I so grateful that you BOTH are happy and healthy and doing well, even with all the pain that does come along with delivery. :)

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  3. Oh! Your descriptive writing took me back to my csections. Can't wait to read the rest!

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  4. You had me laughing with the fact that you still have your caboodle, that's just funny.
    I'm sorry that your c-section experience was not a good one. I remember the shaking and being cold too - what's up with that. I'm pretty sure it's because they keep those OR rooms at about 30 degrees! I'm glad it's over and that your boy is here, and healthy. Praying for your speedy recovery. Take care!

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  5. Thanks for posting, D!!! That was really funny and I feel like I was there myself :0)


    And lol that you still have that caboodle. Mine is looooong gone. What on earth to you keep in it?

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  6. I'm with everyone else - so awesome that you still have your caboodle. My Mom has (and uses!) hers too, but mine is long gone. I wonder if Megan still has hers.

    ANYWAY. I'm so sorry for the trauma, seriously. That is a hard way to become a Mommy - but you DID it! You made it and now you have the most blessed gift in the world to show for it. PTL!

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  7. Congratulations on your new baby boy!!! So sweet!!! Yay for a healthy mommy and baby!!!

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  8. Oh poor sweet Davi, I am so glad it is over and you can just enjoy your new little baby Twain (love love love the name). The story was so well written I almost thought I was there! Can't wait to see you and meet your new little man!

    PS
    I still have and use my big hunk of a pink caboodle that sits faithfully on my bathroom counter holding all of my precious and loved makeup. I should clean all of the hairspray off of the outside of it though. Ryan complains every time we travel that it is not really packing friendly and that I should down size ... NOPE!

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  9. omgosh, i'm on pins and needles reading that! I am so sorry this delivery was a hard one, thank goodness your sweet precious boy is here and perfect to make it all worth it. I can't wait to hear the rest of the story, it was so beautifully and well written, i feel like i'm there!! and for that i *cringe* Honestly, C sections have always scared me, i'm glad you're doing well!!
    P.S. I still have my kaboodle as well, mines purple and holds all my nail polish LOL!

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  10. gosh, this brought back to many memories of my c-section (gosh, why do i always have to bring it back to me?) :) you are so beautiful, davi. as a writer, a mother, a professional c-sectioner..:) this totally made me cry. can't wait for more.

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  11. I am so sorry that your c-section was so difficult this time around. And I can't believe you even thought of me and hoped I wouldn't have to go through that. You are the sweetest!

    And even though I'm sure Twain is well worth the pain... I wish you didn't have to go through that. Praying your recovery is not as difficult. I can't wait to hear the rest of your story and to see more pictures of little Twain.

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  12. Its such a good things those sweet little babies are so worth it huh. :) Somehow all the yuck goes away the second you catch a first peek.

    Congrats! I've been thinking about you!

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  13. I am so glad he is here! I am so sorry that your c-section was so horrible this time. We are so happy for you guys and can't wait to see you and your sweet baby boy.

    Can't wait to here more!

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  14. Beautiful! It takes me back. I didn't realize you had c sections all along. ANd I too laughed at the caboodle. I think my sister may still have hers.

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  15. WOW! I'm sorry about your delivery. I had to have my epidural done twice as well...

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  16. no wonder it was traumatic and scary... you poor thing! I can only imagine!! But reading this makes me even more glad that you have your precious little Twain here safe and sound. Can't wait to read the rest whenever you get around to posting it! I am so impressed that you already wrote this much... Rosalie is 7 weeks old and I STILL haven't posted my birth story. :)

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  17. i barely know you and i'm bawling. btw, your IV and epidural story is pretty much identical to my first delivery. ugh. congrats!! can't wait to see more of Twain. :)

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  18. Nachos?????!!! The smell of burning flesh is like Nachos to you??? AMAZING!!! That is one smell I do not miss since I stopped working... and for the record to anyone else... It doesn't smell like any nachos I've ever had. :) Claudia

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  19. Ha, you guys are KILLING me with the caboodle:) I had no idea it would make such a commotion! In the hospital I used it for all my makeup and bathroom stuff and LOVED it. I kept telling John that my caboodle was my favorite part of the hospital visit!

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