A3's first birthday seems like a perfect time for me to share my war story, and let's be honest when isn't it a perfect time to share your war story...
March 6, 2012
After a stressful day of of giving the ISAT's, I started making dinner for A1 and A2. Mac was in tech week for a show he was directing, so it was going to be a quiet girl night. I had to rest a little bit while I made dinner because I would occasionally have contractions, which is to be expected when you are 4 days away from your due date with your 3rd baby. But I just wasn't ready yet, my goal was to make it until the end of the week. I still had 4 day until my due date and I had a lot of things to do before I was ready to be a mom of 3.
No matter how long I sat in the recliner the contractions weren't going away and A1 and A2 were starting to get wild. They decided it would be a perfect time to perform a concert and dance show. They were wrong. I called for back up. I called Caley first. I didn't want to call my mom because she would tell me I needed to go to the hospital and I didn't want to do that. I still had 4 days until my due date.
Caley showed up and so did my mom. Caley called her on the way to my house, apparently she didn't that I was being reasonable and thought she might need our mom for additional assistance. They came in the living room, nervous. They sat on the floor beside the recliner unsure of how to approach the crazy women in denial. We sat in silence, well as much silence as you can have with a concert and slam dancing going on in the background. After several contractions my mom convinced me to go to the hospital. Caley and Crystal agreed to take me. On the way I decided I would call Mac and let him know where I was going. I told him not to worry about coming right away and that I would call him when I knew if they were going to keep me. I knew they wouldn't because I still had 4 days until my due date.
Mac got to the hospital shortly after we got there.
I sat in triage for and hour. I walked laps for 30 minutes. The contractions didn't increase. I was told I was dehydrated and released. They laughed and said I still had a few days until the baby would be here. Duh! I still had 4 days until my due date. On the way home we stopped at the Golden Arches. I felt defeated. I needed to eat my feelings.
We sent my mom home. We ate. We went to bed. I had to go to work in the morning. I had ISATs.
All night long I tossed and turned. My contractions increased in frequency and ferocity. Mac was timing them. Kind of. The jury is still out on this discussion. I know he was sleeping and he swears he was awake the entire time. The snoring was my big clue.
March 7, 2012
I was NOT going back to the hospital. I wasn't going to go in there and be sent back home again. At 5:00 I started timing my own contractions. I was at 3 minutes. I called my mom. She and my dad were over in about 7 minutes. She sat and tried to reason with me. She timed my contractions. 1 minute apart. She played the mom card and told me I had to go to the hospital. But I still had 3 days until my due date.
We gave my parents instructions on when and where the girls needed to be and we said our goodbyes. I was still insisting I would be sent home in an hour.
We got to the hospital. I was wheeled passed triage. They took one look at my face and said, "Get her a room." A flood of emotions hit me all at once. I wasn't going to be going back home that day. I was about to meet our baby for the first time. Find out if we were having a boy or a girl. Figure out how to share our love and time with 3 instead of just 2. We were about to be out numbered.
I was examined and told I was only half way there so I would have a lot of time before the baby would be here. I requested an epidural. After an hour the nurse came in an told me it would be a little bit before I could get my epidural so she offered me something they called the "beer shot." I was told it would make me feel drunk and a little loopy but I would still be aware of what was going on. My mom taught me manners and it would have been rude to turn them down on that shot.
I was really glad I took it! I could still feel every contraction but I didn't care. I was able to relax for a few minutes. At 7:45 they came in to break my water. Nothing had changed since I first got there, except I got my epidural, and I was told it would be a little while longer. I called my mom and gave her the the update. No need to hurry it would still be awhile.
At 8:40 I called the nurse and told her I was feeling a little nauseous. She came in and handed me something to throw up in if I needed to and left because she has another patient down the hall ready to deliver. I waited another 15 minutes and called back. I just wasn't feeling good, at all. It was probably that McDonald's I ate the night before. Two nurses came in. Mac left the room. One nurse peaked under the blanket, her suddenly widened eyes met the other nurses. The 2nd nurse said, "Is that the..." The other nurse bluntly said, "Yes, get the dr here." She then noticed Mac was gone. She panicked. She found my cell phone and told me to call him. I tried to sit up and she yelled, "No! Don't move!" I tried to call him but he didn't answer. She kept asking, "Where is your husband? When will he be here?"
Mac walked in. The Dr walked in. She greeted me. Examined me and said, "Ok here we go. On the next contraction you are going to push." I braced myself preparing for the pushing. The push was the equivalent of a sneeze and she yelled. "Stop!" The cord was around the baby's neck.
Within seconds the cord was removed. Then I was told to do a small push.
"IT's A GIRL!"
After all the celebrating I overheard my normally calm doctor lecture the nurses for not checking me more and waiting as long as they did to call her. She reminded them that when a woman is feeling nauseous it is a sign she is ready to deliver.
A few hours had passed when everything finally sunk in... I almost delivered without Mac or the doctor there. I could have had a major tragedy to deal with but I didn't God had it all under control. Everything I came in worrying about didn't really matter at all. I instantly knew it would be possible to love 3. I knew we would find time to take care of 3. I knew I had a new and wonderful war story to share.
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