Something to be Thankful For07:20 Mar 06 2012
Times Read: 728
I need to write this down. I've needed to for a couple of days but, ya know, new mommy n stuff. Munchkin is keeping me busy.
This is the story of how Rhiannon Elizabeth entered the world on March 1st, 2012 at 11:36pm and how an amazing group of doctors and nurses saved both our lives.
From the beginning I've said I wanted to have a natural delivery. I didn't want an epidural. I wasn't fond of the idea of pain medication. I wanted my child to enter the world with a clear head and I wanted to be ever present through the labor and delivery process.
As my due date drew closer I was starting to run up a tab of complications. I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes and had to watch what I ate. My body was filling up with excess fluid. I couldn't, (still can't), feel my finger tips. My right heel felt like it was going to split because the skin just wouldn't stretch any further. My loving husband referred to my feet as "Barney Rubble" feet. They were. It was funny. Painful but, funny. My blood pressure started to creep higher and higher and finally I had to start taking it daily at home. Finally, I had to collect a 24 hour urine count to see if I was spilling protein. Pre-eclampsia was the final straw.
I had an appointment to turn in my urine and have blood drawn on Thursday, March 1st. I woke up that morning and Rhiannon's movements had changed and decreased. She wasn't as active and something just didn't feel right. When we arrived at the office I told them about the reduced movement and they put me on a monitor to make sure she was ok. She was. No distress, no reduced heart rate....no contractions.
But, I was having a new symptom...green discharge. The FNP took a sample and tested it. Amniotic fluid. Woohoo! My water broke. We're gonna have a baby! They start working on paperwork and we start making phone calls.
We get over to the hospital, get checked in, and start to get settled. Now, my water has broken but, I'm not contracting...hello Pitocin and induced labor. Not what I wanted but, oh well, it's what is happening.
Let me tell you a little something about pitocin. It's job is to make you contract and it does it's job very, very well. Had this been a natural labor my contractions would've settled at about 5 minutes apart. This gives mom a break. Pitocin puts your contraction 2-3minutes apart and makes them harder and more painful. Mom gets no break. The pitocin kicked in, the contractions started to pile on top of each other. I was getting maybe a minute in between each one. I got to thinking about it and decided there is no fucking way I'm going to be able to cope with this for the next 6-7 hours. Gave my husband our code word and off he went to get my epidural. Note #2 item not going to plan...
Jeff, the CRNA (certified register nurse anesthetist) arrives with his wonderful cart of drugs that will make this pain go away. YAY! Little secret, trying to get an epidural in the middle of contractions that won't stop is not easy. "Stay still and relax" they say. HA! Jeff is successful. The pain starts to ease up...on my right side. My nurse, Lisa, turns me to the left to see if we can get the med to "settle" on that side.
I thought the epidural was supposed to make the pain stop? My left side is screaming with contraction after contraction. I was supposed to have relief. WHAT IN THE BLOODY HELL IS GOING ON HERE? Lisa, bless her heart, called Jeff back. He enters, "I'm going to back the catheter out a bit. Most of the time that helps."
Ok, cool, just make the pain stop man. On my left side, catheter backed out, not working. Jeff, "We're going to have to redo the epidural."
Me, "OK" In my head, "fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck." Remember people, I HATE needles. I'm actually more afraid of having a needle stuck in my back than I am of the pain of labor. Does this give you some idea as to how much I hurt?
It takes him 2 tries to get the 2nd epidural in. Catheter in, drugs delivered, my blood pressure takes a dive. As in an 86/37 dive. As in the whole world got really distant and I feel like I'm under water. The nurse is talking to me. I'm comprehending about half of what she's saying. It's about this time my nursing instincts take over. I realize I suddenly have a room full of nurses and they are rolling me from side to side. I'm doing my best to help but, the epi has kicked in and I can't move my legs. I'm listening to the baby monitor and I here her heartbeat. It's too slow....way too slow. This is where I start to talk to my child in my head.
"You're going to be ok Rhiannon. Get you heart rate up baby. Come on honey, fight for mommy."
At the same time I'm concentrating on not passing out. All I want to do is go to sleep. Sleep wouldn't be what I was doing if I let go. BP crashes again to 56/27. I here the reading, I hear the monitor, I know we're going for a C-Section. Don't fall asleep...
The nurse looks at me. "You're doing great momma. You're doing everything right but, we need to do a C-Section, right now." Bags, monitors, and IV's are unhooked. Brakes are off. I hear someone instructing Scott to put on the booties and hat and mask and scrubs. The bed starts to roll.
We get to the OR. I feel like I need to throw up. They turn me again. The nausea goes away. My blood pressure is starting to come up. Rhiannon's heart beat is starting to recover. We're looking better. We're still in danger. Nurses are running back and forth. An anestesiaologist introduces himself. They prep me for surgery. Little curtain goes up so I can't see them cut my belly.
"Where's my husband?"
"He's on his way."
My doctor arrives. "Hi. Are you ready?"
I hear Scott and a second later he kisses me through his mask. "I am now."
"Lots of pressure" I feel pain in my right shoulder. 2 minutes later I hear her. She's not screaming but, she is crying. She's just not a fussy girl.
Afterwards Dr. Pollander comes to tell us what happened. When they pulled her out she had the cord around her neck. No matter what, we would've ended up in emergency C-Section. It just happened sooner rather than later because mommy went into distress.
Bottom line-I have a beautiful, healthy, baby girl. She has an amazing head of hair and a sweet, sweet temperment. I have a new battle scar.
Life is what happens to you when you're making other plans.
COMMENTS
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Requiem
11:46 Mar 30 2012
♥
birra
15:58 Apr 01 2012
:)