Sunday, November 19, 2006

Aftermath

SO, Once I was up in my room, the nurses took Zach and got him all cleaned up. Mom and Chris went home. It was early in the morning, 11 or so, and there was alot going on in the hospital. They were waiting for my private room to be cleaned, so there was 3 other women in the room I was in. I had to pee. I got up from the bed and realized I still had the cathader in. I buzzed the nurses. Two came in and help me stand up. They slid the cathader out. I thought that was going to hurt, but to be honest I can't remember if it did or not. They left and I walked about 7 feet to the bathroom and got sick. The nurses said that was a reaction to the demoral the doctor had put in my back. I got back in bed and slept. Then I heard the nurse bringing Zach in. I left him in his little bed. I went back to sleep again. I woke up to this little voice coming down the hallway. One that I was longing to hear. I missed my baby girl! She came in and I just wanted to hold her. I had to get Chris to lift her up. Then she wanted to see Zach. Here is my beautiful look just hours after birth.

Chris tried to do her hair, but he just doesn't get the tidy bit. So while falling asleep to some visitors, I asked the nurse if we could take out the epidural so that I wasn't getting any meds. I didn't like not staying awake.

The doctors came in the next day and asked how I was. My iron count was down alot. As if I was bleeding internally. They weren't concerned though because I have really low iron anyway and I was walking around and had color.

The next day they came in again and said that I could go home. I was shocked. Usually they don't let you go home that early after a c-section. I jumped at the chance.

Bad idea. The next day was hell. I couldn't get up or walk easily. I had done too much the day before because I felt so good. That only lasted a day. The nurse came on the Friday to take out my stitches. And here we are today. Everything is good and he still doesn't sleep through the night. Oh well. I couldn't have two great sleepers, that isn't my luck!

I will do Isabella's story in a bit.!

Friday, November 17, 2006

Anniversary

Yesterday, November 16, 2006, Chris and I were married 4 years. And you wanna know what we did for our anniversary? We drove 3 hours to get to a funeral home n the middle of know where. Chris's close cousin's MIL died and his family is away on a cruise, so we went out to be with him. But all in all it was a good day. I just like spending time with my hubby without children. Anyway, Happy Anniversary to us!!!

Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Part 2 - Labor and Delivery



This is my second attempt at this post. My stupid cat jumped on the keyboard and shut the window down as I was writing the last sentence. So here goes.....

The two pics are in the delivery room just before I go undressed. The bathroom is that beige door, the baby table is there in the background on the left and I am standing at the foot of the bed. For those of you who know me, I was all belly, with no weight anywhere else.

I had forgotten how warm it was when your water breaks. My water broke at home with Isabella. So after they broke my water, they hooked me up to the wireless monitor and I started to walk around the halls of the birthing unit. Within a half an hour, the contractions started. And boy did they start. I had to go back in my room because they were so bad. Sometimes they tell you to walk around out in the halls until you can't stand it so that the contractions get heavier. I didn't need that. So I had my own way of dealing with the pain and that was to move during the contraction. The nurse tried to tell me other ways to get through it, but I had my way. She learned that pretty quickly too! Anyway, I asked for demoral (spelling?), and of course, that made me throw up. I had gotten sick with Isabella so I wasn't shocked. Then I got in the shower. I sat on a chair stark naked, not caring who saw what! The sucky shower head had no pressure and not a lot of water came out. SO it covered one area of my body at a time, and I really wanted it on my back. I was getting very cold. I was already shaking because of the pain, then cold shakes on top of that were making me very cranky, so I just wanted out. The pain was getting very intense with only 50 seconds or so in between each one. The nurse wanted me to get on the bed so she could check me. It took what seemed like forever to make it over to the bed from the bathroom. I would sit on the bed and get ready to lie back and another contraction would come and I would have to get up again, to move through it. I went in at 3 cm and 40%. When she checked me 50 minutes after my water broke, I was 6 cm and 75%. I was amazed that I went so quick. You always here how your second ones goes fast, but I never imagined I would be one of those women. Anyway, I decided to go a bit longer without drugs. The nurse suggested I lean against something with my but stuck out and sway. That would turn him around if he was in the wrong direction. That only hurt too much and I really didn't care. Isabella was in the wrong direction and a doctor came and put his whole arm inside of me and turned her, so I knew they could do the same with Zach if need be.

Anyway, after 20 minutes, I said, "I need drugs - NOW!"

They laughed. The nurse in her calm manner said I will get him to come as soon as he can. I don't remember how long it took him to come, everything was running together. He gave me my epidural. But something was wrong. I could feel the needle in my back. The nurse assured me that it looked fine, but I could feel it and it was really uncomfortable. She called the dude back and he took it out and had to put it back in in another spot. Instant relief. She checked me again and I was 8cm and 90%. Only 20 minutes since the last time! She figured I would have the baby in the next hour or so. I fell asleep. I woke up to another nurse and mom making calls. Chris was out for a smoke (I was hoping he would have stopped by the second baby). Anyway, my nurse was gone on her break. I was feeling major pains in my back. I knew this meant that Zach was turned the wrong way. I said this to the nurse and the said his heart rate was fine, but she would check me anyway. So this was now 2.5 hours from when I went in. I saw a look of surprise, disappointment and concern. I asked her what was going on, was he ok. She assured me that he was ok, but that to her I wasn't 8 cm anymore. She got the doctor on call to come and assess. In layman's terms - When Zach dropped, I started to swell up and now I was only 6-7 cm again. Dr. Bartallis told me that I was going to have to have a section. I said ok and he left. My doctor, Dr. O'Shea came in and I immediately began to sob.

He said "You did fantastic. Look how far you have gotten in so short a time. You didn't think you could do it! Dr. Bartallis is great and I will be right there with you explaining the whole thing. You are in the right place. If this had been 50 years ago, you would stay in labor for days and you and the baby might not make it."

I love that man. He needs and award for bedside manner. He made us feel so at ease. So it took about another hour before they came and got me. Chris got his hospital scrubbies on and that hat and mom went out in the waiting room with my grandfather. He was out there the whole time. I still cry about how much he cared.


So there I am with Chris sitting next to me. Dr. O'shea took the pic for us. I remember falling asleep a lot I was so stoned. I would wake up to the table being jerked one way or another. It is crazy what they do to your body.

Anyway, I remember Dr. Bartallis saying "Sure no wonder he wouldn't come out, he was too big!"

I laughed. And fell back to sleep. They took him out and hung him upside down and brought him over on the table to give him some oxygen and clean him and weigh him.


Then I distinctly, remember hearing 9 lbs 12 ounces! I woke right up and looked at Chris. We started laughing. Dr. O'Shea said he came out with a backpack on ready to go to school. I really wanted mom to be there. I let Chris go out and tell her the news. The nurse took Zach out to show them as well. They cleaned my up and I remember thinking, are they tearing the skin off of me or something. Anyway, I went out in recovery and they brought Zach to me. I was still pretty groggy so the nurse had to help me hold him to latch on. He knew exactly what to do, and I guess I did second time around too.

I hope you all enjoyed the labor story. I will do a very short recovery story next, another time. Please leave comments.

Sunday, November 12, 2006

Birth Story Part 1

Okay, so Isabella's birth and pregnancy was pretty normal for a first baby, so I decided that I would share with the few of you who read this Zachs journey!

So, I am one of those people who have no problem getting pregnant. After going to the hospital in late March to see a friend and her new bundle, I decided I was ready to have number two. It took Chris a bit to warm up to the idea, but I always win. Timing was off because mother nature decided to make a visit that day. So by the middle of April I was pregnant. I was going to my mother's for a family birthday party and figured I would check just in case because I wanted to have a drink there. And of course, positive. So we prepped Isabella on what to say. So we went over and Isabella told everyone, Mommy's having a baby and I'm gonna be a big sister.

At six weeks I started spotting a little, which I didn't get too hung up on because the same thing happened on Isabella and she was fine. So that continued for 3 weeks and 2 trips to hospital. They kept saying that my hormone levels were still increasing, so everything was ok. Then one day I started to bleed. I went to the hospital and after more blood work, they said the same, but the scheduled a ultrasound for two days time. That was fine too, so I stopped worrying. And this may seem like a lead up to something bad, but no. Everything was fine. I worked up until 5 weeks before I was due. My sciatic nerve started acting up. Being on my feet for 9 hours a day was not helping. Dr. O'Shea thought that it would be better if I went off. So I did. During the next 5 weeks until my due date (December 31), I barely slept at night. I would be up at all hours wishing that every tweak would be the start, or every time I would get up my water would break like it did with Bella. No sir! I would play Pyramids all night and chew ice cubes. I couldn't eat them when Chris was up because the sound made him crazy.

I had weekly visits with my doctor and this point. I made him root around every time to see if that would get things moving. I would go shopping after to see if the pressure would break my water. Christmas was my biggest worry. I didn't want to tbe in the hospital while Isabella was supposed to be opening her gifts. But that day went by with nothing. Then New Years at Moms we were saying how cool it would be to be the first baby. So I went home hoping, but again - NOTHING!!! SO I had my biophysical on the 6th and they put me on the induction list. They did an internal at that point and told me what I already new. His head was right there, could touch it, I was 3 centimeters and 40 % effaced. Woo Hoo, but not in labor. He had a big head and they estimated him at 8 pounds 8 ounces. So with a 10% margin of error, he was going to be at least 8 pounds up to 9 pounds. Ok. Freak Out!!!

I went home and bragged to everyone that he was big and that I was now on the list. Hoping that I would go on my own and half expecting a call any minute, I wouldn't leave the house. I told the nurses to call anytime, even during the night. So they never called that Friday, or that Saturday. Chris went out to bring his work truck in to the warehouse because he was taking time off for the baby. About 10 minutes after he left, 9:10 at night, the hospital called for me to get induced. They said to get there soon in case more people came in naturally. So I called Chris and told him to turn around, called mom and told her to get here soon and told my stepfather (father) he had to watch Isabella until Chris's brother got here.

Off we go to the hospital. Got checked by the doctor on call. My doctor isn't an OB. He is a GP who delivers, so he was getting updates and would come when the time was near to catch the baby. I was still 3 cm and 40%. She figured the best form of induction would be to break my water and go from there.

That's it for now......Tune in soon for part two - labor and disappointment.

Saturday, November 11, 2006

Okay, let me start by saying that I was totally excited to be spending the night out with my hubby and getting to see the gorgeous JD Fortune all in the one night. What a disappointment. We waited outside for over an hour to get in to Mile One Centre because there was 'technical difficulties'. Then, the opening act was good but could only play for 30 minutes because we were late getting in and the whole concert had to be done by 11 for noise control rules. Which was ok because we were there to see INXS anyway. So then, stoned/drunk JD stumbles on stage, flipping around. He spent 90% of the time sitting/lying on the stage singing. Then he lit up 3 smokes. Which would be okay, but there is bylaws here that do not allow smoking inside. I could care less but that was the topic for discussion on the open line shows the next day. Then, everything was F this and F that. He cried for about 10 minutes because he was in Canada again. He started stripping and grinding the other men in the band. He was erotically licking the microphone stand and having air sex with curtains. Now, I know this is probably common for rock stars, but if all this is going on, make it a 19 an over concert. My 12 year old nephew was there and all I could think of was "And this guy is supposed to be an idol for our youth?" anyway. I dunno, I was just disappointed, and according to a lot of customers at work, they thought the same. Loved the concert, disappointed in him. He did say one memorable thing the whole night.

"We may not be the biggest ones in the sandbox, but we are gonna make the biggest F-ing castle!"

Monday, November 06, 2006

Time

I have been wondering how those brave women of long ago raised so many kids. God love them. Anyway. work is good. I feel like I am starting to fit in again. There is only 2 part time people still there who were there when I left.

I was bringing Isabella to daycare this morning and heard of a fatal accident on the highway close to here. I called Chris right away, but he was already long at work. I knew mom was already at work, plus it happened in the opposite direction she travels. I called Renee from work on her cell to make sure it wasn't her. She was behind it and had to get diverted off of the highway, so she was going to be late to work. So I went over to Peir 1 so that the part timer could hop in my car until Renee got there. Which brings me to my next story.

I decided to go to Old Navy on my way home. I went with the intention of getting an outfit for Zach to wear for pictures on Wednesday. They had no pants in his size (that I liked), no little dress shirt in his size that I liked. I wanted balck cords, a cream sweater, and a red shirt under it so that I could take off the sweater and have the shirt untucked if I wanted to. So, all I got was the sweater. I then bought3 shirts for me and walked out with $60 worth of stuff mainly for me. I can justify it because I don't have alot of clothes to wear to work. Hehehehe!!! I may just go to Walmart and see if I can get something for Zach to wear a little cheaper. His sweater was just as expensive as two shirts I bought.

My plants outside are dead and I really have to take them out of the ground. We just had our first frost this morning (hence the slippery conditions on the highway), so I need to take them up if I plan on getting flowers from them next year.

Anyway, I must go clean up before Isabella needs to be picked up.

Alisha, where is part 2???