I can't believe it! A whole week has already gone by in little Michael's life. So much has happened in one short week, that it seems like so much longer. Yet at the same time this first week is past. I have been wanting to sit down for days to write, but we have been a little busy.
I am so glad Brian was able to come home and post the announcement of little Michael's birth. I knew you would all be wondering and waiting. Thank you dear husband! I think he really understands that you are not just some miscellaneous cyber people, but friends. Thank you dear friends for your prayers and encouragement all along.
Where to begin????
I guess at the beginning.
Last Friday evening, I was unsure of my feelings. I was not having any contractions I could time. Wasn't even sure I was contracting at all. But I felt crummy and had pains around my middle. Try describing that. I decided to call our doctor, who thankfully was on call all weekend. We had offered many prayers that she would be around to deliver our baby. That was so important to us. God answered that prayer and I am more thankful that she was there than I ever thought I would be.
She said it was worth us going in to the hospital to see what was going on and to pack because we may not come home. Our doctor is very understanding of my history of quick labors and really takes me seriously even when I can't describe anything specific. So we called Brian's parents, fed the kids some mac-n-cheese and finished our packing. Brian's parents came and took the kids home with them and we made our 10 minute journey to the hospital.
When we arrived we were put in a room and all the monitoring and checking began. I was not much more dilated than 2-3cm, but by then I was contracting some. The watched me for an hour. I was contracting and hurting but still not moving along and "Baby" had not come down much if at all. They watched me, they discussed and the doctor decided that I should stay the night. She said she'd be around in the morning (5:30am for my early bird doctor) to break my water and start some Pitocin. She did not want to send me home and have me come back 2 hours later at 8 cm. She arrived and broke my water and got me all hooked to the IV and I decided to go ahead with my epidural. The doctor really believed, considering my history, that we would be done and holding our maybe in a couple of hours, if that long.
WELL...........
Several hours later, I was not getting anywhere. I was contracting, but I was only 4cm and "Baby" was still pretty high. It seemed as though he kept down and then back up. After checking again, the told us that our baby was held up because of his odd presentation. He was presenting face first. They called in the high risk doctor and had her do her own independent assessment. When she checked me, "Baby" actually sucked on her finger!!!!! From what we understand this presentation is more rare and could be dangerous for the baby. With advice from these two extremely competent and experienced doctors, we decided that a c-section was necessary. At that point I further understood why it would be so important that our doctor be there to deliver this baby. I would not trust any of the others to advise me in such a matter and I would certainly want her to do a c-section. So they prepared me and off to my surgery I rolled. It was so much different than my other births. I was so groggy from some medicine they gave me for my nausea and I was terribly afraid I wouldn't even be awake enough to meet my precious child. I had done a lot of crying. This wasn't at all how it was supposed to be. But I knew it was right. We had made the best choice for our baby even if the method of delivery wasn't at all what I had planned.
And so.....baby Michael was born. He was met by two thrilled and joyful parents who for a time had forgotten the drama and difficulty of his arrival. He is here now and that is all that matters. I will take the pain and the scar in exchange for my beautiful, happy baby ANY DAY! I am amazed at what God calls us to endure, ever knowing that we CAN do it. He never gives us more than we can handle - with His help. I would have thought I couldn't handle all this, but I am handling and life ticks on.
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