Thursday, May 30th was going to be just like any other Thursday. I sewed the night before until 11pm. Got in bed and woke up around 1ish or so. I cannot remember the exact time, but Markus was still up. I remember having annoying "gas" pains, (or so I thought). I tossed and turned. I was frustrated because I just wanted to sleep. Finally at 2:30AM I got out of bed and went to the bathroom in hopes to pass this "gas". No luck. Annoyed, I went back to bed. This kept on. But I was determined to try and get some sleep so I kept attempting to sleep. Feeling defeated, I finally got out of bed about 5:15AM when I couldn't stand it any more. It seemed like all I was doing was tossing and turning and laying there wishing I could go to sleep and just pass the gas already. Dang! Once I was awake and concentrating on something besides wishing I was sleeping, I came to the realization that this gas was not really going away. I had gone to the bathroom and thought that took care of it, but to no avail. Suddenly, I became worried. I looked up Braxton & Hicks. I never had them with my pregnancy with Trevor, but surely that could be a possibility at this point. I read and read about it. But it just didn't seem like what I was experiencing. So about an hour or so passed. During that hour, I noticed some consistency to these pains. The thought quickly came to my mind that I could be in labor, but I let that out of my mind as soon as it came in just about. Until the hour of 6:00. I started timing the distance between pains. It was roughly about 3 minutes apart. I alerted Markus of the possibility of what I thought it might be (labor). He was like, really? He asks if he needed to get out of bed and take a shower. I said YES! lol. Around 6:30 I finally broke down and called my Dr. office. I was relieved to hear the lady on the other line say Dr. Cheree was on call. Actually I was rejoicing :). Then when she called me, I instantly felt better by the sound of her voice. I told her I thought I might be in labor. Told her how my morning had been going. She said come in to the office at 8:30 and she would check things out. She also told me she was looking for contractions to be 5 min apart and 1 min long before she would send me to the hospital. Well I paid close attention for another good and long 45 min to what was happening with my body. I remember telling her the contractions were like 15 sec long. hahahahaha... they were so close to being a minute long it was ridiculous. I was so not wanting this to be... apparently. I frantically started packing mine and Abigail's bags. I usually do that at 36 weeks, which was the very next day. My brain seriously couldn't think. I honestly did not know what to put in the bag. All I could think about was I could possibly be in labor. Well, then I started bleeding and just about flipped out. I had called my BFF earlier, but she did not answer. And she called me back at the best time possible. I told her everything and she asked me a series of questions, then said and I will never forget that moment, "Jenn you are in FULL TERM LABOR". Huh? Um, yeah right! So naturally I had to alert my Dr. of the new found news according to my bff. She said come up to the hospital. Well unlike when she said that with Trevor and I didn't listen, I listened this time. Especially since I had no flipping clue as to what was going on. We had already called my MIL to see if she could by some crazy chance watch Trevor, amongst others, but it didn't seem like anyone we called was available or would answer their phone. Until Janell. Dear sweet Janell who watches Trevor daily for us. She answered, as I feeling the crunch, and on the toilet, told her the fun scenario we were in, and she gladly said yes. Even offered to come and get Trevor. I will forever be grateful for her that day. She saved me :). Markus went to go and drop Trevor off. But not before he came back to get his wallet because the car needed gas. That was the longest 15 min + of my life I think. All the while I am on the toilet, talking to my best friend as she is telling me to breathe. The contractions were getting stronger. I was flipping out. I was in the most comfortable spot I could be in, on the toilet. Markus got home and I told Lea Lea I would keep her posted. Off we went to the hospital, in morning traffic. Yay! We arrived at 8 o'clock on the dot. As soon as I got out of the car I felt crazy pressure. I could barely walk. far. enough. to. the. door. to. get. a. wheelchair. I yearned for a wheelchair. I could not even tell Markus what I wanted I was in such a state of panic oh and pain. I told the security person I just wanted my epidural and that I had not filled out paperwork. We waited for 10 min for the triage nurse to come. I made Markus go see what the hold up was and to tell them I was in labor. I hated admitting this. But it was the truth. I was quickly coming to see what was to happen on this glorious day. Little did I know what lied ahead...
About 3-5 min later, the nurse finally arrived. Well it was about fricking time! I told her the same thing, I wanted my epidural before I filled out any paperwork. She laughed. She laughed at me. Um, I did not think it was funny, but whatever. She said, let's just get you checked and we will see about that. She handed me a gown and I could not even take my clothes off. Markus and this other lady I remember from triage at old hospital helped me. Got on the bed, nurse checked me and honey, that smile left her face quickly. I saw her whole face change before my eyes. I knew something was up. She said nothing to me and started at the other lady who helped me get undressed and blabbed all this medical slang to her. I was still at this point clueless. The helper lady motioned me to get on this other bed and as my head was in her chest I asked her how far dilated I was. She said, "baby, I think she said you were a full 10". I started crying. Tears just flowed and flowed. Clearly, I was not going to be able to have an epidural. How in the hell was I going to have a baby without one? That thought permeated in my mind. Over and over. Certainly, that wasn't what I REALLY wanted when I was pregnant with Trevor. ha! As I'm trying to grasp this tough reality, they are running me down this narrow hallway. FAST. I held my hand out and yelled for Markus. He was not there. I just wanted him to hold my hand. I can't remember, but I think the helper lady grabbed my hand. I loved her at that moment. Then I kept hearing this, you are doing great baby.... blah blah. I chimed back, I am not going to get an epidural and I can't believe I'm going to have a baby today. It was surreal. They started talking about my dr. and how she was in the hospital already. I was happy to hear all of this. Got to L & D and I have never seen so many people moving so quickly! I felt like I was on the set of ER. I saw Dr. Cheree's face and burst into more tears. She joked and said, I thought you weren't in labor. hahaha. I hated her for that. I just cried and said, "I can't have my epidural can I?". She asked if I wanted one. I said, well I didn't for my first, but now that I'm in this predicament I do. She said I could get one. Then all the sudden it was like I didn't know what I wanted. She said if you want one you need to tell me now. Abigail's head had already started to crown. Great. Markus was next to her at this point and he leaned over to her and said, "She can't even decide where she wants to eat for dinner on Friday nights and you want her to decide if she wants an epidural?". I vaguely heard that. She then said, someone hand me a hook. Jenn she said, Look at me, I'm going to break your water, 2 pushes and she is out. I looked her directly in the eyes, and believed her every word. Oh crap. Here we go. I pushed once. Holy crap. Is that what this is going to feel like? I was so shocked. She offered a local just to numb the area. I said sure. Yes please. She no sooner said ok, it's going to be a pinch, but let me finish before you start pushing. As soon as she said she was in, I told her I had to push and it couldn't wait. She told me to wait, and I tried, but couldn't. One long, quick push and Abigail flew out of me. It was so freaking quick, I thought she was going to fall out onto the floor. Crazy! She was so tiny, but so perfect. I was so happy. It was such an awesome moment for Markus and I. Just the 2 of us, which just so happened to be how we talked about wanting it. :). He even got to cut the cord. Yay. He didn't with Trevor (it was my fault). But what a perfect moment. Nothing else mattered but the 3 of us.... now a family of 4. It was amazing. I said a few crazy curse words because I couldn't believe what had just happened. Frankly, Markus was over it before I even said it. This baby girl was so tiny. And I loved her 5lbs of her. They asked me if I wanted to feed her. Naturally, I said yes! I didn't get this chance with Trevor. I didn't get to do this for very long. I wanted to start telling people all about this. They took her from me and did blood sugar tests among others. It was low. I wasn't too worried. I just birthed this perfect little girl. Why would I be worried about low blood sugar, right? Next thing I knew she was admitted into the NICU.
 |
| Abigail Grace |
That happiness was crushed, quickly. I did not want my baby to go in there. Surely she would be happier with me....
