Part 2
We took a tour of the NICU that night. I was pushed around in a wheelchair. I wondered to myself how long my son would need to stay here. (spoiler alert, he was only in for 2 weeks!) I spent the next ten days on hospital bed rest. My friends Dorri and Chrissi came to visit. Dorri even gave me a pedicure. I could barely see my feet at this point but people reassured me they were beautiful! Doctors and nurses were constantly in and out of my room. I had a blood pressure/temp check every four hours, blood work taken every other day and NST with my little one twice a day. I was originally strapped to a BP monitor and NST machine 24/7. I also had blood work taken every 12 hours. So this was actually an improvement! They had so much trouble getting sufficient veins from that they started taking blood out of my hands. And they always woke me up between 5-6am to get blood from me!
Eventually my son's NST sessions weren't quite right so they did a Biophysical Profile. They could see him yawn, stretch and BREATHE on his own! I was so relieved for that last part! The steroid shots seemed to do the trick! I had two days left of medical prison at this point. They were to induce me Thursday, November 18, the day of my husband's late mother's birthday. It was a good sign for us. The day of the induction I was so nervous I couldn't keep food down. They started inducing me, I was calmly talking to my husband and as soon as I started feeling anything ten doctors and nurses flew into the room barking orders at me. I was on my knees with them injecting me with needles. They stopped what little progress my labor had made. My son's heart rate had decelerated and they were having a hard time bringing it back up. I knew induction would be tough, and visions of my natural birth were disappearing in front of my eyes. Nothing was going to plan! He was coming six weeks early and now I was choosing to have a c-section. If I tried to go through the induction process and they couldn't get his heart rate back, I would have had an emergency c-section. At least with a planned one, Eli could be with me and we could prepare for it.
I could feel them tugging at me, it felt like novocaine, I could feel them but wasn't sure exactly what they were doing. I had Eli to distract me from their conversation. They pulled my son out after about ten minutes. I heard him crying and I saw his beautiful face. I was in shock! He was here, and then they took him away to the NICU. I didn't get to hold him, I didn't get to take a picture with him, I didn't get to breastfeed right away. My entire birth plan disappeared from me. He was 3 pounds, 10.5 ounces, he had his father's forehead and he was breathing on his own!!!
I knew they were going to be put me back on liquid death but I didn't realize I would be on it during as well as after the surgery. So I had to recover from surgery while on this awful medicine! They promised me I would be on it for 12 hours, and that turned into 24 hours. I felt like I was in a fishbowl. I couldn't leave the bed, couldn't eat or drink and most importantly I couldn't see my son! So I was in no mood for visitors. Some people couldn't understand that but I have come to realize certain people will make anything and everything about themselves! I was miserable and cried constantly. A nurse came and asked me if I wanted a picture of my son. I said yes and I stared at that picture all day. My little boy was attached to a breathing tube and looked so small and tired.
I was so happy when I was pulled from the liquid death. I was finally able to visit my son. Eli pushed me to the nicu in wheelchair since they wouldn't let me walk! Unfortunately, he was under photo therapy lights and the heat made me sick to my stomach. So after 2 minutes I had to leave to go to my room. I started crying writing this and my son just woke to nurse. I hugged and kissed him, appreciating all we have been through together!! Part 3 will discuss my son's NICU stay!
Eventually my son's NST sessions weren't quite right so they did a Biophysical Profile. They could see him yawn, stretch and BREATHE on his own! I was so relieved for that last part! The steroid shots seemed to do the trick! I had two days left of medical prison at this point. They were to induce me Thursday, November 18, the day of my husband's late mother's birthday. It was a good sign for us. The day of the induction I was so nervous I couldn't keep food down. They started inducing me, I was calmly talking to my husband and as soon as I started feeling anything ten doctors and nurses flew into the room barking orders at me. I was on my knees with them injecting me with needles. They stopped what little progress my labor had made. My son's heart rate had decelerated and they were having a hard time bringing it back up. I knew induction would be tough, and visions of my natural birth were disappearing in front of my eyes. Nothing was going to plan! He was coming six weeks early and now I was choosing to have a c-section. If I tried to go through the induction process and they couldn't get his heart rate back, I would have had an emergency c-section. At least with a planned one, Eli could be with me and we could prepare for it.
I could feel them tugging at me, it felt like novocaine, I could feel them but wasn't sure exactly what they were doing. I had Eli to distract me from their conversation. They pulled my son out after about ten minutes. I heard him crying and I saw his beautiful face. I was in shock! He was here, and then they took him away to the NICU. I didn't get to hold him, I didn't get to take a picture with him, I didn't get to breastfeed right away. My entire birth plan disappeared from me. He was 3 pounds, 10.5 ounces, he had his father's forehead and he was breathing on his own!!!
I knew they were going to be put me back on liquid death but I didn't realize I would be on it during as well as after the surgery. So I had to recover from surgery while on this awful medicine! They promised me I would be on it for 12 hours, and that turned into 24 hours. I felt like I was in a fishbowl. I couldn't leave the bed, couldn't eat or drink and most importantly I couldn't see my son! So I was in no mood for visitors. Some people couldn't understand that but I have come to realize certain people will make anything and everything about themselves! I was miserable and cried constantly. A nurse came and asked me if I wanted a picture of my son. I said yes and I stared at that picture all day. My little boy was attached to a breathing tube and looked so small and tired.
I was so happy when I was pulled from the liquid death. I was finally able to visit my son. Eli pushed me to the nicu in wheelchair since they wouldn't let me walk! Unfortunately, he was under photo therapy lights and the heat made me sick to my stomach. So after 2 minutes I had to leave to go to my room. I started crying writing this and my son just woke to nurse. I hugged and kissed him, appreciating all we have been through together!! Part 3 will discuss my son's NICU stay!
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