On Monday, my parents and brother arrived from Nebraska (Ammon's home! Hooray!!!) for us all to go to Hannah and Michaels wedding. We we hung out and got frozen yogurt, watched a lot of The Office episodes, and it was a blast.
Then we got a call telling us that the Lumberjacks former step father (his very dear father figure) had been taken to the ICU and was doing poorly. He and I decided we needed to make a trip to the hospital where Father Figure was (two hours away, in Burley) just in case. We left Wednesday morning, with plans to be back home that night. The wedding was planned for Saturday, but we were all going to drive to it (to St. George, a 7ish hour drive) together Friday morning.
We got to the Lumberjacks home town, spent some time with his brother, sister in law, and cute cute cute little niece, then after eating dinner with them at 6:30 (I got a taco salad, it was delicious), we headed over to the hospital to visit Father Figure.
We were there, in Father Figures ICU room, for about 2 hours. Chatting, sitting in silence, making jokes with the male nurse, all sorts of stuff. Whatever Father Figure was up to doing. In the room was me, the Lumberjack, the Lumberjacks brother, Father Figure, and Father Figure's brother (who jokingly told me to stop swallowing watermelons).
Around the two hour mark, I suddenly felt a warm wet gush as I was sitting in the hospital room's recliner.
I reached down discreetly and felt the liquid, then pulled my hand up to see what color it was. Crystal clear. And there was so much of it. I sat in shock for a second, looking around the room and panicking. I snapped out of it and tugged on the Lumberjacks arm and whispered that he needed to follow me out into the hall. I stood up, hoping I could just slip out of the room, but more liquid gushed out as soon as I stood up. I glanced at the chair I had been sitting in, and the puddle was pretty dang noticeable too. I hobbled into the hallway while everyone was so confused, then stared in shock, unable to speak, as the nurses at the desk asked if I was okay. Finally I told them I thought that maybe my water had broken, and they snapped right into action, getting me a wheelchair and taking me and husband right to L&D of their hospital. Once there, I explained to the nurses that this wasn't supposed to be happening, I was only 34 weeks along. They admitted me, cleaned up my huge trail of amniotic fluid, took my vitals and called for the on call doctor. They also explained that since they are a small hospital, they don't have a NICU, which means I needed to be transferred to a different hospital ASAP.
The on call doctor got there and checked me, saying I was about 1.5cm dilated, but that my cervix was paper thin, and he didn't feel comfortable with me driving the two hours back home. He stepped out to figure out where they could send me, and I got a call from my regular doctor, who had been nearby at the hospital in Rexburg when the Burley nurses called asking for my medical records. He figured out what was going on and called me immediately to see if I was okay. I explained that they wanted to send me to a hospital in Pocatello, about an hour away, and he got off the phone with me and called the on call doctor who was with me, saying to please have me sent to the hospital in Rexburg, and that if I could make it an hour away, he was sure I could handle an extra 45 minutes, especially when they were almost certainly going to try to stall labor. The local doctor said he didn't feel comfortable having me go any amount of distance in a car, but that he would be fine life flighting me to my original hospital. The only problem is that the Rexburg hospital doesn't do transfers, as in they don't fly to go get patients and bring them back (basically like a helicopter taxi service). Pocatello's hospital will absolutely do transfers. The on call doctor called and asked if Pocatello would come pick me up, and take me to Rexburg. I figured it would be a long shot, but they said they would!
So we prepared for a helicopter ride, which I was sad to find out the Lumberjack couldn't go with me on. Suddenly I got scared. I would have to be without him while I went in a helicopter and he drove. My helicopter ride would be an hour long. His drive would be almost double.
My brother in law sneaked in and sat with us while we were waiting for the helicopter team to show up, making small talk and helping us not worry so much, reminiscing happily about when his three year old was born. The helicopter team showed up and off we went. They were all so kind, and if it weren't for having to leave the Lumberjack, I would have been a lot less emotional. Once they strapped me into the helicopter, I glanced out the window and saw the Lumberjack and his brother, both standing just off the helipad, waiting to watch me go. Cue the tears, you guys. I didn't want to be away from him.
We got up in the air and they made sure I was hooked up to oxygen, because I get motion sickness and they said it would help, especially because the space inside is so cramped and I am also claustrophobic. The air totally helped! I was still just sad about leaving the Lumberjack, but I wasn't panicky about the space or height or anything else.
The flight felt a lot shorter than an hour, and pretty soon I was in my hospital, admitted, and my parents and brother were on their way to come be with me till the Lumberjack could get back. We all chit chatted and they helped me be calm. It was so great, and I'm so glad they were there!
The Lumberjack showed up and my parents and brother went home. We waited a bit more and then my doctor came rushing in. He would have been there sooner but right as he "caught" one baby, another in the building was ready to come, so he had to deliver that one as well.
He checked me and said I was 2cm, and had them start giving me steroid shots to help speed up baby's lung development. He said the steroids needed about 48 hours to take full effect, so that is how long he wanted to stall labor for, which would put delivery on Friday, the day I would officially be 34 weeks pregnant. We got some sleep, woke up the next morning, and I was given some pills to stall contractions. We ate, hung around, and got kind of bored just doing nothing.
When the medicine would wear off, I could feel contractions and they weren't pleasant. Once they were bad enough, the doctors started allowing me doses of morphine, and woooah buddy did that make me feel good. The first dose was put right into my IV, and it hit me hard. The Lumberjack found the whole thing hilarious. The next doses I got over the next day and a half or so were given to me in the form of a shot because I guess that way it doesn't hit as hard and fast, and it lasts longer.
Thursday night came and another doctor (a doctor that intimidates me big time) said I was allowed one final dose of morphine, but then that was it, and we would just let labor happen. The morphine let me sleep, and by friday morning I was hurting. Contractions were coming somewhat regularly and oh boy did they feel icky. I suffered through them as quietly as possible, because I wanted the Lumberjack to get as much sleep as he could.
Finally I couldn't take it anymore. I was rocking back and forth to deal with each contraction and a nurse went off to find the doctor of the day (there are three who rotate. My favorite, Dr. C, the intimidating older one, Dr. L, and then this freckly ginger who cracks lots of jokes constantly, Dr. M.) Today was Dr. M. He came in and asked if I wanted an epidural. I nodded quickly. He chuckled and went off to get the anesthesiologist, without even checking to see how dilated I was, which kind of surprised me.
We got the epidural all set up and it hit quickly and I was SO grateful! Then here comes my family. They're all about to leave for the wedding and just wanted to check on me one last time. Then Dr. M comes in, checks me, opens his eyes wide and says "Hey! Lets go push a baby out!" By this time it's probably been 40 minutes at most since the epidural. Looking back I wonder if he wouldn't have let me get an epidural had he checked how dilated I was beforehand. I don't like to think about that. The epidural was heavenly.
I got whisked away from my giddy family and into a room where they do c-sections. They explained we were only doing it in there because that room has a window that leads directly into the NICU, so they would be able to take baby immediately after he was born to ensure he was alright. The Lumberjack got all dressed in booties, a gown and a cap, and came in to help me push.
He held one leg (that I couldn't lift because of the epidural...one leg was totally useless and the other was fine. Numb, but I could still work with it) and a nurse held the other, and oh did I push. Except I couldn't tell I was pushing, because I was numb! So I just relied on the doctor telling me whether or not I was doing a good job or not.
After an hour and a half of pushing (it really didn't feel that long) I was exhausted and baby still wasn't all the way out. Dr. M told me that I could keep trying on my own, or he could help with the vacuum suction-y thing. He said with the vacuum, baby would probably be out in two or three more contractions. I glanced at the Lumberjack and he nodded, and I said yes please to the vacuum.
Three contractions and the baby was out, along with an impressive pressurized gush of amniotic fluid which just barely hit both the doctor and the Lumberjack.
The baby's head coming out burned, but then as soon as his head was out, the rest of him slipped out without pain and it was glorious. They plopped him onto my chest so the Lumberjack could cut the umbilical cord (I wanted delayed cord clamping but he had to get to the NICU asap so it didn't happen) and when he was on my chest, all I could see was how misshapen his head was from the vacuum. It was glorious to see him but the head shape freaked me out, even though I knew it would go back to normal quickly.
Baby went through the window and into the NICU, and the Lumberjack kissed me and followed baby. I got stitched up (3 stitches! Not too shabby!)
I was taken back to my room and given food. It was Friday, 10:45ish in the morning, and I hadn't eaten since 6:30pm Wednesday. I ate that spaghetti with joy in my heart.
My nurse came in and "massaged" my belly and that was super uncomfortable. She told me that as soon as I had feeling in both legs, I could go see my baby.
I watched TV and waited. She came back in about an hour later and my one leg was still totally numb. She checked my epidural and realized no one had turned it off. Great. She felt horribly guilty, left me for another hour, then came back with a wheelchair and practically lifted me into it, saying I was gonna see my baby, feeling in my leg or no! She wheeled me into the bathroom, helped prop me up against the sink, standing on the one leg that had feeling, helped wash me up, then we were off! The Lumberjack came with me and we got to snuggle that little boy and it was glorious. His head was a lot more normal, and he was content to be cuddled.
He's now off oxygen, off his IV, off the lights for jaundice, and out of a heated crib. Once he can eat every meal on his own, no feeding tube needed, he's free to go!
He was born at 10:32am, 34 weeks gestation, 4 pounds 10 ounces, 18 and a quarter inches long, and has completely stolen our hearts. We try every day to get him to eat a full meal on his own, and he tries every time, but usually halfway through he falls fast asleep and has to be given the rest through a feeding tube. It's hard, because I know that each day he uses the feeding tube means another day in the NICU, but it wont last forever. He'll figure it out eventually!
So there you go. That was our adventure! Definitely not how we planned but now that he's here I couldn't imagine it any other way!
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