andydawn: September 2006

WOW!!! These past two weeks have flown by. On the night of September 7th I went into labor at 1:25 am. I labored at home for the next 2 1/2 hours when my water finally broke at 4:00 am. I then woke Marcus up and he jumped out of bed and we headed off for the hospital. I was excited, nervous, anxious, and too many other emotions I can't even describe. When I arrived at the hospital my contractions were tollerable. I was only 1 cm dilated and 90% effaced. They put me on pitocin to regulate my contractions. At around 8:00 am on the 8th they asked if I wanted some pain medicine. I said sure....I don't know what it was called, but it made me feel very very happy (drunk)!! That wore off quick and I was glad it did. About an hour later they came and said the epidural doc was making rounds and wanted to know if I wanted one. I hesitated because the contractions were still tollerable, but gave in. The doc came in to give me my epidural, but they would not let Marcus in the room. I was nervous!! When the doc started the epidural I began to bleed very very bad. The doc was nervous and asking ME when I was bleeding.......LIKE I KNEW....she was the doc!!! Long story short after my first epidural wore off after about 30 minutes the same crazy doc came in and gave me more medicine through my IV. Well needless to say that wore off in about 30 minutes too and I was back to feeling every contraction. Then my nurse got another epidural doc and sent her in. This now my second epidural, but 4th stick in my back because of the first doc, I thought finally now I will get some releif. I guess I was so stresses, anxious, high blood pressure, the whole nine yards I passed completely out for several hours. I awoke AGAIN to the feeling of every contraction. They checked me again finally and was 9 cm. They told me I had about 2 hours left of labor. Well I proved them wrong!! After the nurse left I yelled for her to come back in because Mason was waiting no longer to make his appearance. Twenty minutes later of pushing and no pain medication feeling every little thing, Mason was born at 2:09pm on September 8th. Needless to say my labor and delivery went......well not normal....Mason was born a 6 lb 11 oz 19 1/4 in long little boy. When he was born he and I both had a very high fever of 103-104, so they had to quickly wisk him away to the NICU. This broke my heart, because I was not able to see him for a while and was not able to feed him. Marcus was able to go with him to the NICU for the first part of Mason's life. As I try to think back.. it is hard for me to remember parts of the birth. It has saddended me, but I have a perfect little angel I thank god for every day!!

After delivery I had several complications which kept me in the hospital longer than anticipated. Preeclampsia, chemical meningitis, blood patches, and spinal headaches were only the beginning of my long road to recovery. Today I can say I am feeling much better and every time I look at my precious little boy I feel amazing. My birth story is not experienced by many and I am thankful for that. I just had to share my story.

Mason at one week old. How handsome is he!!