*Note: Picture will be in the next post*
So it started out a very ordinary day. Well ordinary in the fact that I hadn't slept the night before because I was miserable. I was 36 weeks pregnant and the baby kept me up most of the night moving around, pushing my insides, not to mention the night sweats I get. So the morning of January 12th I had to wake up early for my regular 36 week OB appointment. Around 10:30am we left the house and I really hadn't had anything to eat. Mom stopped at McDonalds for a drink and I got just a hamburger, ketchup only. (Trust me this eating thing plays a big part later in the story so bare with me..) Well I decided it might not be good to eat the whole hamburger so I eat possibly three bites and throw it away. This decision would come back later to haunt me.
So we get to Doctor Heartmans office and we had a few issues to bring up with him. I had been having HIGH blood pressure which isn't typical for me. I usually have low low blood pressure but since I'd gotten to Utah it had been like 160/90.. so very high. I had horrible swelling, and I had this persistant headache. Not so much a migrane, more of a light headed feeling with pain. So around 11am we get called back to see the doctor. He asks how things are going and I tell him about everything thinking that he wouldn't think much of it. Well come to find out, there was 2+ protein in my urine (which is a sign of preclamsia) add that to my high blood pressure that day in the office and all the other stuff and my doctor informed me I indeed had preclamsia!!
Oh those words are HORRID to hear!! I started breathing heavy and was NOT prepared for what he had to say next. He told me that I would indeed be admitted to the hospital and would possibly be having my baby today. He sent me off to the high risk pregnancy doctor next door who hooked me up to an ultrasound. It didn't take long for him to conclude that I did have preclamsia and the BABY HAD TO COME OUT!!
Okay I was freaking out. Okay freaking out doesn't even cover how I felt. Here I am in Utah ... and as luck would have it, my husband was TDY in GERMANY at the moment. (TDY is temporary duty for the miltary) All along we had joked about how the baby might come before him, and now that was going to be a reality. I certainly didn't want to have the baby, our FIRST baby without my husband. Well my next problem was getting ahold of him. Shannon, being the awesome people finder she is (she tracked me down at a payphone in yellowstone once while i was camping there) set off to get ahold of Keri. Finally just moments before they sent me off to my room Shannon got ahold of him and I had to inform him that they were inducing me and I was going to be having the baby!
Naturally I was crying and he was in shock. So I get all hooked up and this at 2pm now. So naturally I was hungry and ready for lunch. Licking my lips infact. That is when they dropped the worst news ever... I wasn't going to be allowed to eat until the baby comes incase of a c-section. WHAT?! I had had THREE measley bites of a hamburger at 10am and I wasn't going to be allowed to eat again until after the baby? Suuurely they were kidding! Ohh but they weren't.
Well the nurse gave me this little pill that was suppose to soften my cervic and checked me and I was dialated to a 1. The doctor came in and said that with a first time pregnancy it could take anywhere from 16-24 hours... I was like... um could I have a tinsy donut at least.. for some reason I was craving a chocolate on chocolate donut. I mean my husband is in germany and I was having a baby suuurely I could have a tinsy donut.
Well this started the longest night of my entire life. Mom and Kelly were so nice as to stay the night with me. A decision I think they regretted later. All night they had to hear about me whining about food. A donut I said... sneak me a bloody donut! I even offered to pay Kelly under the table. Well all night I had to constantly use the bathroom and Kelly had the pleasure of helping me. She had to unhook me from all the machines and help me into the bathroom. This happened at least once an hour and I don't recall her complaining once about it. Mom was like.... are you serious? You have to use the bathroom again.. and I'm like.... look at all the fluids they have me on. Trust me it was no picnic to hobble to the bathroom.
Well around 10pm they gave me another pill to soften my cervic. Mind you I had already started contractions and they were pretty regular. It wasn't overly painful but it was painful. It was cool to be able to watch the machine and see the contraction coming! So that night was just long and did I mention I was huuuuungry? Mind you they were like you can have ice chips and these tinsy suckers. Ohhh gee thanks I thought. You shouldn't have! ;)
Okay so around 6am with NO sleep... the doctor came in! He checked and I was only dialated to a 2!! After all that time I was only a 2?! Well I thought that news was bad until he asked for the HOOK! Yes the hook! It was then he broke my water! Oh good times when that happens! Then he informed me I had about 13 more hours of this until the baby came AT LEAST. Did you hear me? 13 MORE hours?! It was then he said the fateful words of c-section. Based on how long I had been there, and how much longer I had to go he suggested a c-section.
So an hour later I was on the table as scared as I have been in my whole life. Kelly was taking the place of Keri who wasn't there. She looked a little scared but excited at the same time. Oh and meanwhile my dad had been working overtime and Keri was able to fly from Germany to Utah but wouldn't be there until 6pm that night. So at least my husband was coming. But if there was ever a time I needed my husband to be there by my side, it was there as I lay on the table waiting for a c-section. Kelly was a good second though. I can't imagine another person I would want by my side.
So they put in the epidural and then I just felt like a beached whale as I couldn't move my legs and I felt so heavy! They hooked me up to oxygen and binded my hands and then I laid there feeling soooo incredibly scared. They were doing something and I asked Kelly what they were doing and she said nothing yet. Little did I know she was LYING to me and they had already cut me open. Thank heavens she did that because I would have been freaking out if I had known they were slicing into me. Really the c-section didn't take long and moments later I heard the most wonderful thing in the world.. my baby girl crying!! We did it.... she was actually here! She was officially born at 7:51am on January 13th. She weighed 5 pounds 12 oz and was 18 inches long.
Around 6:36pm as I lay in incredible pain my husband walked into the hospital room and I cryed just seeing him actually there. It was wonderful to see him. He held the baby and was so excited and that was seriously one of the best things I've ever seen!
Well I was in the hospital from Monday until Friday afternoon. Friday afternoon I got to take my precious baby home and trust me she is the most precious thing I've ever seen! After all the pain I went through, the rash from heck I had for months and months, the panic attacks, the night sweats, it was ALL worth it to have a heathly little baby!! Oh I love her so much. Who knew you could love someone you just met so much. So that is the story of Cambree Kae Christensen coming into this world!!
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9 comments:
Congratulations Erin- I can't wait to see pictures. Oh and by the way did you get to eat? Im glad everything went so well!!
Lisa
Wow! What a day....if I were there I would have found a way to get you a donut! We need to chat...I didn't know you had a C-section and I'm scared to death for mine...maybe you can give me all the details on what I have to look forward to! Can't wait to see pictures of your new little baby! Congrats!!
Erin-I don't know if you remember me. I found your page thru JerriLynn. We did lunch a couple of time with JerriLynn. What a story about your precious little one! Congrats! I hope you are enjoying England. We are coming over in a year and will have to meet up! Congrats again!
Great story Red. Kelly sounds awesome. When I had Quincy Israel was "down there" watching and at one point made the made a half-amused, half-disgusted face and said something like "oh my gosh." The doctor told him that's when he should act like nothing was happening and say "wow." Now he thinks he's going to be a doctor? Good for Kelly, lying to you! I hope you're adjusting ok - those first few months can be hard, but you'll live through 'em.
Congratulations Erin!!!
What a traumatic experience! I tell you what, child birth is one difficult thing. I'm glad everything ended great with a healthy mom and baby! Congrats!! I saw the pictures on Kelly's facebook....she's a cutie!!nis
Erin! i'm so excited for you, i already saw some pics on facebook, she really is so perfect! Congrats, i'm so happy for you!
Congrats Mommy!! But where are the pictures??? What a story she'll have to tell about the day she was born!! I'm glad you guys are both doing well and can't wait to see pictures!!
What a beautiful story. The ending especially!! Congrats!! I am so glad i'm better & will be seeing that precious beautiful baby of yours & keri's!! CONGRATULATIONS!!
xoxo
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