Over these past few months we have had our scares with preterm labor multiple times as well as other mishaps. I was put on procardia with is a medicine that helps with contractions. When I hit 36 weeks, which is a miracle in itself, I was taken off the medicine. Shortly after the contractions got stronger and I just had a gut feeling it was coming soon. On the night of September 30th I was having pretty consistent contractions and a couple of weird feeling ones I haven't felt before... I just chalked it up to coming off the medicine and finally went to sleep. At 12:30am on October 1st, I woke up to an upset stomach and just not feeling right. I was nauseous and it wasn't shortly after until my body was clearing out it's system. I was throwing up and had diarrhea. Within a few minutes of that the strong consistent contractions every 2 or 3 minutes started coming. Patrick decided it was time to go in because last time I got sick they had to give me fluids because of dehydration.. So we thought it was better safe than sorry. I got to the hospital at about 1:30am and the contractions were still coming. Each one was getting stronger and I just knew this was it. Mason was breech so there was no way I could have him naturally so that meant cesarean section which I was not to happy about.
We saw doctors after doctors.... students after students..... and residents after residents..... That is the only thing I do not like about our hospital. Too many cooks in the kitchen. Anyways...... I was not dilated because he was breech and his head wasn't pushing on my cervix to dilate me. So the "doctors" continued to say I wasn't in labor. We hit all the bad times at the hospital; shift changes, lunch, and rounds for the doctors. So there were times where I wouldn't see anyone for hours. At one point my contractions were a 10 out of 10 on the pain scale. I was literally shaking and crying because of the pain but because "I wasn't dilating" they were not going to do anything. At the shift change in the morning from night shift to day shift I didn't see a doctor for at least 4 hours and that was when the hardest contractions were hitting. They came in and gave me morphine which I wasn't happy about either.... At this point I wanted to try anything. I was so weak from the contractions and pain I couldn't even stand up. I had been having strong contractions for at least 6 hours. The medicine kicked in and I was able to get a little rest. I could still feel the contractions but they were not as strong.
We finally called family at about 5am. Mom, Nannie, and Kayley jumped in the car and rushed here. I kept telling them not to come but there was no stopping them. At about lunch time they arrived and the residents kept saying they were wanting to send me home. I was refusing I just knew something was different. All I had ate in about 18 hours were ice chips. I was so weak I could barely walk to the bathroom. Finally convinced them to give me a little food and after two bites it came right back up. I was miserable and the morphine was starting to wear off. At this point I was getting ill. I was tired of the residents telling me I was ok and wanting to send me home. I was getting very rude and I believe it was completely deserved. Mom noticed how hot I was and I noticed I was tactycardic at about 150 bpm. I was running a temperature at 101.9 and Mason's heart rate was in the 180s which is entirely too high. FINALLY I got doctors to listen to me. Who knows how long I was running the temperature and our heart rates were high for a few hours. I finally demanded to speak to MY doctor and he was able to stop by. Dr. Ray is amazing. He will listen to you and your concerns and will explain everything. I wish he was there from the start.
Dr. Ray came in at about 3:30pm and starting to discuss our options. He believed I had an infection in the amniotic sac and that was why I was running a temp and our heart rates were high. He thinks that is what threw me into labor and agreed that I was not going to dilate because he was breech. At this point I knew I had to have a csection. He didn't believe it was safe for either of us to wait at this point so we were going to have an emergency csection. He knew Mason was in stress and didn't want to take the chance to "wait and see what happens." That is why I love Dr. Ray. He will do anything to ensure the safety of his patients. So within 30 minutes we were having a csection.
At this point I broke down. I knew a csection was the safest but it was still so emotional. I guess I was just wore out from labor. I had a good cry for about 5 minutes and Dr. Ray hugged me and promised everything would be fine. We signed all the paperwork and off we went. I had a spinal and that literally scared the crap out of me. The doctor said I did great and the spinal took well. Patrick was in the delivery room with me and helped me through it. The csection wasn't that bad. All that I felt was pressure from them operating and the worst part was my arms shaking. They kept saying that's normal but it was the worst part. It was uncontrollable. Dr. Ray was able to do the surgery himself and it was a blessing in itself. They kept it light hearted during the surgery. They were cracking jokes and asking the students questions. I let a couple of students view their first csection. The funny part was he asked them a question and I knew the answer. ahahah
At 4:52pm on Wednesday October 1st Dr. Ray said "hey big daddy look at this." Patrick stood up and said "HOLY SHIT!" LOL He was able to see Dr. Ray pulling Mason out of my tummy!!! Mason was born the exact time during the day that I was born. So I believe it was fate. He didn't cry at first and they had to incubate him. When I heart that first innocent sweet little cry it was like music to my ears. That was the first time in my life that I have cried happy tears. They told me everything was fine but they wanted to check him out at the NICU. After surgery Patrick and Mom went to NICU to see him. I got to see a few pictures of him from them but until my temperature went down I wasn't able to see my little baby. At this point I was so delirious from the medicine and surgery I passed out.
Within the next day they got my temperature down and they were able to take him off the breathing tube. He was only incubated for about 5 or 6 hours and that was a blessing. I was able to see him the next day and he was so pitiful hooked up to all the IVs and monitors. We made tons of trips down to the NICU to see him over the next few days and I was able to breastfeed him. He latched on great and the nurses were amazing. I had to stay on antibiotics for three days and so did he.
Dr. Ray came in to talk to us a few times after delivery. They sent off the placenta to check for infection and it came back positive. I had chorioamnionitis which is an infection in the amniotic fluid. If Dr. Ray did not take him when he did, our birth story could have been entirely different so for that I am thankful and blessed. Dr. Ray said that Mason was literally stuck in my pelvis. His little bum was wedged so far in there that there was no way he could turn. He said I was just too little for Mason to have room to turn. His legs were literally pinned up at his head. Poor little guy just didn't have room. I don't know if I would have made it another month to my due date. He would have really been in stress.
We were finally able to be sent home Saturday after only 3 days in the NICU. We are truly blessed to have only a short stay for both of us. For me the recovery has been hard. Dr. Ray said my uterus was so thin because of all the contractions I have had that Mason ripped it coming out of me. I was told I have been moving good but I don't have anything to compare it too. The first night home was hard. I was too scared to sleep and was afraid something would happen to him. I literally just watched him all night. I was beyond exhausted. The second night was a little better and by the third I was able to sleep in two hour increments to feed him. It's now 10 days out and we are doing better. I'm slowly getting the hang of things.
We have been pooped on, peed on, and puked on.... LOL I guess it comes with the territory but we are truly blessed. I can't believe our little Mason is here already and doing great! I'm still breastfeeding and he's eating a ton. On a funny note I finally have boobs. LOL Patrick is an amazing father and I fall in love with him more everyday after watching him with Mason. Marley has done great! She was so concerned with Mason when we brought him home. She just kept smelling him and checking on him. Every time he would whimper or cry she would run over to check on him. She is such a good big sister and is so gentle with him. Well that is it. I think that is our birth story and I can't wait to start our little traditions as a family.
Love,
Jasmine
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| Breaking out of the hospital with a grin!! |
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