The Birth Story... Part 2

I believe the decision to put in the central line was made around 8:00am. We had to wait for the head anesthesiologist to show up and he was in another surgery. He rushed in with a team of people (I swear, I was starting to feel like I was in an episode of ER) and they immediately kicked everyone else out, including Nick. I think that's when panic started settling in. They lowered the head of my bed and the contractions were horrible. The anesthesiologist explained that there was a risk that he could puncture my lung with the central line so it was very important that I lay very still. Yeah, not a problem, my contractions were coming fast and strong. They took off my oxygen mask and replaced it with the oxygen thing that goes in your nose (I can't think of the name right now.) Then, the worst part for me, they layed a paper sheet over my head. I couldn't see anything and I felt like I couldn't breath. (Have I mentioned I'm claustophobic?) I kept trying to move it and kept getting told to put my hand down. I was sweating like crazy and crying and kept asking them to move it because I couldn't breathe. Finally, one of the nurses took pity on me and moved it just enough so I could see out. This did help. After they got all set up, they started the line. They kept numbing my neck so it didn't really hurt but the contractions that were coming one on top of each other sure did. I had a death grip on the bed and just tried to moan through each one. Each time I moaned, the anesthesiologist would ask if he was hurting me or if it was a contraction. So I would have to force myself to say "contraction." Talking was the last thing I wanted to do during a contraction, but I was afraid he would stop and they would never remove that stupid sheet. After he got the line in, I thought he was done. Wrong. He told me I would feel another numbing shot and I asked why. He said he was going to put in two stitches so the line wouldn't fall out. After everything else, I don't know why this upset me, but it did. I just wanted them away from my neck with the needles. Sometime during all of this, a lady started talking to me. She told me she would be doing my epidural and kept promising me that as soon as they were done, she'd get it going. (I guess that bag of fluids was forgotten!) However, once the line was in, I had to wait for the portable x-ray machine because they had to take an x-ray of the central line to make sure it was placed correctly. I think they had to bring the machine from a different state since it took so long to get there!! Finally, they got it there, took the x-ray and a few minutes later, we got the word it was okay to start the epidural.

I honestly don't remember much about the epidural. All I can remember is the relief and the nurse asking me if I was ready for my family to come back in. Yes!!! I was so ready for them to come back in. I believe it was around 11:00 when they got to come back in the room.

For the next few hours, the nurses let me lay on my side trying to get Gracie to move further down in the birth canal. I managed to fall asleep during this time and for the first time in awhile, started to feel more calm and begin to think that things were back on track. Also, during this time, they kept coming in to check me and I had made it to 8 cm! Then, of course, things turned hectic again. The nurse came back in, made me put the oxygen back on and moved me to my other side (I can't remember what side I was laying on at the time.) She explained to Nick and I that Gracie was starting to show signs of distress. After each contraction, her heart rate would drop. (I guess it's normal for it to drop during a contraction, but not afterwards.) This is when all the talk about a c-section started. Apparently, these late decelerations (sp?) improved for awhile and then started again. That's when the doctor showed up to tell me they were going to run a test to see how much distress it was really causing Gracie. The nurse said they rarely used this test anymore (of course, they don't... what else could go wrong?!?). So the doctor returned with a team (I think they were students but I honestly don't know) to do the test. In order to do the test, they were going to have to take blood from Gracie's head. I am so glad I had the epidural at this point! I didn't feel anything, but I can only imagine how painful it would have been! I couldn't see anything, but I kept hearing Dr. A asking if they had a lab runner in the room and kept asking them to call the lab to make sure they knew it was coming. For some reason, the blood had to be ran to the lab and from what I hear, the nurse who ran it, had a walking impediment. Apparently, when dad (who was in the hallway) saw this lady trying to run down the hall with a tube of Gracie's blood, he lost it and stopped one of my midwives (Nikki) in the hall and asked, "What the hell was that?" LOL. Nikki explained that it was just the way it had to be done. I think this was the point Nikki came into my room and asked me if that was my dad in the hall. When I said yes, she said, "poor guy is a nervous wreck." LOL. At least she understood. We heard pretty quickly that the test had good results, meaning that Gracie was doing okay despite the late decelerations. The nurse came in, sat the bed up and we hoped that gravity would help get to 10cm. After a couple of hours (and after being checked numerous times), I was still 8cm and Dr. A walked in. He asked me if I was tired of it yet and I said "Yes." He said, "Me too." Then he said the late decelerations were getting worse and they were taking me in for a c-section. I was so disappointed. I wasn't really upset with having to have a c-section, but upset that I was so close and felt like a failure. I believe the decision was made at 5:30 and I was in the OR at 6:00. Dr. A did the prep work and then Dr. M took over because Dr. A had to go pick up his son from camp. I expected the c-section to go quickly, but it seemed forever before Gracie was out. Turns out, it took 29 minutes. She was born at 6:29pm on July 25th. I heard them say she weighed 9lbs 3oz and was 19 inches long. They started sewing me up and everything started hurting really bad. It wasn't just pressure, it was pain. I told them how bad it was hurting and that was the last I remember. They knocked me out completely to finish. Because Gracie was so far in the birth canal, my uterus tore when they were trying to get her out. So it took awhile to sew me up. I was rolled into recovery at 8:00.

Well, I guess this will have to be a three part birth story. Gracie is ready for her bath and then we will all be ready for bed!