Eli's Birth Story

I want to write down the events surrounding Eli's birth while it is still fresh in my mind.  Yesterday my c-section was originally scheduled for 11am.  We were told from the start that it might get delayed and so we weren't surprised when hour after hour passed.  It was a long morning of waiting.  I'd have moments when I'd forget what was ahead and relax for a bit and then all of a sudden I would get so anxious. 

Finally, at 2:20 they came and got me.  It was a surreal feeling knowing what was getting ready to happen.  I also had my lovely glasses on and I hate wearing them.  I don't see so great in them so it always makes me feel like I am in a blurry dream.  If you have bad eyes you probably know what I am talking about.  I was a nervous mess.

Kev remained in the hall while I went in and they quickly began prepping me.  I have had 4 epidurals in my life and so I know what that entails.  Yesterday I was to get a spinal instead.  The anesthesiologist resident used me as a pin cushion.  He just couldn't get it into the right spot.  I felt sorry for him because he was trying but to be honest, I was not happy.  I sat trying to stay curled with my shoulders down while he tried over and over.  Finally, I said, why is it taking so long.  The attending asked if she could take over and before I knew it my legs were finally going numb. 

They laid me back and were getting everything prepped.  I felt so anxious.  They kept testing me to make sure I was getting numb.  Those kind of questions always make me nervous because what if I think I am numb, but I am not really numb enough.  I was all strapped down and they did their little time out thing and I heard the doctor call for the scalpel.

They finally brought Kev into the OR just as they began, and he sat rubbing my head and telling me that I was doing great.  I got a major case of the shakes as I always do with anesthesia and my lovely blood pressure began bottoming out.  The lowest it got was 50/27.  I really felt terrible and like I was going to pass out.  Apparently I had some scar tissue from my fetal surgery and so things began taking a little longer.  At 3:29 they told me we were about one minute from baby.  I got so anxious and before I knew it there was the tiniest little thing raised up above the curtain.

I remember him crying and I remember being immediately concerned about his legs and feet.  I could tell something was wrong.  He has also been in the pike position for about 14 weeks.  They both looked clubbed to me and I was sad. He was so precious, but I felt so scared.

The C-section took longer than expected and laying strapped to that table awake for over two hours about did me in.  I kept asking for some drugs to help me relax or go to sleep, but they couldn't give them to me until they could get my blood pressure up.  By the time they were closing up all of a sudden I started to feel them stitching.  Of course I immediately let them know and they gave me local anesthesia, so they could finish. 

Once I got to the recovery room I was really feeling a lot of pain.  I don't think I've ever been in that much pain.  They gave me several different things and nothing was helping.  My blood pressure was down again and my ears were clogging up.  I knew I was close to passing out again.  Thankfully, I started to feel a little better after a little while.  I was in recovery for over 4 hours.  While I was in there they wheeled Eli through so I could see him.  He was so sweet and they said he was breathing on his own and going to the level 2 nursery.  I was so glad, but really I just felt pretty rough.  All I knew was that I was thankful to no longer be pregnant, thankful that Eli was doing well, and thankful that I will never ever have to do that again. 

Today I have been trying to rest, busy pumping for Eli every 3 hours, and visiting the NICU.  We have made 4-5 trips to see him today and tonight I finally got to hold him for the first time.  This morning he was showing signs of respiratory distress he was moved to the NICU.  They did have to incubate him for about 5-10 minutes to give him surfactant.  We were there while they were working on him and he was not happy about it.  It was not fun to watch.  They put him on a c-pap for a short period of time, but again he didn't like it at all.  Then they just put him on oxygen through a nasal cannula.  He has been doing good throughout the day.  Tomorrow morning we will be at rounds and hopefully will find out more about his head ultrasound, kidney ultrasound and other test that have been done.

To be honest, I am really not feeling so well tonight.  I know it is to be expected, but I am so ready to feel good.  I am praying that tomorrow I will begin to feel better.  Thanks for checking in on us and for all of your prayers. 

Hopefully tomorrow we will have some new pictures.  We were told we couldn't take a camera into the NICU last night and then tonight we were told we could. :)