Family bigger by one!

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Family bigger by one!

So I guess I should tell the story of how Logan came a little earlier than expected! On Monday morning (9/15), I mentioned to Jon that the Braxton-Hicks contractions I'd been getting seemed more frequent since I got up and instead of being uncomfortable like usual, they were a little painful. He was getting ready for work (of course he had to work a 1st shift that day!) and was a bit worried, but since I'm right above my OB/GYN, we both figured if I wasn't feeling well, I could go see them.

Not long before I left the house, I felt a little (TMI incoming) discharge, wondered if that could possibly have been my water breaking, took care of it, then went on my way. I figured even if this was it, I had to get payroll done for the office at the very least. After I got there, I told the girls that I may be in labor, but not to worry, I was going downstairs as soon as possible to be checked out. Christina panicked a bit (we all knew she would ), but just a tiny bit.
By the time I got there, I was sure my water had broken. I explained my situation to the receptionist and I was able to see a doctor within minutes. She confirmed that my water had, ideed, broken, and that I was 1 cm dilated and 50% effaced. She was sending me to L&D at Harrisburg. The office even called ahead for us so they knew we were coming. I went back upstairs, got what I could squared away, and called Jon (who was very calm and collected, by the way).

Since I had a feeling when I left that morning that labor may have started, I had already thrown my hospital bag in the car with me, so we were able to grab it and go. When we got there around 10 am, we were shown to the labor room (a river view after all!) and I got ready to have a baby. The contractions were becoming more frequent and more painful, so they put me on the list to get an epidural. I used the jacuzzi tub in order to help with the contractions, which did help quite a bit. Eventually, I got my epidural and was able to say, "Contractions? What contractions?" That thing was unbelievably amazing!

By 2 pm or so, it was evident I wasn't progressing very well, so they busted out the IV and pitocin. Pitocin is a drug used to induce labor. Theoretically speaking, that is. To make a long story short, I was on increasing amounts of it the entire day. At one point I got to about 6cm dilated and 80% effaced and we were both very encouraged, as were the staff.

The afternoon wore on into the evening and the evening became night. The contractions were still very managable with the epidural, but the progress we hoped for just wasn't happening. We watched the entire Monday night football game (was a good one too...Cowboys vs. Eagles), then Aliens 3 (haha!). Around 1 am or so, the epidural became not so effective. The contractions were even more frequent, usually spiking off the monitor's range. When the doctor came to check me, I had made it to 8 cm and 90% effacement. Unfortunately, I spent the next 5 hours there. There I was, in indescribable pain because the epidural wasn't working anymore (even with a stronger bollus injected into it) and unable to push because I would literally tear myself open. And boy, did I want to push, the feeling was overwhelming. Try that for a few hours.
At around 6 am, Dr. Perotti told me it was time to start talking c-section, and I was more than ready to have a chat about it. I had mentioned to the nurse already that I was open to the suggestion at this point and that if it meant getting him out of there, I was all for it. The horrible news...there was someone in front of me and it would take at least an hour and a half to get me to surgery. We were both devastated. Me, because I was in so much pain and nothing was working, and Jon because he just felt horrible for me and wanted it to be over (although he was extremely proud of me...I didn't scream, or even cry once. Hell, I didn't even swear! Yeah, that's right...no swearing!). Dr. Perotti was disappointed also, but there wasn't much he could do.

About 15 minutes later, he came back into the room, told us he pulled a few strings and spoke with the other woman's doctor. Since she was stable and I was not, they let us go in first. I can still remember the relief that flooded through me at the news and I was so greatful to him for doing that for us. As soon as he mentioned "c-section", I was swarmed by people. The leaped into action fast. Jon was directed to the room where he could get ready and I was hooked up to some severely heavy painkillers, which at this point, was heaven.

I was wheeled into the OR at around 6:40 am and at 6:59 am on 9/16/08, Logan had finally arrived. After my water broke around 7 am Monday morning until this point, it was a long 24 hours. Jon even watched him being born, which I was amazed at. I think they tricked him a bit to look over the curtain! He wasn't able to cut the cord, because he couldn't go into the sterile area, but they gave Logan to him right away to hold him before the nurses went to work.
I was shocked to hear that he was only 7 lbs, 6 oz! Our "giant" baby turned out to be a bit on the wee side after all! But perfect in every way. The nurses were nice enough to take some pictures for us right in the OR. While they stapled me shut and cleaned me up, they moved Jon and Logan to the initial recovery room where he got to spend mucho quality time with his boy. I was wheeled in later. We spent about 1/2 an hour there before being taken to the permanent recovery room.

My mom, and Jon's parents and sister visited us later in the day. I felt pretty good for having major surgery. I wasn't allowed to walk at all that first day. Wednesday morning I woke up to my entire right arm, from hand to shoulder swollen to about 5 times its size! My IV had infiltrated when either it failed, or one of my veins ruptured a valve. Nobody's sure what happened, but none of them had really seen anything like it before (lucky me!). I was bruised and blisters had formed all over the arm from where the fluid tried to escape. But, little by little, the swelling went down to where I could finally move my fingers, and by my discharge on Friday, was almost back to normal, expect for looking hideous. Which it still does, but it's improving!

The doctors and nurses at Harrisburg took really great care of us, and I'm glad we had the baby there. I'm still super-greatful to Dr. Perotti and all the staff.
So now it's Sunday and we've been home a few days. We're not getting much sleep, but loving every minute of it so far. Jon has been amazing (as usual), and not letting me do much of anything. We've already had Logan's first bath at home and our first outing, which he slept the entire way through. He has his very own doctor's appointment tomorrow afternoon, then I have one on Tuesday to get my staples removed.

We'll keep taking plenty of pictures, so keep your eyes open for them!