The Final Chapter

Welcome back to “A Baby Story.” If you are joining us for the first time you will want to read the last two entries before you start this one. Let’s recap what all has happened so far…


Thursday night at about 10:30 my water broke.

About midnight we arrive at the hospital.

By 1:00 I am in a labor and delivery room.

At 2:30 I am given my epidural (twice!)

The family starts arriving at 6:00.

By lunch I am nauseous from eating the ice chips and given some medicine.

About 2:00 they rejoice my epidural.

By 2:45 they said I wasn’t going to be able to have him and would need a section.


Okay I think we are up to speed now. In order to have a section they needed to give me some more medicine for the surgery. Lots of stuff was going in my body by this point and I started shaking. It was almost like I was freezing and shivering. At 3:00 we called the family back in and let them know what was going on. My mom was worried that I was cold with all the shaking and I assured her that I was not cold. We said our goodbyes and were off to the operating room.


This is not where I wanted to end up at all. Quite frankly, I never thought I would be sliced open like a Christmas ham, but at this point everyone was antsy, including me, and we wanted to meet Ford. I don’t really remember being wheeled to the operating room, but when we got there they said Trey could not come in while they got me ready. I did not appreciate that one bit. I remember seeing a lot of people in there and thinking here goes any bit of modesty I might have left. I was still paralyzed from the waist down and was no help when they needed to move me from the portable bed to the operating table.

They put a big sheet up in front of me and then wrapped me up like I had been packed in ice for days and needed to thaw out.

Now if anyone has ever had a section you can relate to how I felt to some degree. I hope for your sake you weren’t shaking uncontrollably like I was. I honestly felt and still do, robbed of my child birth experience. How much can you really see with that sheet up in front of you? NOTHING! Actually, all I could see was the ceiling since they had my head wrapped in those towels. The entire process maybe lasted 20 minutes and I couldn’t even enjoy what was happening for all the shaking. It was almost like having a seizure. I spent 99% of the time praying that God would make this shaking and chattering stop. It was one of the worst experiences of my life and I swore then and there I would never have another child. The Lord has an AMAZING way of making mothers forget what they go through. I would do it a million times again.


There was some man standing over me who I begged and pleaded with to make the shaking and chattering go away. He told me there was nothing he could do. The doctor told me I would feel someone pushing on my stomach to push the baby out and I did feel that. Within a matter of minutes I heard Ford crying. I remember them asking Trey if he wanted to hold Ford. I wanted to hold Ford or at least see him. I heard Trey showing him off to the doctors and I remember trying to say through my oxygen mask that I wanted to see my baby.

I believe I was wheeled into the operating room at 3:25 and by 3:42 we had Ford. Shortly after 3:42 I was taken to recovery with Ford and Trey.
 

I was completely out of it and believe it or not, sweating. Yes, sweating. I remember being so hot I thought I would die. The room was tiny and I needed something to drink. The nurse told me that I couldn’t have anything to drink yet and that Ford and I both had fever since my water had broken 17 hours earlier.
 
I was hurting pretty good from being cut and desperately wanted to hold Ford but wasn’t sure how I could do that lying down. It was probably and hour and a half or two hours after he was born before I even held him.

I know looking at those pictures I look like a sweaty puffer fish, but people I had been through a lot. I am not ashamed of how I look in those pictures… only because I do not look like that now! Thank goodness that extra 32 pounds and then some came off.

It was about 6:00 at night before we were taken out of recovery and into a regular hospital room. I am sure all of our family was exhausted, but we told them not to come until something exciting happened… but no one listened to us.

Soon after everyone got their paws on him they went home for the night and Trey and I sat there trying to soak it all in. We both made the wise decision to let Ford sleep in the nursery. I am so glad we did. At about 2:00 in the morning a nurse came in and said it was time for my sponge bath. WHAT THE HECK! Who does sponge baths in the middle of the night? I desperately needed sleep since I had missed the night before. On Saturday, I asked them if I could take a shower since I hadn’t had one since 10:30 Thursday night when my water broke. I was denied the right to take a bath. I will have you know that I walked my happy self into that bathroom and stuck as much of my body as I could over that sink and washed off. Thank goodness on Sunday I was allowed to take a real bath. So the moral of this story is… if your water breaks take a bath before you go to the hospital because it could be DAYS before you bathe again!

They asked me on Sunday if I wanted to go home and I said no. I was scared to death to go home. I knew my mom was coming with me, but I really didn’t want to have to get up and move and that hospital bed was real nice. I asked them if I could take it home since you could raise it up and down and I was denied yet again. Finally on Monday, we packed up and went home.

I think this concludes my story. I could go on to chapter 4 about the first night home that was a complete nightmare but I will spare you all of that drama. Thanks for tuning in!!! I hope this has inspired someone else to share their story as well.

Part 2 of the journey

If you didn’t read my blog entry from yesterday, tonight’s entry will be hard to understand.



As I was saying, I passed the entrance exam. It was the real deal, no false labor… Ford was on his way. They wheeled me into a labor and delivery room where I asked for the epidural to come my way ASAP. Trey and I called our mothers to tell them it was for real and Puddin hopped in her car and headed north. By now it was about 1:00 and my mother was about to have a duck to come to the hospital. I told her I wanted to rest and if anything exciting happened I would let her know. I believe she was a little perturbed and entertained herself with some QVC home shopping network and with regular talks to Puddin as she drove from Jackson. Where were Pops and Boompa (our dads) you ask? Where do you think …. Asleep!


It had been a while since my water had broken and I was hurting. I don’t do pain well and on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the worst I think I was at a 9.9. Needless to say I was not pleasant to be around. Trey kept asking stupid questions like… “What does it feel like? Where does it hurt?” I remember VERY clearly in our child birth classes the nurses telling the dads to do as little talking as possible during this time. If it were necessary to talk, yes and no questions would be best. Apparently he had forgotten. I hadn’t. I spent the next hour like this…

For some reason yelling at the bed rails and hugging them tightly seemed to make me feel better. I couldn’t understand why the people wouldn’t come in with my epidural. I had not only asked for the thing twice already, but made it very clear at the last 4 or 5 doctor visits that I wanted to go ahead and sign up for one. My doctor laughed and said that was not necessary. Finally about 2:30 here comes the doctor to save the day with what appears to be his trusty side kick. Boy was I wrong! The side kick was a med student and I was her guinea pig. The next thing I knew they were telling me to lean over the side of the bed, hug a pillow, and relax. If anyone has ever had a baby and felt the pain of a 9.9 contraction relaxing isn’t exactly something you can do... much less when you know they are about to stick a needle the size of Texas in your back. Round one was a failed attempt. It hurt like a lot of bad words and then the med student tells me it DIDN’T WORK and she would have to stick me again. I wanted to panic. This time I did say a few choice words but apologized to her. I am sure they have heard much worse. Within 10 to 15 minutes I felt like this…

It is amazing how paralysis of the lower body can make a woman smile!

Neither Trey nor myself slept at all that night and by 6:00 or just a few minutes after we had a fan club.

Pictures while we wait…

By 8:00 that morning I was deeply concerned about my children at school. I was supposed to be at school that day. It was May 1… Ford wasn’t due until May 10. I called the school several times and sent text messages to other teachers giving them orders as to what should be happening. I was even supposed to go on a field trip that day. The school people got mad at me and said to stop calling and they would take care of my kids. It wasn’t like I had a lot to do. I was lying in the bed just waiting. And waiting we did.

I read a lot of baby books while I was pregnant. I was border line obsessed with it. You know in all the books I read none really told me how the actual birthing process would go. I was really thirsty and was told all I could have were some ice chips. BORING! I ate on those for a while. The nurses came in to check me every hour or two and I was making progress… just very slowly. One time they came in and said Ford’s heart beat was low and then I got to wear an oxygen mask.

As you can see being in labor is definitely not a red carpet moment. Apparently I ate too many ice chips because I started feeling nauseous. Lunch time came and went and we still had no baby. My epidural started to wear off so they had to rejoice me so I wouldn’t feel the lovely contractions. By about 2:45 they told me it looked like he wasn’t going to come out and they would have to do a section. MORE PAIN! Ohhh… I was not looking forward to that at all. But after almost 17 hours since my water had broken and no sleep I thought it might be a good idea.




To be continued….

This is how the journey went...

Okay blogging friends, I am back for the second day in a row. This is a pretty big deal considering it takes a little while to write, sometimes I check it, arrange the pictures, and then preview my master piece!!! I would write about my nonsense everyday if I didn’t have a day job and I made money doing this, but until then ya’ll will just have to take it when you can get it.




I decided to take the journey back one year ago this week and relive my last week of pregnancy. I know this may interest some of you, but I am actually doing this so I can publish my blog from my pregnancy thru Ford’s first year into a book as a keep sake. I think it will be a nice diary, if you will, for him to look back on many years from now.



So the Tuesday before Ford was born I was at school teaching away when I looked down and my feet/ankles looked like this.

Wow… I know!! Normally you can see my ankle bones I promise, and my shoes don’t leave marks on my feet. Trey and I went to the doctor that day and I had gained an astonishing 32 pounds total. I must say that is quite an accomplishment. We left the doctor’s office and went to eat Mexican with Ken, Ashley, Molly Cate and Caroline. If anyone is pregnant… eating Mexican won’t make you go into labor. I tried it and it didn’t work. Save yourself the time. We celebrated Ashley’s and Caroline’s birthday while we ate!! Speaking of … Happy Birthday tomorrow you two!! Here are some pictures from the Mexican fiesta last year.

So that was Tuesday. Wednesday, I got up go to school and then Trey and I went to church to eat supper. I remember what I wore. It was this same shirt right here.

Obviously this picture wasn’t taken at Wednesday night church. It was actually about 8 weeks before I had Ford in a town called Sebastopol. I told you I had a weird way of remembering stuff.
 
Thursday I got up and went to school. They had the All A’s Honor Breakfast and my student that I talk about a lot, Lucy, made me proud and had the highest average in the third grade. I had recess duty that day and a young man made me mad outside and I still say he made my water break.…no, not at school, but later. I left school went to Fred’s to buy some wrapping paper and went home. That night Trey, his dad, another couple, and myself went to eat in Sardis (10 miles south) and I ate a huge steak, potato, hush puppies, and bread. I think that was the straw that broke the camels back. It’s not Mexican food people, its steak. We came home, I showered and got in bed before 10:00. About 10:30 Trey got in bed and in doing so he woke me up. I got up and started down the hall to the bathroom and by the time I got there I thought I was too late. I then told myself that I was 26 years old and too old to wet my pants. I sat there a second and decided my water had broken. I went to tell Trey who at first did not believe me. I talked to him about the signs we had learned in child birth class and before I could say much more he was out of that bed and running.




I always thought I would be the one in the panic and he would be calm. It was completely the other way around. I think he showered, packed, got gas, and was honking the horn in the car before I got my second leg shaved. Yes, I took ANOTHER shower. And I am glad I did…. will discuss that later. About 11:00 or so we got in the car and headed north. At this time no one knows that my water has broken. We decided we better call his mom, Puddin, since she is in Jackson during the week. Then we called my parents and his dad. I think his dad, Pops, was a little ticked we woke him up. My mom insisted on coming to the hospital and I told her that was ridiculous that we would call her later. By the time we were 30 miles north of Senatobia I had to go to the bathroom. I told Trey to pull off at Southaven and he said no. I mean the nerve. I told him I HAD to go to the bathroom and it was in his best interest to PULL OVER. I waddled into Steak and Shake at about 11:30 and then we were off.



By this point I am starting to feel pretty terrible. I am thinking I may just be dying and that the hospital can’t come soon enough. We pull up at Baptist Women’s Hospital about midnight and Trey, being the gentleman that he is, lets me out at the door. I walked to the sliding glass doors sort of bent over like someone kicked me in the stomach and the first door opened automatically. I walked inside. The second door wasn't opening. I was thinking of all bloody times for someone to lock the door this is NOT it people. Trey was still parking the car and I was in excruciating pain and was in no mood to read any signs. Finally I found a button to push and walked in. Some man standing by a fountain told me good luck. I was thinking man you have NO IDEA what I feel like right now… just don’t even talk to me. Trey and I rode in the elevator to the labor and delivery floor where they ask me to FILL OUT PAPERWORK. I think I wanted to growl at the woman, but I did as she told me because she held all the power behind that little window. She had to push yet another button in order to let me back into the exam room.



Once I get in there they asked Trey to leave and decided to question me. I was asked about 100 random questions all the while the contractions are coming and I am wanting to claw someone’s eyes out. I was positive I was about 5 centimeters by this point. But to my amazement I was only 2. A measly 2. I had been at 2 for almost 2 weeks. I passed the entrance exam and was wheeled to a real room where I IMMEDIATELY asked for the epidural.

Stay tuned....

Need I Say More??

Trey had week 2 of basketball at our church with the youth. Need I say more???

On Saturday, we went to Germantown to Caroline’s second birthday party. My sister in-law, Ashley, takes decorating to a whole new level. She had everything sooo cute!! It basically stressed me out since Ford has his party this weekend. The kiddos got to go on a bird hunt using binoculars made out of swimming noodles, paint a picture with bird feathers, and eat yummy food. Ford was a little nervous at first but soon enjoyed himself thoroughly.

Molly Cate and Caroline putting on lip gloss

Ford and Uncle Ken

Ford and Gran

Eating

He just wasn't ready for the picture

Caroline in Boompa's shoes

Group hug

I know... this is just wrong!!!!

Caroline and her cupcake

A sweet friend in town made Ford this precious outfit that he wore to church on Sunday. We played outside right before we left for Sunday school.  And for anyone who might be confused about the initials on his outfit… they are correct. His actual name is Jefferson Hannaford Lamar.

We went to Double Decker in Oxford on Sunday after church. It was a nice day but a little difficult getting a stroller thru the crowds. Little man just sat back and relaxed and sipped on some apple juice.

This is Ford’s birthday week. On Saturday my baby will be 1. I absolutely CANNOT believe it. Trey just came in here and I asked him if he remembered what we were doing on this day last year. He looked at me like I was a crazy woman and said no. I then proceeded to tell him everything we did the week that Ford was born last year. He asked how I remembered it all. Special talent I guess!!! I remember weird stuff. Well, if you must know what we did on this day last year I will tell you. We went to the Tate County Republicans dinner and I won the best door prize. Anyone who has been reading my blog for at least a year would remember this ….

I won this bakers rack that now sits on our back porch. I need to put some pretty plants on it.

I really plan to blog a lot this week and talk about my pregnancy journey leading up to the big birth of Fordman. I may even get brave enough to put some old belly shots on here… so STAY TUNED!