I think I'm being a bit fast and lost with the word story in my title. To me a story is something you tell to kids before bedtime. Trust me, you don't want to hear this before bed. However, stories are supposed to have happy endings and PRAISE THE LORD this one does. Alright, let's start at the beginning (I hear that's a very good place to start).
Many, many months ago, with the full encouragement and approval of all my doctors I elected for a VBAC (Vaginal birth after c-section). I was a "great candidate" for this option. I have had two vaginal deliveries and it has been 3 years since my c-section with Jack. As with everything of course there were risks but I've had to sign a paper every three weeks of this pregnancy stating that I understood my baby could die with each and every procedure so the risks of uterine rupture didn't really phase me. I never even researched it (which is huge for me! I research everything!)
Fast forward to Tuesday night. I won't go into great detail here but let's just say my body wasn't really ready to deliver and despite numerous uncomfortable efforts to convince it otherwise it wasn't letting Isaiah out without a fight. 24 hours after starting pitocin and with it at it's highest level I was only 5 centimeters. We started talking C-section but then the doc checked me and was able to break my water. We moved across the hall to delivery and thought we were on our way. The contractions got strong and really painful. After about an hour of contractions suddenly the pain was INTENSE and I was yelling I needed an epidural. My nurse went for the docs and things got even worse. There was no break from the pain. It was so intense I was yelling. Thankfully my doctors recognized that I shouldn't have gone from "so happy" "such a trooper" to a yelling maniac without needing to push. Someone asked me where the pain was. When I put my hand on my lower belly I heard the doctor say to the resident, "I think her uterus ruptured." And then to me, "I told you I'd tell you if I felt like we needed to do a c-section. That time is here. We are going to have to put you under though, ok?" I distinctly remembering nodding, and saying really quick between screams, "I don't care just get him out!!!!"
They rushed me into the OR where they started the process of putting me under. I'm sure it only took a few minutes but it felt like forever. I know I had time to yell, "Please knock me out! Please knock me out" several times. I also remember the anesthesiologist saying, "do you think you could sit up for about 15 minutes so we could do an epidural?" Both the doctor and I yelled, "NO!" and then I was out.
It wasn't until much later that I learned that things went from bad to worse once they put me under and it is by the grace of God that Isaiah and I are here today. When they opened me up they found that not only had my uterus ruptured but my placenta was detaching (super bad news!) Isaiah was in the process of losing his lifeline from the placenta. His first Apgar score was a 4. Most babies are 8 or 9 after 1 minute. He needed help right away. At 5 minutes his score was up to a 6 when most babies are a 10. Finally at 10 minutes old he reached a 9. Basically if they had waited much longer to do the c-section my placenta would have detached and he likely wouldn't have made it. Happily I didn't find this out until I got home.
By the time I woke up both Isaiah and I had been given blood. He was doing well in the NICU and everyone assured me he was fine. He spent 3 1/2 days in the NICU under the lights and then came in a room with me for a day and a half and then we were both released.
While our story was not at all what we had imagined I am so happy to have Isaiah here. He truly is a miracle and we are blessed to have him in our lives!!!
Don't want to miss any exciting announcements? Sign up for my email list in the upper right hand corner of the page! And thanks for reading!
Many, many months ago, with the full encouragement and approval of all my doctors I elected for a VBAC (Vaginal birth after c-section). I was a "great candidate" for this option. I have had two vaginal deliveries and it has been 3 years since my c-section with Jack. As with everything of course there were risks but I've had to sign a paper every three weeks of this pregnancy stating that I understood my baby could die with each and every procedure so the risks of uterine rupture didn't really phase me. I never even researched it (which is huge for me! I research everything!)
Fast forward to Tuesday night. I won't go into great detail here but let's just say my body wasn't really ready to deliver and despite numerous uncomfortable efforts to convince it otherwise it wasn't letting Isaiah out without a fight. 24 hours after starting pitocin and with it at it's highest level I was only 5 centimeters. We started talking C-section but then the doc checked me and was able to break my water. We moved across the hall to delivery and thought we were on our way. The contractions got strong and really painful. After about an hour of contractions suddenly the pain was INTENSE and I was yelling I needed an epidural. My nurse went for the docs and things got even worse. There was no break from the pain. It was so intense I was yelling. Thankfully my doctors recognized that I shouldn't have gone from "so happy" "such a trooper" to a yelling maniac without needing to push. Someone asked me where the pain was. When I put my hand on my lower belly I heard the doctor say to the resident, "I think her uterus ruptured." And then to me, "I told you I'd tell you if I felt like we needed to do a c-section. That time is here. We are going to have to put you under though, ok?" I distinctly remembering nodding, and saying really quick between screams, "I don't care just get him out!!!!"
They rushed me into the OR where they started the process of putting me under. I'm sure it only took a few minutes but it felt like forever. I know I had time to yell, "Please knock me out! Please knock me out" several times. I also remember the anesthesiologist saying, "do you think you could sit up for about 15 minutes so we could do an epidural?" Both the doctor and I yelled, "NO!" and then I was out.
It wasn't until much later that I learned that things went from bad to worse once they put me under and it is by the grace of God that Isaiah and I are here today. When they opened me up they found that not only had my uterus ruptured but my placenta was detaching (super bad news!) Isaiah was in the process of losing his lifeline from the placenta. His first Apgar score was a 4. Most babies are 8 or 9 after 1 minute. He needed help right away. At 5 minutes his score was up to a 6 when most babies are a 10. Finally at 10 minutes old he reached a 9. Basically if they had waited much longer to do the c-section my placenta would have detached and he likely wouldn't have made it. Happily I didn't find this out until I got home.
By the time I woke up both Isaiah and I had been given blood. He was doing well in the NICU and everyone assured me he was fine. He spent 3 1/2 days in the NICU under the lights and then came in a room with me for a day and a half and then we were both released.
Don't want to miss any exciting announcements? Sign up for my email list in the upper right hand corner of the page! And thanks for reading!
No comments:
Post a Comment
I love comments!