The Labor

Like many first time parents emotions run high and once labor hits those emotions run even higher. About 7pm Saturday, August 12th I started to feel what I thought were true labor contractions. My due date was August 9, 2006 so I was a few days after my estimated due date. The contractions were mild, just felt like my tummy was getting tight. I did my normal routine that evening and went to bed fairly early as we had church the next morning. During the night I literally was up every hour on the hour going to the bathroom. At 5 in the morning I woke once again but decided to roll over because I had 1 more hour before I had to be out of bed. As I rolled over I felt a sharp pain and at that point the contractions were coming very frequently and getting more and more painful. I got up and went to the bathroom. I had a horrible stomach ache and was sweating. I took a warm bath and shaved my legs in preparation for my big LABOR DAY!

I was putting my make up on and fighting off the pain of the contractions. I eventually woke Mike up to tell him the good news, our baby girl was going to be here soon!! I also called my mom and my sister to tell them the news. I was still feeling very hot and kept buckling over in pain. I was finishing getting ready and Mike was making arrangements for our friend to come and pick up our dog. I got to the point where I could no longer stand the pain and I told Mike we better go. I was dying of thirst, but forgot to grab water on the way out.

We get ourselves into the car and head to the hospital. We get to the freeway and there is traffic! Oh this pain is intense, I can't even stand to be sitting. I am using the handle on the roof of the car to keep my butt off the seat of the car. It hurts so much, I am pleading with God to take this pain away. Mike manages to quickly get around the traffic, maybe he even drove on the shoulder I really don't know as I was in so much pain.

We arrive at the hospital and Mike asks if I want my stuff out of the car. I said no as I figure he will have plenty of time to go back to the car to get my blanket, pillow, the camera and the camcorder. We walk to the entrance of the hospital and we both draw a blank as to where Labor and Delivery is. Since it is a Sunday there is hardly a sole in sight. Mike goes to look at the directory and I lean against the wall in pain and dying of thirst. Suddenly I remember how to get to l&d, I call for Mike but the pain is so intense i hardly have the energy to yell for him. He makes his way back and I tell him I know where to go. We get in the elevator and get to the check in desk, it is 8:29 am. I am begging for water, no one helps me though. They take me to triage and ask me to change my clothes and get into the bed. I am having yet another contraction, they were coming like every few seconds. i tell her I am dying and I can't get into the bed. I beg for water. She laughs at me and tells me I am not dying and ignores my request for water.

Finally I get myself into the bed and I tell the other patients (I never saw any of them face to face) that I am sorry if I am being too loud. The nurse asks me where the baby's heartbeat is usually detected and I was in so much pain I had no idea. Next thing I know several doctors come in along with an ultrasound machine. I am still experiencing terrible contractions. They hook up the u/s machine and I hear " I found it, but it's really low" and in my mind I am like oh no I can't have an epidurral I am ready to push?! Then I hear that I am dialed to a 3 and I need to be wheeled to the operating room right away. As they wheel me away they crash the gurney into the wall as the idiot Dr. Comeaux asks if she should just take me to the recovery room. At this point I have no idea whats going on but in my head I feel like they are all overreacting.

I get into the o/r and they ask me to get on the operating table. Nobody assisted me and I am in pain, oh and I am still so thirsty it is unbelievable. I get on the operating table and from behind someone grabs my hand and stabs me with an IV needle, I shouted ouch and jerked my hand. A little warning would have been nice. At almost the same time they give me a mask and tell me to breath in so I can go to sleep. I protest and say, wait a minute I don't understand why I have to go to sleep people have c-sections awake all of the time. At this point finally someone tells me what's going on. I am told that the baby is in distress and they don't have time to wait for me to do a c-section while I am awake. At this point I feel another painful contraction coming so I decide to breath through the mask in hopes of not feeling the full pain of this contraction.

To Be Continued...