Toby Gage Has Arrived!

I went into the hospital on September 1st at 5:30 a.m. It was a scheduled c-section. They started an iv right when I arrived and I laid in the hospital bed and watched the morning news until 7:45 a.m. The anesthesiologist came in and talked to me. He explained how the spinal block worked and what would happen if it didn't work. They said since I had a hard time the first time, if I felt pain during surgery this time they would just put me completely under. I was starting to panic! Caleb, Noah, my mom, dad, brother, and grandmother all came to the hospital and was out in the waiting room. The doctor came in around 7:45 and asked me if I was ready - umm, yeah! I've been ready :) Caleb and my mom suited up and they wheeled me into the OR. Caleb and mom had to wait until I had my spinal block and for the surgery to begin (to see if it is going to start out well) and then they got the ok to come in. Rewind a little: I was wheeled into the OR and it was a smallish room with all these tools, towels, gauze pads, ect all laid out on a table in the corner. I was freaking the hell out at this point. I got off the bed and walked around the operating table, sat up and took a deep breath. They had me open my gown in the back so they could start the spinal. I was absolutely terrified that it wasn't going to work like last time (had epidural last time). I had the best team ever in there - it was fantastic. They were all very kind and reassuring, which was what I needed! The sweet little nurse was in front of me holding my neck down while two dudes were poking into my back. After about 10 minutes I teared up and then started to cry. The anesthesia guy knew I was upset and kept telling me I was doing great and it wasn't taking longer than normal, they were just taking their time to make sure they were getting it right. I dried my eyes and all of a sudden I felt this rush go down my body, from below my boobs all the way to my toes. It was the weirdest, coolest feeling ever. They had me lay back pretty quickly but I fell back because I couldn't control anything from my chest down. LOL. It made me laugh. Then I seen then raise my hospital gown to start prepping me and all I could think about was me being completely naked in front of all these people - so I reached down and pushed my hospital gown back over me. They pulled my gown back up - then I pushed it right back down. The anesthesia guy finally said, in the most sweetest calm voice ever, "ok now, I have to tie your arms down...because I don't think the dr needs your help". haha, ok so I was restrained. Then the dr started doing his thing and I could smell my skin burning. I'd much rather smell it than feel it like last time! Then Caleb and mom got to come in there and I was so thankful. They were my sanity. About 20 minutes into it I heard Caleb say "babe, they just broke your water!". Then I heard a female voice say "ok, you're going to feel lots of pressure because I'm having to push the baby down"...I did feel pressure, but no pain! Then I looked up over the tall curtain and the doctor was holding my precious baby boy up over it!! All I could do was cry and thank God!! Toby Gage Fleming came into the world on September 1st  at 8:47 a.m. and weighed 6lbs 13oz, 19 1/4 inches long. He barely even cried and sounded like a tiny kitten. They got him swaddled up and Caleb carried him to the nursery. Mom had walked out with him because they won't allow anyone to stay in there while I'm being sewn up. Not sure why. As I was being sewn up I heard the dr ask someone about blood loss - then I thought I was seeing stars and was fixing to pass out. I just knew I was bleeding to death. (I'm negative nelly). So I hollered out "what's my blood loss?"  Dr told me 200 -and of course that meant nothing to me. So I asked him if that was a bad thing and he said that it was actually a very very good thing because most c-section patients lose 500-600 during surgery. Yay, I wasn't seeing stars after all! I was alive and well and my baby was doing awesome! I felt no pain in recovery, the nurses put the compression things on my legs to prevent blood clots, and I recieved pain meds every 4-6 hrs. Yay! It was absolutely one of the best experiences of my life. I came home two days later feeling like my old self. I'm so thankful.

Noah was so happy to finally meet his baby brother. My mom took a picture of Noah right when he first laid eyes on his brother and it's a moment to remember! Priceless. I am very much in love with my family and I thnak God every single day for blessing me as much as He has. I do have post partum pre-eclampsia, which the dr said would straighten out on its own. Other than that, we're doing wonderful!

Uncomfy

I'm having more and more Braxton Hicks these days and they're beginning to be more uncomfortable. Yesterday it was so strong that I had to lay down with a heating pad & take two Tylenol. I'll mention it to my dr on Friday, just to see what he says. I'm not sure if I'll be checked at this visit or not - I think it may just be the Group B Strep testing. My cousin had her baby boy the other day! His name is Reece & he weighed 7lbs 11oz! He's such a little cutie, too. She didn't labor long and with three pushes - he was born! Lucky girl! He was born on my original due date 8-9-10 (I miscarried in early December). While I was visiting her and the baby, I spoke to some nurses there and they were very nice & made me feel more secure about the whole c-section/being taken care of issue. I will always have anxiety over it, I know...but maybe I can be less freaked out on the day of. If not, they'll have to give me a nerve pill!!

34 weeks!

My appointment went well today. BP was normal and I've gained 2 lbs since my last appt. I almost started moo'ing, no joke...I am feeling less and less like myself lately & I honestly think I'm getting down in the dumps about having to have a c-section. I'm just praying all goes well and me & baby are healthy. Anyway, not much longer now & Noah will have a brother!!! I can't wait to meet him, kiss all over his sweet baby face, & love him to bits!

Getting Nervous

It seems like just yesterday I was peeing on a stick. Now here I am pretty much 10 weeks away from giving birth and I'm a nervous wreck. I had a c-section with Noah & it was a HORRIBLE experience. I'm not sure if I've ever blogged about it or not. November 2005 I was induced. Contractions started up as normal & increased throughout the day. 12 hours later I was still having contractions (no pain meds - trying the natural route) yet I couldn't dilate past 4. The nurse suggested an epidural even though I was dead set on having a natural birth. She said it might cause me to relax and make things go more quickly. So I caved. It was around 9 pm and the nurse anethesist was downstairs, he had been napping (no lie). He was grumpy & treated me like a dog. At least the pain was gone! About 45 minutes later the midwife checked me and Noah had turned last minute. He was "sunny side up". They said if he was turned or if I tried to push it would break his neck and/or collar bone. I was then wheeled to the OR fo a c-section. Noah's heart rate was also starting to jump around a little and that was making everyone nervous. While I was being wheeled down the hall I started having contractions again and could feel my legs and my toes. I mentioned it and the nurse anethesist said the epidural thingy had came out of my back. WTF?! I was seconds from the OR. Seconds from being sliced open & I could feel everything from the waist down?! While I was still moving he "fixed" it. I was a ball of nerves. I was crying so hard I couldn't even breathe. Everything was pretty much numb, even though I could still slightly feel parts of my body from the waist down. I thought that was normal...how should I have known it wasn't? My dr started doing his thing and told me I would smell a burning smell - before I could smell anything, I felt it. Searing pain going across my stomach. I let out this big screech & he looked puzzled. fyi, he had no clue my epidural had been screwed up and I wasn't in my right mind or I would have thought to have told him. He asked if I could feel that -and of course I told him yes. So he stopped everything (duh) and used a topical numbing agent. Waited a couple of minutes and started again. I felt a stinging sensation but I figured that was normal because I could tolerate it. But who am I kidding. I have an extremely high pain tolerance. About a minute later I felt this horrible crazy searing pain & I couldn't tolerate that at all - it was horrifying. I felt like I was being burned alive with knives in my stomach. After applying the topical numbing shit twice - i was knocked out cold. I don't remember the rest of it. I can barely remember hearing Noah cry after he was born - it sounded like I was in a long tunnel & he was at the other end of it. The next thing I remember was waking up in the recovery room and shortly after I was then wheeled to my room. It was almost midnight. My husband and mom stayed the night with me that night. Here's the other scary part. I never seen a nurse, never got anything for pain. NOTHING. I swear. After midnight, the next time I saw a dr or nurse was when my OB came to check on me the next morning around 9 a.m. I was in tears. Had been all night. I thought I was going to die. My mom and husband had walked the halls all night trying to get someone to help me. No nurse, no pain meds, noone gave me a pad, noone put a bed pad down in my bed. Tmi, but it looked like a murder scene had taken place in my room. The dr was furious. Absolutely furious! He had ordered me something for pain that was suppose to be given to me every so many hours. The nurse that I never had didn't even put those leg stocking things on me that helps prevent blood clots. My dr stormed out of the room & got things taken care of quickly. From there on out I was treated like a Queen. That night just felt like a week & it was the most painful and most scary time of my life. OH, I never even got to see Noah either!!! Not unil the next morning after I had been taken care of. Then I developed pneumonia and had a fever..so Noah had to stay in the nursery (even longer) until my fever broke. I was in the hospital for 7 days. I'm praying daily that this doesn't happen again. I've been so scared & nervous that I can't even enjoy this pregnancy...