My Labor Story
I am not sure exactly what everyone has heard so I figured I would fill everyone in with my side of the story...
Yesterday around 12:30 pm I ate lunch and brushed my teeth and had my mom braid my hair (which I am so happy she did as it stayed out of my way the whole night). Peter came and got me after dropping off the girls and then we went to my Dr appointment at 1:30. When I got to the office it was like any other visit. All the nurses said hello and we talked about little things and then I was called back for my ultrasound. This week we were going to measure all the babies again to make sure they were all growing right and then check my cervix to see how long it was. We always start with Baby A as she is lowest and usually the hardest one to measure. The tech started off and right away she said "I can't get a heartbeat for A" I didn't think anything of it as A was always moving around so much and so squished in there that sometimes you had to get her to come out. I said "Oh she's just hiding in there" but the tech pointed to the screen and said "no, there's her heart but there is no heartbeat." At first I didn't know what to say, I think was just in denial because I didn't want to believe her. Then I got really upset because she wasn't doing anything to help her. I didn't understand why she wasn't taking some action to get her back but then it dawned on me that A just didn't make it and she wasn't going to come back. After that I was just really sad. The rest of the visit was a blurr. I cried the whole time but I had to stay there and let the tech take the measurements of the other two babies and then go back to A and take pictures for the Dr. I couldn't help crying and all I wanted to do was go home and be alone. I had to finish the appointment and have my cervix checked and it was pretty close to where it was two weeks ago. The Dr came in and talked to me about what usually happens at this point when a baby dies of Twin to Twin Transfusion (this is the same problem we had before when I had to go through the amniocentesis). He said there was a chance that baby B could die also because A was no longer giving any resistance and they shared a placenta. Peter and I stayed in a Consult room for a couple of hours and the Dr tried to find me room at the hospital so we could deliver in the morning. Finally the hospital said they had room in the NICU for the babies and we were free to leave the office and head over for the night. It was about 6:30 when we got to the hospital. They took me in pretty quickly and put me in triage. I had to wait a while for them to come and hook me up and I told Peter that I hoped they hurried because I was feeling a lot of contractions and I wanted to see them on the monitor. The nurse came in and got the heartbeats for B and C and then put the contraction monitor on and then left the room. Peter left to go to mom's and get some of my things and also to pick up some dinner since I hadn't eaten since lunch. While he was gone the nurse came in and told me I was having contractions pretty regularly and to give myself a boost of terbutaline (the pump in my leg) to calm them down. After about another half hour she came back in and asked if she could do an exam because my contractions had calmed a little but were still regular. I said that was fine and by the time I was ready Peter had returned and the Dr showed up. He did the exam expecting me to be about 1 cm dilated as I was three weeks ago but found me to be about 4-5. As most of you know you are ready to push at 10cm so the dr immediately called for an emergency c-section and they started prepping me for the procedure. The contractions were getting a lot stronger and it was really hard for me not to cry out in pain. The nurse tried four times to put in IV in before she finally got it. By this time I was in a lot of pain and the contractions were really strong and about 2 minutes apart. The anesthesiologist came up to talk to me about getting a spinal and I could barely listen to him. It seemed like forever but they finally pushed me into the operating room where they had me sit up on the edge of the bed so they could numb me. I have had an epidural before and spinals are similar but they don't leave a catheder in your back and the medicine takes effect immediately. Once they put the spinal in they helped me lie back down on the operating table because my legs were already getting numb. They had me take off all my jewelry and glasses and I had to lay on my back with my arms stretched out to the sides. Once they got the drapes up and incision site cleaned and prepped Peter was aloud in to be with me. The IM of the babies had also made it there after the dr called to tell her we had to deliver now. She was in the operating room also and was being very supportive. I could feel tugging and pulling on the otherside of the curtain, someone asked if I could feel any pain and I said no and asked if they had started. Apparently they had and that was a really strange feeling. The doctor took out all three babies in about 5 minutes and then proceeded to take out the placentas and sew me up. I felt movement but there was no pain.
Once I was cleaned up they sent me back to the Labor/Recovery room where I stayed until about 5:30 in the morning when they moved me into my own room. I didn't get much sleep as the girl that was next me apparently had a bad delivery and was in a lot of pain and then the girl next to her was getting prepped for her surgery and wasn't happy. I never got to eat my dinner Peter brought me but he brought me more for lunch today.
I am in bed and in pain with really bad cramps but I am trying to work through it and I have taken some pain killers. I heard that getting up and moving as soon as possible helps in the recovery so I got up with Peter's help and walked around my room a bit. When I felt more pain I returned to bed and sat down as I don't want to over do it. I never got to see the babies and the IPs may not let me at all. It's really sad to know I did everything I could for them for 8 months and I can't say good bye. It is their decision though and I will respect it though I don't understand it. I just really want to know if they are alright. The IP's haven't stopped in to see me and I don't know if they are going to. I know they must be devastated right now with the loss of their little girl and I don't even want to imagine being in their shoes. Please continue to pray for them and their new family.
Thank you to everyone for your prayers, calls, and emails. It is really helpful to know that everyone loves and supports me. I can't wait to go home, it will be almost four weeks that I have been there. Abbi's birthday is Friday also so I would like to be able to spend the day with my new two year old. Please continue to write to me it really helps lift my spirits. Emotionally I think I am kind of numb today. Yesterday was really long and I went through a lot, I think it has to catch up with me before I can start working through it.
posted by We are the Taylors @ 5:07 PM
1 comments
1 Comments:
I think you are so brave to do this
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