The Dubs In NC: Life.Is.Fulfilled

It's been almost two weeks
2 and half months ~~6 months~~
~~9 months~~
1 year (yup! I started this post back on July 9th!) since Drake made his debute and I felt like I should sit down and write out what happened during his birth...for me to have record and because I thought I would share with ya'll. Just a warning...I'll try not to get too emotional on you! :)

On Tuesday night (23rd), Nate and I went for two walks. We walked before dinner and after dinner. I was exhausted and when we went to bed, I thought I would sleep awesome! I had only worked a half day that because I didn't feel well and planned to rest for the next day's work. We went to bed around 10pm and I was feeling rather uncomfortable already. Nate drifted off to sleep for a little and I walked around the house and rested until these "weird pains" wouldn't stop around 1230am. I woke Nate up and after we got the car loaded, we were off to the hospital.

Hospital visit #1: Got into triage around 2am. I was only dilated to 2cm. (I had been 1.5cm at Monday's checkup with OB doctor). They offered me an Ambien to go home and sleep or told me to go to Wal-Mart and walk A LOT. It was 2 am but I didn't want to take an Ambien so we came home and tried to nap for a little bit. They told me to come back around 6-7am and make sure to eat a good breakfast as it might be my last meal for a little while. We slept until 6:30, Nate went to a place down the road and got us bacon sandwiches for breakfast and then we headed back to the hospital.

Hospital visit #2: Got into triage around 8am. I was still at 2cm but this time they told me to go walk for sure! We went to the Marine Corp Exchange and walked around for an hour and half. Then went to Dunkin Donuts for a quick snack.

Hospital visit #3: Got into triage around 10:30am. I was now dilated to 3cm but they won't admit you until you get to 4cm so they sent us to walk some more. Again, they said get some food and come back around 1pm. We met a friend, Ashley, at a local diner like place and had some lunch. I wasn't hungry and the contractions were starting to get stronger and last longer.

Hospital visit #4: Finally got into triage around 2pm and the same lady checked me as had at visit 2 and 3. She said, "you're pretty close to 4cm, let me tell the doctor and see if they want to admit you." It took a while but they finally decided to admit me but since the Labor & Delivery ward was booming (thus the extra hour of waiting to get checked), I hung out there for a while. We had worked with a lady (Rebecca) and had planned to Hynobirthing as a method of natural delivery. Rebecca showed up while I was in triage waiting to get admitted and started to work with me. I wasn't timing contractions since I was there and they were getting ready to hook me up to a machine but they were getting stronger and closer together so I was getting rather uncomfortable. Rebecca worked with me a little and got me to calm down and relax and before I knew it, I was on my way to the birthing suite.

As an officially admitted patient, the nurse said that she was going to introduce me to my doctor for the evening but they were about to change doctors so they would got ahead and get my bloodwork, paperwork, etc. and then I could met Dr. Temple. I was SO excited - that was my regular doctor!!! I loved him!

You see, there are like 15 different OB doctor's at the hospital and in previous visit to L&D I had met a not-so-friend doctor or two. It was then that I knew things would be okay.

They got me all hooked up and took care of the requirements and realized they were having problems getting a good read on my contractions and Drake's heartbeat.

Dr. Temple broke my water so they could insert the filament into Drake's head while still inside of me and measure his heartrate. After they tried a new machine for reading my contractions, the determined that he was in a little distress and in order to keep his heart rate where it was suppose to be, I had to roll from my left side to my right side every few minutes and I had to wear an oxygen mask on full blast.
A little after 6:15pm, Dr. Temple came to me with the news.

Because we had a previous history, he knew my concerns and family history. He had reassured me weeks before that if there was a cord problem, they would see a certain pattern in his heart rate and my contractions. Well, his words to me, "Well, Stacy, remember that pattern I told you about? We are seeing it now." My heart fell to floor. I had made it to 7cm without any help from pain medication and was actually rather comfortable.

The hypnobirthing was working and I was relaxed (except for the rolling back and forth every few minutes) and this was not part of "the plan." Actually, this moment had been running through my head for months and gosh darnit, I was terrified.

But, Dr. Temple was really honest and he said he had two options. They could use some device that would essentially flush water back inside of me and if the cord that was pushing on "something" was on his foot or arm, it could float off of whatever it was pushing on and Drake's heart rate would return to normal. They could do this "flushing" thing (I can't remember what it is called) for 10-15 minutes and then if they didn't see any change, they would have to do a c-section. Nate and I talked and I asked Dr. Temple to just skip the flush and take me to the operating room. He said that wouldn't be a problem and the process started quickly.

Nate was given his OR apparel so he could be next to me while they get Drake out and I signed the paperwork.

Off we went to the operating room!
The plan was to start a spinal block (remember, I had nothing but an IV going thus far) and then open me up. While I was moving from the bed to the operating table, Drake's heart rate plummeted. I got an oxygen mask, felt them clean my belly off and heard all the talk. Dr. Temple, the anesthesiologist, and operating doctor had a quick discussion. Drake's heart was barely beating from the monitor I could hear.

The nurse at my head leaned down and said, "Stacy, I'm sorry, we're going to have to put you to sleep now. Just relax."
Nate was left outside of the OR wondering what was going on. They dropped the curtain on the window and didn't come out and tell him what was going on for a little while.

He got to see Drake shortly after and said that he was screaming loud and had his momma's lungs. It took a while but Nate finally got a nurse to explain what had happened briefly and went to wait for word to head to the Recovery Room.
I woke up easy and felt really weird to be there without my baby but Nate was by my side and I was a-okay. After coming to and finding out where we were going I was off to my room.