After being sent home from the hospital, I spent a very uncomfortable couple of weeks at home. Not only was I on pregnancy related bed rest because of the contractions, but I was also immobile due to the ankle. Those days were spent moving (by walker) from the bed to the couch catching up on some reading here and there until I got too uncomfortable to even get out of bed. On Thursday, May 2oth, we went to our standing Thursday appointment with our sweet Dr. Rowe. Our appointment was set for 10:30. He was not happy with the movement he was seeing from Madelyn and had me drink some juice (it was a capri sun...what a throw back to elementary school field trips!). When that didn't help he asked us to go have lunch and come back. We went to Jason's Deli and returned to his office so he could take another look. When he still wasn't pleased with what he saw, he decided to send us to the hospital to be monitored over night.
Now, some may have been alarmed by being sent to the hospital, but since this was my third trip since the "fall" we really didn't bat an eye. We scooted across the street to the hospital where I greeted all my "old friends" (the nurses) on the 4th floor. As they settled us in I called my mother and she headed this way to take care of Clara since we were going to be there over night. I told Sheldon to go on home, get our bag, and play with Clara for a little while. After all, we had ended up being gone a lot longer than we planned. While he was gone, Mom and I were watching tv and all of a sudden the Dr. and nurses ran into our room shouting for someone to bring oxygen...we were shocked and momentarily wondered if perhaps they had the wrong room. One of the nurses calmly explained that I would be having a c-section. Everything was happening so fast I actually didn't realize she meant right then. When they started readying my hospital bed to move, I asked in confusion, "You mean now?...Like soon?...Should I call my husband". The nurse explained that, yes this was happening right now. Madelyn's heart rate had dropped too low for too long and I would be having an emergency c-section. Stunned into action, I looked in panic to my mother who was already calling Sheldon. Was this really happening?
The next thing I knew we were flying down the hospital corridor and the nurses were yelling for people to move out of their way. It felt like my very own episode of "Grey's Anatomy". My regular Dr. was out of town this weekend and another Dr. from her practice was on call for her. The thought of having a stranger operating, plus the sheer fact that this was happening so fast made me feel pretty panicky. I remember praying in the elevator and wishing Dr. Rowe (the specialist I had been seeing) would be there. There is something about him that is so comforting. When we got to the OR, low and behold, there he was! He had a previously scheduled c-section for that OR that we, as an emergency, were bumping. Seeing him, relief just washed over me. He was already scrubbed in so he assisted my Dr. during the surgery. We were so worried Sheldon wouldn't make it in time since he had to drive from our house to Clear Lake in 5 o'clock traffic. At first they told my mom that there wasn't time to have an epidural; they would have to completely put me out so no one could be in there with me anyway. When we got to the OR though and they put on the heart monitor again her heartbeat was up enough they decided we had time for an epidural after all. Poor Sheldon has probably never driven that fast in his entire life! Although he hadn't made it there when they started, my mom stayed in there with me and a nurse stood by with scrubs for Sheldon. As soon as he got there and slipped them on he and Mom switched places. He made it about 30 seconds after Dr. Rowe lifted Madelyn out!
Throughout the whole process I felt like I was having some kind of out of body experience. It never really felt like that was actually happening to me (boy did it the next day though!). I couldn't believe one minute I was settling in for another hospital stay and wondering what to watch on TV when "Friends" was over and the next I was being told I was about to have an emergency c-section.
Although I suppose we all wake up every day not really knowing what is in store for us, you can bet this was definitely not how I expected our day to play out!
Right after the surgery...boy do epidurals work!
Our beloved Dr. Rowe.
The proud new Daddy!
My two birth partners.
