Take Me Back Tuesdays: TRex

Five years ago today around 7:00am, I headed to my obstetrician's office for my weekly visit. I was 37 weeks pregnant in what had been a very healthy, normal pregnancy. I had felt no labor pains, shown no signs of impending labor, so I went into my appointment thinking it was same old, same old.

I stood on scale, peed in a cup, then they took my blood pressure. It was high, really high. So, they had me lay down for 10 minutes and took my blood pressure again. Still crazy high. Then I told the doc about the headache I had been experiencing for the previous couple of days. I was immediately sent to the hospital for observation for preeclampsia.

I was just being observed though, so I told my husband and mom not to come. Good thing they didn't listen because by the time my husband arrived, I was admitted, started on magnesium, and being induced. I was petrified and then I was just hot (from the magnesium) and miserable.

Pitocin was started around noon on Wednesday, August 16, 2006. By 7:00 p.m. that night, I had had nothing to eat or drink since 7:00 am, I was on complete bed rest, I was starting to have induced contractions, and I was incredibly hot. My family surrounded me, waiting for the arrival of my son. We were told he would arrive no later than Friday morning.  He had different plans.

By Thursday afternoon, I was only dilated 3 cm, but they gave me my first epidural because the pain was so intense. And I was still so very, very hot from the magnesium. On top of all that, I developed an allergic reaction to something and my face swelled up like crazy and I remember I kept scratching my eyes. I looked like I was totally beaten up.

By late Friday afternoon, I was still only dilated 3 cm, had had at least one more epidural. I hadn't had anything to eat or drink (save a few ice chips) since Wednesday at 7:00 am.  I hadn't left the delivery room table since Wednesday at 11:00 am and I was terribly weak and exhausted.  Then, I started to have pushing contractions.

The pushing contractions continued through Friday night and Saturday morning. Yet, I was only 3 cm dilated. Around 4:00am, baby TRex started to go into distress from all of the banging on the closed wall that was cervix. The pitocin was stopped. Thankfully, TRex recovered and my doctor asked me if I wanted to continue trying for a natural delivery or have a c-section. Despite being very weak, I chose to continue the pitocin. Less than half an hour later though, I could no longer do it. I had nothing left. 

TRex was born via emergency c-section the morning of Saturday, August 19, 2006. The Mad Scientist was immediately able to hold him and love on him. He held baby TRex up to me so I could kiss his sweet little head before I was whisked away to recovery. 

It's been five years, but I remember so clearly sitting in the hospital with my sweet boy for the first time. I am so grateful for such a wonderful little boy. I would gladly do it all over again, magnesium, pitocin, and all, just for him.