Birth Story

It has taken so long to get this out here. I want to remember in a few years so I figure I better get it done before too much more time passes.

I started out wanting to have a VBAC. It was all in order as long as my body would cooperate. Those chances were slightly squashed when I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes in my 28th week. Diabetic mothers typically have larger babies therefore making delivery harder.

Then came our big move to MO. I found a Doctor who was willing to still give VBAC a chance as long as everything still fell into place. Around 37 weeks we did an US and he had Sophia weighing in at 8lbs. He said at this point he would still attend a VBAC, but highly suggested against it. He said the risk of complication was so high it was not worth it. My diabetes was out of control and I was on maximum doses of glyburide at this point.


We agreed to a C-section, so my Doctor scheduled it for December 15th at 1:30pm. This was 3 days before my due date so 39 weeks 4 days. I was so hoping I would go into labor on my own and still get the chance to feel what it was like. That did not happen :)



On December 15th, 2008 I was wheeled into the OR and given my spinal. I was so miserable for about 20min after that feeling sick, my blood pressure kept falling and I was having to receive meds through my IV to bring it back up. I was dry heaving, feeling completely numb like I couldn't breathe. Then at 2:10 pm you were born and made every bit of it worth it for me. You were 9lbs 13oz and had a head of red hair.

In the recovery room I still had not gotten to hold you yet cause you were having trouble breathing. The NICU team came in and took you away to check you out. Isabella and Abigail came up just long enough to see them wheeling you out of the room in a hurry. Once in the NICU they found you were not breathing well enough on your own and wanted to make sure there was no infection. The did a CBC and found your blood count levels to be very high so they started IV antibiotics. Then they found a heart murmur and needed to do an US of your heart. Then your blood sugars dropped to 7 and they needed to give you sugar water and formula. I still had not seen you and it was our second day in the hospital. The NICU doctors were keeping us informed every step of the way, but it was still the hardest thing I have done not being able to see you for 2 days. I was not able to walk yet and my bed could not fit in the room. The Doctors decided to do a spinal tap to rule out meningitis. Finally I was able to get in a wheelchair and come to you.

While I was in your room, I started having vision loss in the left eye. I got back to my room and told the nurse and then a whole slew of people started rushing in. The neurologist, a vision specialist, an on call OB/GYN. They ordered a CT scan, an MRI, US of my corroted artery, US of my heart, blood work. The determined by their best guesses that I had a stroke of the eye caused by a blood clot that was traveling and it dissipated in my eye causing the temporary blindness.

The next day on December 18th my incision came open and the Doctor tried taping it. The tape did not hold and he had to stick some tweezers inside the incision to open it back up to try to get more skin. He then decided it needed to heal as an open wound. Poor Nick had to irrigate it every day and pack it with gauze. I can only imagine how nasty that was. Nick took pictures of it each day to see how it was healing.

We finally got to go home on Friday December 20th and it was wonderful. My mom was still here with the girls and she would get one more day to visit with Sophia before she had to go back home to FL. I only got to see my mom for a short time and it was so hard seeing her leave.

I got sick a few days after my mom left and had to go back to the hospital for IV fluids. My Aunt drove down to help us out and be with the girls while Nick took care of me. I really did not feel like I was going to survive. On December 25th, Christmas day I woke up with the worse throbbing pain in my neck and head. It was beating with my heart and the most pain I have ever been in. After Nick cooked Christmas dinner and I had endured a day of this pain, I had Nick drop me off at the ER and he went home with the girls. The doctor gave me lots of pain meds and said I was having a really bad migraine (which I have never experienced) and said it was normal after a baby to start having migraines. Nick came back and got me and it has yet to return again.

Sophia's blood sugars have been good, the heart murmur has diminished, and her CBC is normal. She still has a blocked tear duct, but of all the things that could have happened with my baby girl that day this is the least to be concerned about.

Introducing...

Sophia Rielle

Born December 15th at 2:10pm

Weighing in at a whopping 9lbs 13oz.

21 and 3/4 inches long.

I really could not be more blessed, she is an amazing baby and is so calm and sweet.

Big sisters are thrilled and excited to finally have her home with us.

Magic House

This is the coolest place we have been to in a long time. Everything was for kids and right at their level and interactive. The kids had a great time shopping at the Market, making Pizza at the Restaurant, there were pulleys, fishing, a Bank with vaults, a Post Office complete with proper mailing. So much to do.

I will let the pictures do the talking.

Fall

This is one sight I could sure get used to. The fall leaves here are beautiful. We were clearly not dressed for the chilly weather this very cold morning.


I am pretty sure you can see the cold in Isabella's face.


And some funnies...

Abby decorated Sophia with stickers while we were at the park.

Just for Nick...

You said you would never forget these words. So I took a picture to remind you that we will never pull a trailer of any sort again :) I am glad you don't have dreams of owning a boat.

So many changes!!

I am not even certain where I left off. I feel like my life has been put on hold, and when it resumes I will feel better.



We have moved from Fl to MO. That in itself at a then 32 weeks pregnant was lots of fun. We spread the drive out into 3 days. Woohooooo. 2 kids, a dog, Nick and myself...plus a very honery U-haul that we apparently didn't pack right. It was heavy at the tail, which is not a good thing at all. At one point during our trip I think the U-haul may have pulled up beside us...I began hyperventilating. The Tahoe was literally rocking from side to side. I don't think all 4 wheels were on the ground together. We were rocking so hard Bella hit her head on the window. The next 2 days of driving with this were nerve wrecking. I was a complete mess. I told Nick if it did it again...we were done. I was fully prepared to un-hitch it and leave it somewhere in another state and arrange some other form of transport. It was only carrying essentials that could not be shipped and stored and it could not have all possibly fit in the Tahoe.

Here we are safe and sound and totally cramped. We should be moving into our house December 1st, and I for one can't wait.

It is freezing cold here.
It is very windy, which makes the cold worse.
I do believe the sky is lower...I really do!
There are lots of corn fields (which I am learning to appreciate)
Wheat fields are in plenty also.
We have already had some light snow.
People don't come out when the weather is cold (except us)
I have yet to meet anyone (see above)
I am becoming increasingly uncomfortable (36 weeks now)
I can't wait to drive to Kansas City and spend Thanksgiving with my Grandparents and Aunt and cousins.
I am scared to drive to KC at 37 weeks.

I am sure there is more, maybe later.

Kicked out...

Of dance class that is. Abigail was kicked out of dance for disrupting the class. She would not stop screaming and crying and kicking her feet. They escorted her out of the classroom and said she could rejoin after she calmed down.

Me...trying to be firm, decided that she would still sit in the waiting room and watch the class on the TV screen (they show live feed from inside the class) She wanted to leave so badly, but I made her stick with it and stay in there...I was feeling pretty darn good, Until she started asking questions.

The first question..."Hey mom do all those girls have Gina's?"

This is when I could feel the heat coming off of my face, my heart sped up and palms got sweaty and I could feel the stares upon me. That is when I decided I could totally play this off.

I reply with "Yes Abby, the Olympics were in China" I then decided staying any longer could further cause embarrassment on my behalf and we needed to go.

Abby has since been pulled out of dance class. I still had to pay for 2 months though.