Sunday, January 25--about 3 AM--I wake up and REALLY have to go to the bathroom. I pretty much ran to the toilet and just barely made it (looking back, I am thinking this might have been when my water broke, too, because of something that happened later in the day). At that point, I knew there was no point in getting back in the bed because I was so uncomfortable in my back, and I had too much on my mind. So, I started cleaning--I swept, cleaned the stove top, and even ironed the pillow cases for Mee Maw's bed. While ironing, the back pains got so intense that I had to sit down on the stairs. Then, it hit me--if I have to sit down for these pains that are starting in my back then wrapping around front and last for so long they take my breath away--I might wanna write something down. So, I did--3:18 AM and they kept coming every five minutes. Around 3:45 AM, I decided these things were for the birds and got in another hot bath to see if they stopped. Nope they didn't, but just slowed down to about every 7 minutes then. As a point of pride, I DID NOT want to show up at the hospital only to be sent home. So, what to do? Call my sweet friend, Courtney Strickland, who is a Labor and Delivery nurse that happened to be at work at my hospital. So, per Court, I drank water, laid down on my left side, and called the on-call service. But, the on-call doc never called back...
By 5 AM and calling the doctor's office again but no call back, Kyle gets up and says, "I'm getting dressed." And then this all just got real... So, I got up and took a shower--why? Because the other two in the last four hours were hot water only. (Hot baths and old episodes of Downton Abbey on the iPad made the last few months nice!) We were in the car at 5:45 AM, and I called the doctor again--I just said, "Sir, I might have given y'all the wrong number." The guy said, "Yeah, I think you did, but the doctor said to tell you to just come on in." Good thing we think alike--because we were in the car! A fun part that morning was being able to call my mom, my dad, and Kyle calling his dad, to say we were on the way to Candler.
We entered an EMPTY ER waiting room about 6:15 AM, but at check-in, they didn't have my info saved! That nice lady got to witness a few contractions while re-entering my stuff. Note: There was no screaming, but just a lot of eye closing and breath holding. The pain wasn't sharp, but so much lasting pressure that I thought I might vomit. Luckily, I did not. So, out to the ER waiting area we went for the next 30 minutes. The lady at the desk finally decided to wheel me up after she watched a few contractions, too. We later found out that there was a mix-up between the Labor floor and Transport as to who was coming to fetch me. Thankfully, I Love Lucy was playing on TV.
Once upstairs, in triage, we learned I was 4 cm. dilated. My response? "That means I can stay?" Yep, I could stay. The nurses liked, too, that I was 4 cm and not .5 and screaming. I was so glad to get into a room right at 7 AM and be joined by Kyle. I was getting lonely in triage, and felt bad for that other lady who was weeping.
Courtney got off at 7 AM, but another sweet nurse, Allison, came in... She lives in Richmond Hill, too, and I feel like by the end of the day we were friends! Facebook says so at least! Kyle's dad came to visit and get Kyle's tux to return. Moma and Mee Maw were on the way and set to arrive at 9:45 AM. They got a speeding ticket around Ridgeland, SC! The anesthesiologist, Dr. Lawler, finally got there about 9:15 AM. The epidural worked magically and was affirmation that I would make a wonderful drug addict because it worked so well. I also very much appreciated the catheter--first time in months that I had zero urge to use the restroom. What a relief! Kyle went to get my stuff from the car, and during that time it got to 9:45 AM. So, what does any Moma's big baby do? Call her and ask where she is because it's time. They were already in the parking lot talking to Kyle! Ahh! More relief.
During the day, Kyle's parents came back to the hospital, my dad and Michelle arrived and they brought Lori Beth as a surprise! Very wonderfully, Charlie and Laura Dukes, good friends of my dad's, were in Savannah, so Daddy and Michelle had a place to stay and friends to enjoy.
Because I only got about 3 hours of sleep, I was pretty tired around lunch time, but might have rested for an hour--too much going on! We had a baby girl on the way! I had to lay a few different ways to help her drop-I was at 8 cm by noon, but then it slowed down until the Pitocin. They tried to break my water that afternoon, but there never was the gush, which is why it later occurred to me that the gush at 3 AM was my water breaking. Woops! Later on, I got uncomfortable again, but the nurse reminded me I could push the pain button--Oh, that was there! Thank you, epidural for doing your job most splendidly.
During the day, I got emotional twice--"In Christ Alone" came on Pandora, and it took me back to our wedding day. I just held Kyle's hand and sang along with tears rolling down my cheeks. Then, what was real became really real after the lady delivered her instructions on labor. Well, I just cried again because there was no turning back-I was crossing the Rubicon--I realized that with just my mom, dad, and husband in the room--I am no longer a child. Daddy left, and I asked for no more company. So, it was Moma, Kyle, and me, and we prayed for the delivery and our little girl on her way--a safe delivery, that she would love Jesus, and that her future mate would have loving parents raising up the most wonderful young man for her.
Moma left after it was confirmed that I could start pushing. Then, we waited on the doctor. Nurse Allison told her to "mosey" over, but later joked that Dr. Helmkin had really taken the "mosey" part literally. There was a mirror, so I saw more than I had intended. Kyle thought the whole process was the coolest thing he had ever seen and realized he had missed his calling! I pushed for may be 20 minutes total--so easy for me-- but I know that is not always the case. They said she had hair! I could see her crowning just a bit.
Then, I happened to look away from the mirror, and all of a sudden, there was this baby being held up in front of me! My emotions were a good mix of disbelief, laughing, and crying. I just kept saying, "Oh my goodness! She is mine!" over and over again. It was totally outrageous--all of a sudden, there was a baby! And, my heart squeezes tight inside just thinking back to that moment.
Elizabeth "Liza" Hendrix Craven
Born at 6:06 PM
7 pounds, 14 ounces
20 inches long
Our baby girl!
Note: Because it was Sunday, Dr. Melanie Helmkin delivered Liza. We met her that day and I remember that she looked tired--several people from the practice went in labor that day. I asked her how she was doing, and she thought it was considerate for me to do so--hey, the epidural was doing its job and there was no point in not showing my Southern manners!
Random for $1000--The movie "The Help" was playing in the background during the delivery process.
