Special Delivery

OK so here's the story....Last Thursday on March 10th my blood pressure was pretty high all day and actually had started getting high the day before. During me twice a week biophysical profile (basically a more in depth ultrasound) we found that I had a grade 3 placenta which means it was calcifying and getting tired. The protein in my urine had gone up to a 4.2 (and was at a .3 to be diagnosed with pre-eclampsia. The cutoff for severe pre-eclampsia is a 5.0. The nurses had to call Dr. Callaghan when either number on my blood pressure was above 160/110. They were calling here at each check by Thursday morning. Dr Callaghan came over to the hospital that afternoon and looked through all of my chart and came and told me it was time to have a baby! By that point, I felt like HALLELUJAH!!! I called Andrew, took a shower, and ate dinner while they were getting everything in order for me to be moved back to L&D. We got down there at about 8:00 and they were ready to start everything as soon as I walked in the door. I was immediately hooked up to the IV and the anesthesiologist wanted to do my epidural right then because he was about to go in for a surgery. No problem with me! After he was done, they started the pitocin. We could see me having a lot of contractions on the monitor, but I wasn't feeling anything. Andrew and I hung out and watched Survivor on the internet and other TV shows. We dozed off and on and things stayed pretty relaxed. I did get sick a few times from the drugs, but really didn't feel bad. I started feeling the contractions probably around 3:30 am or so, but then would go back to sleep in between them. At about 4:15 or so Dr. Callaghan and all the nurses came into my room while I was asleep and said it was time. I was shocked! I thought it would still be awhile. They get everything set up for us and in 1 push, yes ONE, Austin made his arrival! He was immediately screaming his head off. Since he was so small they took him over to the table set up in the room for him and started cleaning him up and evaluating him. Andrew and I were watching intently everything they did, but we were told he was 4 lbs 1 oz and completely healthy. Once he was cleaned up, they all left the room and let us have about an hour with him. After that hour they wanted to take him down to the nursery to continue to monitor him a little more just because he was so small. They took him and Andrew and I took a little nap before they brought him back again. I cannot explain to you how wonderfully we were treated (outside of 1 event that I will be reporting) during our entire hospital stay, but I will go into that more later. Really the worst part of the delivery is I had to have magnesium once I was in active labor and then for 24 hours after Austin was born. It made me feel pretty awful and I couldn't get out of bed until I was off it. It dropped my blood pressure too low (if it's not one thing it's another!) and made me pretty sick, so they had to lower the dosage. The magnesium prevented me from having a seizure after Austin was born which can sometimes happen. Once I got off that I felt pretty good and we got to go home the next day! It was sooo good to come home and be here now. Here's a little glimpse into our days...Austin has his sun time each day.... I love it when he wrinkles up his forehead. So cute!

Marcia stopped by for a visit and she of course agreed that is he a cutie!