Archer's Birth Story

4 months ago... my life REALLY changed.  
When I found out I was pregnant... I thought my life changed then.  No more sandwiches because they tell me lunchmeat can have listeria in it... no more night caps of wine and beer, for obvious reasons... had to cut out that smoking habit... just kidding.  I really can't complain, for the most part I had a pretty normal pregnancy... it wasn't till Octoberish where things changed.  And not to be all whoa is me, things could have been worse, but I type this descriptive post for my benefit and recollection of how things went.  

At the end of October I went for a prenatal visit to my doctor where I had complained about itching in my legs.  I told her that it mostly happened after my legs swelled at the end of the day.  We attributed it to that.  She then stated, "well as long as your palms are not itching we are good."  I then told her, my palms were in fact itching a lot.  I had thought it was due to the change in weather, and the fact I work in a hospital and wash my hands more often than the average bear.  She was alarmed by this info and ordered stat blood work to check my liver.  She then told Adam and I about cholestasis.  

Bottom line was if I was to have cholestasis... risk for stillborn birth was their biggest concern.  Gee, that's just what parents want to hear.

A few days later... she called with labs and they all appeared normal.  And I thought ok.. great, time to move on.  

At this time, I was now on weekly visits to the doctor and the next week I went she asked me about the itching and I said that it was still an issue.  Then and there she said... "well... I know you don't want to hear this but we need to act as if you have it and move forward with plans of delivering early EVEN THOUGH your labs are normal."  She added "how can we not when stillborn birth is a factor?"  I looked back at her in total agreement.  She called a high risk physician for a second opinion, as I waited in the treatment room.  And it turns out that not only did he agree with her about delivering early... he wanted to do it even earlier at 36 weeks.  So they moved up my ultrasound to check once and for all if I would be induced for vaginal birth or have a c-section.  Another issue I had been having throughout the pregnancy was a low lying placenta.  It was already put in my mind that if it had not moved I would be having a c-section.  They had been monitoring that since the beginning telling me it usually moves and I should be good to go.  Fetal stress tests were ordered weekly making sure his movements were as strong as they would like them to be. They re-drew my labs, and while they were still in the normal range they were starting to elevate. They also started me on a medication to help with itching and prevent gall stones.  Not to mention, I got two injections 24 hours apart to speed up his lung growth and prepare him for life outside.

In the end, I was scheduled for a c-section.  We were able to choose the date but decided they choose for us.   And so, 12/1/16 would be our baby's birthday, unless he came early.  We had one week to hustle and finish last minute baby things around the house, wrap up work, and just enjoy life without a baby for seven more days.  Family and friends were notified and the prayers came in for a healthy delivery.  

12.1.16-  We were due to be at the hospital at 5:30am for a 7:30 c-section.  We got to the hospital checked in as if we were checking into a hotel... with a promised souvenir of a baby boy to come.  I was given a gown and I was then officially a patient.  The first time I was ever admitted to a hospital.  I made a silent prayer to God in the bathroom, and chose to put all my faith in Him, and in my healthcare team because that's all you can do in times like these.  Working in healthcare I see the best and I see the worst.  And I just had to have trust that my healthcare team would take care of me and my baby.  I opened the door and had to be worry free from that point on.  I laid in a hospital bed for the first time.  I keep saying this because it's humbling when tables turn and you're the patient and no one really cares that you are a nurse too.  Oddly enough, the nurse who admitted me, started my IV, and asked all the questions was a Filipino woman named Allen.  COME ONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN.  Like, I kept looking at her ID badge, then looking at Adam, urging him with my eyes to look too because it was hard to catch everyone's name.  Geez.... of all names, and for a women to be named Allen.... my dad gave me a sign he was there too.  That's what that meant.  Once all of the hurry up part was done, then came the waiting part.  One by one, more parts of the team were assembled.  They made me drink something terrible that tasted like sweet tarts that supposedly helped with stomach acid, nausea meds were given, and my antibiotic was spiked and ready to go.  I met my nurse who would be with me throughout the surgery, I met the nurse that would be solely dedicated to Baby J, I met the CRNA who was in charge of my anesthesia.  I always said... I would choose a CRNA over an anesthesiologist any day if it ever came to my health care.  Once presented with this, I found that I was still 100% behind this, however I did ask... is there an anesthesiologist around?  She laughed and said "yes."  Finally, Dr. Flynn arrived.  And it was go time.  They asked me to get up and walk to the OR.  And so I did... At this point, Adam was in paper scrubs, and they held him back while they prepped me.  We kissed, and I was off.  Another slew of people waited for me in the OR... all telling me their names.  I climbed up on the table, and I was cold.  Very cold.  Like so cold my teeth were chattering.  And my body was shaking.  I had to stay hunched over my pregnant belly hugging a pillow best I could while the CRNA inserted the spinal.  I really had to focus to stay still.  Once it was in, the crew helped me to lay down, I tried my best to wiggle my legs, with a no go.  Like I really willed myself to lift up my legs, but it wasn't happening.  I watched them put the foley catheter in and wanted to hate every moment, but I couldn't feel any pain, just a pinch of pressure.  The drape then went up.  And my view of everything and everyone was gone.  I thought there would be a lot of space between me and the drape, but it was only a couple inches from my face.  Just breathing on it made it move.  My arms were spread out and just seeing the eyes over the mask of my CRNA was keeping me calm at that point.  (nurses are so damn important!)  They seemed ready to go.  Adam came in.  The doctor checked a few locations asking if I felt anything... I said no... and that was that.  It was really go time.  I walked into the room at 730am.  At 745am, my baby boy was born.  While I couldn't see a darn thing but Adam's face and the CRNA's face, it was what I could hear that was memorable.  I heard the clanging of tools.  I heard them all talking.  My doctor and another doctor from the practice who was like her wing man were talking about weekend plans.  I was very nauseated.  The entire time.  And the CRNA put an alcohol swab in front of my nose which helped... when she thought it was safe to take it away... I begged for it back again.  Then all of a sudden which no one warned me about they started pushing on my abdomen, hard and fast, and the pain I felt at that point was crazy!!!! I am so glad no one told me that was coming.  As they were pushing they explained that I am so petite that they had nowhere else to push but directly on the baby to shimmy him out thru the hole they made.  It felt inhumane what they were doing, but it makes sense, baby isn't just gonna drop out of there.  Once he was out, there was no initial crying.  But I saw Adam look up and over the drape and just go.... "awwwwwww."  He saw our son.  The entire room of people clapped and cheered, they announced it was 7:45am.  I asked if he was ok.  Adam didn't say anything... and then baby J started crying which was all I needed to hear... They held him over the drape so I could see him.  He looked a tad blue and slimy and I just smiled, and at this moment he opened his mouth and a bucket full of amniotic fluid flowed out of his mouth right onto my face.  HI MOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I instantly started laughing.  I could not believe that that happened.  Adam left me and went to baby.  I couldn't tell you what was happening besides what they told me afterward... they were suctioning him and helping him to breathe.  His APGAR score was low, but not shocking since he came early.  They moved him into recovery with his nurse and with Adam while they began the process of stitching me up.  It was completely and utterly the most out of body experience I have ever been through.  Once they were done with me... the team helped me move on to the gurnee and off I went to join my son.  I was still shivering head to toe... so they worked hard to warm me up with a bear hugger and blankets.  Finally, both me and baby were ready to officially meet.  They put his naked little body on my naked chest and that was all the warmth I needed.  It was so nice to be able to have that skin to skin contact with something that just 1 hour ago was safe and sound inside me.  

Adam and I kept telling people that we were waiting to reveal his name because we wanted to take a look at him first... but I think we were pretty set on it.  So on December 1st, 2016 at 7:45am at 6lbs 10oz, and 20 inches long... Archer Allen came into our world.  Archer, because we liked it... Allen, after his Grandpa.