January 18, 2005
The Birth Story, part 1
As you might have guessed, Dale and I didn't get much sleep the night before. We were up fairly late, unpacking, trying to get the baby's room ready, finally packing my hospital bag, et cetera. I think it was after 2am when we went to bed. I pretty much just dozed until my alarm went off at 4:45 am. While I was in the shower, I heard Dale's alarm go off.
For once, we were early, arriving at the hospital a little before 6 am. We went up to the fourth floor and checked in. I had a little bit of paperwork to fill out, then we were escorted to a small room. I was told to strip completely, except socks, and put on the gown provided. I was told to get into the hospital bed, then two monitors (fetal non-stress test again) were strapped around my belly. One nurse started grilling me, inputting my answers into a computer, while another nurse prepped me for surgery. I had my belly shaved (heh), an IV was inserted into the side of my right hand (amazingly, she landed it easily and the local anesthetic she gave me first hurt more), and I was given an oh-so-sexy hospital cap to put over my hair.
The first nurse (I can't remember her name) had plenty of questions for me. I kind of wondered what the point was of pre-registering since many of the questions I was asked was on the forms I'd already turned in to the hospital.
Marilyn, the other nurse, stayed with me after the other had left. My anesthesiologist (I can't remember his name) came in and introduced himself and explained how he'd do the spinal, what to expect, how it should feel, et cetera. He also asked me a number of questions about my medical history, like previous reactions to anesthetic. Talking to him was pretty reassuring, even as it made me nervous. After a bit more prep work, I was wheeled into the OR while Dale stayed behind to put a set of scrubs on over his clothes. (I found out later they also gave him some info and had him fill out some more paperwork. Basically, it was to stall him until just before the actual surgery began.)
In the OR, I was instructed to sit on the side of the operating table with my legs dangling. My back was completely bared, and it was very cold, so they put a warm blanket against my front. I was shivering badly and getting VERY nervous. The anesthesiologist (Brian, I think) scrubbed my back with antiseptic. Then I had to hunch forward over my belly and hold very still. Marilyn cradled my head and shoulders, as much to comfort me, I think, as to keep me from falling off the table. When Brian gave me the lidocain, the initial stick was fine. The burn hurt. Then the dull pain felt like a thumb being shoved hard into my back. He injected lidocain twice. Once I was numb, he inserted the spinal. Abruptly, every nerve in my left leg jangled and I flinched involuntarily. Brian immediately asked what I felt and I told him. He said, "yes, that's the needle passing near a nerve. I told you about that." He had, and I didn't feel it again, and the spinal was over pretty quickly.
Once the needle was withdrawn, I was told to swing my legs up on to the table and lie back. The spinal took effect so quickly that my feet were numb by the time I got them up and I ended up needing assistance to get into the proper position. My arms were each spread out onto small extentions of the table. I was given a catheter (thankfully, after the spinal), my gown was shoved up under my chin, a drape was put in place to keep me from seeing beyond my chin, an oxygen mask was placed over my face, and I could feel more prep work going on, sort of.
The spinal was strange. I could feel the sensations of being touched and moved but no pain and nothing was distinct. It was very much like the feeling of your foot being asleep, but it extended from my ribs down.
The OR was starting to fill up with people, but Dale still wasn't present. I was still very scared and nervous and finally asked where Dale was. I was afraid they'd forgotten to let him into the OR. I was assured he'd be with me in a minute.
Once they were ready to begin the operation, Dale was hustled in and given a seat to the left of my head. I could mostly see him if I twisted my neck. I could see the digital video camera he had pointed at my face. I wiggled my left hand free of the blankets covering it and he reached out and held it. Without any further ado, the doctors began.
I don't know any of the technical aspects of the surgery, except that early on, they cauterized me. I saw wisps of smoke drift up, then I could smell burning flesh. MY burning flesh. I tucked my face lower into the oxygen mask, hoping to avoid smelling it any more. Brian talked to us through the operation. He was really nice and it helped. I'd read that the baby is usually delivered during the first 10 or so minutes of the procedure and it seemed like more time than that had passed, so I wondered when it would happen.
At one point, I heard Dr. Storey ask the assisting doctor to hold my bladder. That amused me in a freaky kind of way and you can hear her say it and see my reaction on the video Dale made.
Ok, I need to go feed Olivia now, so I'll have to continue this later.