The CRNA came in to give me the extra potent cocktail via epidural to prepare my body for surgery and seconds later I was filling up blue plastic bags with acidic lemonade flavored emesis in the most paralyzed, helpless state. Previously, my epidural was just strong enough to numb out most of the contraction's sensations, but now my legs could have been sawed off and stashed in a different room and I wouldn't have known it. My arms even felt floundering and heavy. I can't describe how awkward it felt to watch people reposition my body and have absolutely no sensations related to the movement being seen and complete lack of control in relations to how I was being manipulated.
A whirlwind of things went on around us as I tried to filter through the fog of Magnesium and comprehend exactly what was happening while simultaneously educating Patrick on what he could expect in different scenarios, hoping it would help ease his fears of the unknown and unfamiliar; giving him the okay to leave me if they needed to take Cotton to the NICU, encouraging him to be at the warmer to hold Cotton's hands after he/she was born. In minutes I was rolling down the hallway waving to co-workers as I headed to the OR. A mini six-flags ride later, I was laid out on a stretcher under bright lights as a multitude of people of different specialties starting spilling into the room. Dr. B took it upon himself to prep my belly.
"Don't the nurses usually do this part?" I remember asking him.
I felt both relieved and nervous once my NICU peeps arrived, knowing people I fully trusted the life of my baby with was there, but worried that we'd actually have to utilize their skills.
Timing is tricky in the hospital, though, and we went from waiting on the NICU team's arrival to start the section to losing our second doctor to another delivery and having to wait for his re-entry before starting the section. Once everyone was finally available and present, with both Dr. B and Dr. G in the same room, it was like a frat boy reunion party......literally the loudest c-section I've ever been on, and I don't think it was from the medication making things all echo-y in my head. Laughter and light-heartedness is great at helping break the ice in stressful situations, and I was glad to have it busting at the seems in our room.
"You two better be gentle on me. I know what y'all do on the other side of this curtain!......And don't make my incision so small that you have to use the vacuum to get the baby out. I hate when that happens," I instructed the very skilled but deep down goofy doctors.
"Kayla, how about you just be the patient and stop trying to boss everyone around. You're not on the clock today," I heard a voice from behind me. It was Ale redirecting me from the radiant warmer.
"Sorry, I just can't help myself, " I apologized to everyone.
Patrick was sitting on a stool to my left by my head, holding on to my hand for dear life. We decided he'd look over the curtain when the baby was coming out to let everyone know who Cotton was, since we still hadn't given away any names. The CRNA noticed his giddy nervous twitches.
"Are you okay? You're looking pretty shaky," she asked him.
"Oh he's fine. He's always like that. It's how he stays skinny," I assured her.
A couple of more minutes passed and the next thing I remember is hearing the sweet sweet sound of a vigorous baby letting it's voice be heard for the very first time.
"It's Dillon!!" Patrick announced.
"Look at the size of that penis! Daddy should be proud!!" the doctors exclaimed.
I peered over my shoulder and watched as Ale took Dillion to the warmer, where she, Amy, and Dr. S would make sure his airway was safe and clear, clean him up, do his vital signs/measurements/assessment, and eventually swaddle him so I could hold him for the very first time.
After 12 long hours of active labor, our baby boy had finally made his appearance.
It was love at first sight.
"Sorry, I just can't help myself, " I apologized to everyone.
"Oh he's fine. He's always like that. It's how he stays skinny," I assured her.
"Look at the size of that penis! Daddy should be proud!!" the doctors exclaimed.
Patrick towered over the team to touch his beautiful baby boy for the very first time and get banded to officially claim his prize.
In the end, it didn't matter how he arrived, only that he arrived with both of us in the realm of safety, and I couldn't have asked for a better team of people to be there for such a special and scary moment.
Thank the heavens that we live in 2014, or we probably would have been one of those tragic cases resulting in a widowed husband who may or may not have even been left with a child as a result.
But instead we have five pink fingers, five pink toes, two chubby kissable cheeks, one adorable dimple, an impressively juicy umbilical cord, if I do say so myself, and a very proud Mommy and Daddy.
After all the drama, it was time to head back to our new room and begin the never ending cuddling process. I literally couldn't wait for our skin to skin time.
Dillon's birth STATS, taken by my very good friend who also happened to be his amazing NICU delivery nurse, whom I can boastfully say I trained to the position a couple of years ago:
Apgars: 8, 9.
Length: 52cm / 20.47in
Weight: 3.759kg / 8lb 4.6oz
Head Circumference: 36cm / 14.17in
Yay for our little white boy being the exact opposite of wimpy!!!
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