The Conclusion to Declan's Birth

May 29, 2012
2:30pm

content after eating

As we watched our son get measured, weighed and cleaned up some, Dr. Rose was dealing with something a lot more serious and scary.  I had a tear up the front near the left labia that she was fixing up while trying to encourage the placenta to deliver.  Once she delivered the placenta, she realized that there was a lot of bleeding coming from somewhere.  She started trying to find and repair it with just local anesthetics, but couldn't.  Dr. Rose then sent one of the nurses to get Dr. McKay, the head OB/GYN on call.  It was about this time that we noticed that something wasn't right with me


Dr. McKay came in and the two of them were looking and stretching my vagina, looking for the bleed.  It was quickly decided that emergency surgery was necessary.  As they wheeled me out of the room, hubby looks at me while holding our little boy and said "we WILL see you in a little while.  We love you."

I was so tired that nothing had penetrated until then.  As they were wheeling me down the hall, they were explaining the risks of the spinal block that I was about to get and trying to get permission to administer it.  I remember saying "can you fix it?  Then just do what you need to to fix me."

I hardly remember anything from the O.R.  I remember arriving and helping maneuver myself to the table, I vaguely remember being mostly asleep and leaning on someone while they administered the spinal block.  Other than that, I remember almost nothing.  They didn't actually knock me out, but I was so tired from laboring all night (and for nights previous) and pushing the baby out that I slept through most of the surgery.  I woke up about an hour and 15 minutes later and chatted with the anesthesiologist (who was 33 weeks pregnant) while they finished up.

my dad in the PACU, holding Declan for the first time

They wheeled me into the recovery area of the OR wing to wait for the first blood transfusion and my family to come down.  They couldn't bring Ethan and the baby down fast enough for me.  I couldn't get that boy in my arms fast enough, though my arms were too tired to hold him for long.

After waiting 3 hours for the blood to arrive (I'm O negative, so I can only get O neg blood and there was apparently none on the shelf - i found out later from a friend of mine who works in the lab there.

The important thing (for any of you who ignored the disclaimer) to know is that this is an extremely rare occurrence.  The Doctor who admitted us to the hospital on the 28th ran into my husband in the hallway during the week and said; (essentially, not exact quote)
"I heard that happened with your birth.  This NEVER happens.  So strange."
This particular doctor finished his ob/gyn residency in 1987... so he's been practicing for over 25 years...
There is a reason that this isn't even on your radar if you're pregnant. It never happens. A very high percentage of births go exactly as planned, or, at least, not far off plan.  complications like mine are extremely unusual.

cuddles 

Finally we went up to the mom and baby ward and began the recovery process.  Some 'highlights':

• the catheter... yeah... enough said.
• My amazing husband taking care of me and the baby (along with the nurses, of course).  I thought he was amazing before, now I'm even more head-over-heels in love with him than before.
• first attempted trip to the bathroom (4 feet away) when I pretty much fainted dead away on the floor - thank God for my hubby holding me up!!
• Hubby sleeping so soundly that he couldn't hear me calling for him, the baby crying, or feel the projectiles I was throwing at him hit him in the face..
• a totally relieving/refreshing sponge bath... from my mother-in-law.  I have to say, having a nurse for a mother-in-law, especially MY mother-in-law, is amazing and such a blessing.
• Hubby McGyver-ing a way to wash my nasty, nasty hair in bed.
• Lots of lovely visits from friends and family
• 'dropping' 2 rather large blood clots - first one was 400ml, 2nd was 100ml
• Nearly passing out from trying to walk to the discharge meeting.  
• The most amazing Nursing staff.  Loved them all and had favorites; Rebecca, Stasia, Kelly, Lien, and Rose (and the nurse who helped deliver whose name I forgot in the craziness of our delivery...
• Getting in the car to go home. 
• Bawling my eyes out because  I wanted to be back in the hospital with our nurses... embarrassing?  perhaps, but they were just that awesome.  

This concludes the story of a little man's birth.  I'll close with a couple pictures, because I know you're dying to see! Maybe the next post will be a guest post from the hubby on his side of the birth and being a new father.

~Errant Soprano and Family