The past couple of weeks have been rather eventful for all of us in the Kline household. I had originally planned to work until Thursday, December 9th however on Monday the 6th I was feeling very nauseated at work and had diarrhea, I left work early and that ended up being my last day.
I had a doctor’s appointment on the 6th at 4:30 pm and the unfortunate news was that I wasn’t dilated at all and my cervix was not effaced. Disappointing to say the least. I hadn’t really had any contractions though some cramping. Dr. Woodmansee set up an appointment for a non-stress test on Friday the 10th at the hospital to make sure that everything was all right with me and you.
For the rest of the week, I pretty much rested on the couch. I decided that it was a good idea for me to be home (especially now that I am sooooo tired).
I went to the hospital for the non-stress test (NST) on Friday morning at 9 am fully expecting that I would spend the rest of the day running errands and walking at the mall. The test results, however, were rather questionable and the perinatologist who looked at the test immediately called my doctor. My amniotic fluid was low and your heart rate went down during a contraction (I didn’t know that I was even having them). Dr. Woodmansee was out of town for the entire weekend and so his associate, Dr. Berry, was contacted. He talked with the technician who did the test and then asked to speak with me. He basically recommended that I be admitted to the hospital immediately for induction. I was definitely not expecting this. Dr. Woodmansee had talked about inducing me on the 14th but Dr. Berry said it would be risky for us to wait.
So, I was checked in to room 515 in labor and delivery and a small pill was inserted next to my cervix to stimulate its softening and encourage dilation. That was around 10 am. I called Chris as soon as I was in the room to let him know what was happening. I was kind of scared since I was not prepared for this to happen today. We both decided it was just as well for him to stay at work for awhile since all I would be doing at the hospital was lying in bed. I didn’t have my hospital bag or anything at all with me except a magazine I had brought to read during the non-stress test.
I watched tv for all of the morning and into the afternoon. There wasn’t that great of a selection but it helped to pass the time. Another pill was inserted about 3 pm and Chris arrived close to that time as well. By then I was beginning to have some contractions that felt a lot like cramps--it was a pain that I couldn’t really escape from no matter how I moved. Unfortunately I was not dilating though my cervix had begun to thin some.
Chris was a great distraction from the pain and helped me by softly massaging my hand. As the day progressed the contractions became more uncomfortable. Another pill was inserted next to my cervix around 7 pm and thankfully that was the last. I was having some pretty good contractions at this point but still no dilation.
I had not eaten since breakfast and was only allowed ice chips. I was so hungry. I asked if I could have something to eat and the nurses said they would call Dr. Berry and ask. I had also been confined to bed with all the wires attached to me and was only able to get up to go to the bathroom. That was a pain since I had to unhook everything. Dr. Berry relented to me being out of bed to walk around for 20 minutes and no more. He didn’t want me to be off of the monitors for any extended period of time without being able to keep track of your heart rate. The contractions were still pretty intense but it felt good to get off of my side and stretch a bit.
After pestering the nurses for food for most of the afternoon, Chris finally brought me some pineapple, grapes and yogurt. It tasted wonderful. He also went and got me some ginger ale from Macey’s to help with my upset stomach. Unfortunately for him I think I only took two or three sips and then took the Pepto Bismol the nurse had offered me previously.
My day nurse was probably in her late 50s and was not all that sociable, but when the night shift came on, Monica was my nurse, and she was great.
Since I had driven my car to the hospital and Chris had his there as well, he called his brother Kevin to help him transport my car home. While they were gone, Monica brought me some supper. Again, it was so wonderful. I had instant mashed potatoes, squash, juice, and pudding but left the chicken fried steak.
Susan and your cousin Jenna dropped by on their way to the grocery store to bring their video camera for us to use. I remember that my contractions were really intense at this point and Susan was great at helping me relax through them.
Monica was somewhat concerned about your heart rate in relation to my contractions since it wasn’t responding the way it should. She called Dr. Berry and he dropped by around 10 or 11 pm. At this point, I was only a little more than 1 cm dilated though my contractions were pretty strong. There was no need to start the pitocin (a contraction enhancing drug) but my lack of progress was a concern.
Dr. Berry let me have an epidural at this time and the anesthesiologist was there in no time. It was not the most comfortable procedure, but I felt so much better afterward. My body basically was numb from my chest down to my toes. I still had some movement, which was good.
Chris and I tried to sleep at this point. Around 1 am I felt my water break. I had Chris call the nurse. When they arrived, I had leaked all over the floor and my bedding. Monica and another nurse set about to clean me up. Unfortunately, there was meconium in the fluid that meant you had already had your first bowel movement. This is also a rather serious situation because it is likely that the meconium is ingested into your lungs. An IV of amniotic-like fluid was inserted into my uterus to keep the levels up. More tubes were attached to me and you to more accurately chart your heart rate and my contractions. A catheter was inserted in to my bladder, which thankfully removed the need to urinate. Thank heavens for an epidural since I didn’t feel any of these insertions, but would have been in a lot of pain if I had.
After being cleaned up, I remember just falling asleep again when Dr. Berry, Monica and another doctor came in to my room. It was about 2:30 am on Saturday morning. Dr. Berry and Dr. Wold, a surgeon, had been looking at the printout of my contractions with your heart rate and were extremely concerned. You were showing signs of distress. They kindly explained the problem and suggested that we need to get you out as soon as possible, and a cesarean was the only way. We agreed and preparations began. The anesthesiologist returned to increase the dosage of my epidural for the surgery.
I, however, began to experience shock. I had not been prepared to have a baby today in the first place, and now I was going in to surgery. As I look back on this day, I have realized since then that I was not really fully aware of the seriousness of our situation. The fact that I was admitted soon after my non-stress test was just the beginning. The doctors and nurses were great about not causing me undue alarm, but were carefully monitoring our progress, or lack thereof, the entire day. Thus the need for surgery came as somewhat of a surprise and shock to both Chris and I.
Can I stop and tell you how much I love your father and the wonderful man that he is? Though he wasn’t feeling the pain, I knew his heart was breaking for me watching me experience your birth. I remember, as I was being prepared for surgery and feeling rather scared, that he was right by my side holding my hand. I asked him for a blessing and he in turn asked the nurse if there was someone who could help him and who had consecrated oil (his vial had broken off his key chain the week previous). Within minutes, another man appeared in our room to assist with the blessing. I looked up at your father and saw tears rolling down his cheeks. I quickly looked away knowing that if I didn’t, I, too, would be crying.
The blessing was pronounced upon my head, and I was told that I would be at peace, that my feelings of shock would subside, and that this experience would have a positive outcome. Similar to the time this last summer when I went in to shock after seeing Angela fall down the stairs when we were in Canada, I again felt my body relax and become calm. I still had the shivers and felt cold, but no longer worried about the next couple of minutes.
Chris put on a white jumpsuit for the surgery as well as a mask, hair net and booties. I wish that I could have had a picture of him. The surgical suite was just down the hall from my room and I was quickly wheeled in.
I still had enough movement in my legs to help the nurses transfer me from my bed to the operating table. Once there, I remember that Monica shaved my tummy where the incision was to be made and applied betadine, I think, to sterilize me. I also remember watching her in the reflection of the lights tying my legs together with towels or something.
The anesthesiologist stood by my head and placed warmed-up IV bags on either side of my head. They felt so wonderful as I was still shaking (a normal reaction to an epidural). Then I heard Dr. Berry ask me if I could feel him pinching me. I said no. Chris stood up to watch and said that I was already cut open. I couldn’t believe it had happened so fast. As the doctors cut through to my uterus, I heard them both say “Oh my” and the first thing that popped out was your umbilical cord. That was the problem (or at least one of them). It was on top of your head and if I had gone through with a normal delivery it would have been the first thing to come through the birth canal. And then I still probably would have had to have a c-section. The contractions would have squeezed off the flow of blood through the umbilical cord within a matter of minutes, leaving you without any blood.
Within minutes you were pulled out of my tummy. You didn’t cry right away as I strained to listen for you but were quickly whisked away to an adjoining room by a neonatologist to have your lungs vacuumed to remove all traces of the meconium. Chris looked at me as if asking me if I wanted him to stay. I told him to go with you and he was able to video tape your first moments of life. Finally I heard you cry. The first thing the nurses said was how beautiful you were.
I lay on the operating table, somewhat out of it, when Christopher walked up beside me holding you in his arms. You were wrapped up in a tight little bundle with a little cap on your head. Chris put your face next to mine, and I kissed you. I couldn’t do much more since my hands were tied down as well.
Things get a little blurry here for me, but I do remember still being in the operating room where the doctors removed the placenta and began to stitch me up. Their conversation, ironically enough, was about Dr. Woodmansee and where he was. I guess he was in Chicago baptizing a girl whom he had met the year previous on a cruise. Supposedly there was some love interest there as well. The doctors joked with the one nurse who was single and why she didn’t just ask Dr. Woodmansee to marry her. The doctors also clarified your time of birth. The surgery was started at 3:10 am and Amy Christine Kline was born at 3:16 am.
In no time at all, I was back in room 515 for recovery and observation. I think I was there for about 45 minutes to an hour. My blood pressure was taken every couple of minutes. Everything seemed to be fine.
Since I was doing quite well, I was transferred down one floor to the maternity floor, room 432, and it was there that I first held you in my arms. I had already been awake for so long that I wasn’t about to go to sleep without seeing you first. It was about 5 am. You were completely cleaned up and the nurses had bathed you, combed your hair, curled it and stuck a purple bow on your head.
I may have been somewhat out of things still but I did know that I was so in love with you and your beautiful little face. Your dad and I sat and looked at you and marveled at the miracle of your life. Because you didn’t have to come out of the birth canal, your head was perfectly shaped, not oblong as some baby’s heads are.
My epidural began to wear off so I asked for some pain medication. I think they gave me a shot of demerol in my hip, but it didn’t seem to do much for the pain. After that, I asked for pills, percoset, and they worked very well. I stayed on them every three hours for the next couple of days. I had a 5 to 6 inch incision in my stomach that was closed by about 15 staples. Wow, the pain was amazing.
Things get a little fuzzy for me here and I don't remember all of the details so well. I know that I slept some, but I also remember calling my parents. They were thrilled by your arrival but shocked that I had had a cesarean. They could hear your cute little baby sounds. We called the rest of our family throughout the day, but I don’t remember much of it.
