We're Home!

A week ago today I was trying to get some sleep while waiting for the hospital to call and tell me that my bed was ready. Finally at 1:30 in the morning, I called to find out if the induction had been cancelled or if we were still a go. They said to come on down.

So we went to the hospital at one thirty in the morning and they started the induction around 4:00 AM. Labor progressed smoothly, and at 10:00 I was put on a pitocin drip to escalate the contractions. Within a few hours my dilation had increased and my water was broken at 3 in the afternoon. By four o'clock, things were starting to feel a little rough so I asked for an epidural. At that time, The anesthesiologist came in and they were missing some bloodwork, so my epidural was postponed while they rushed some blood to the lab to get the information they needed. Around 5 pm, my epidural went in and I slept for a few hours. When I woke up, I started having progressively harder and faster contractions. I was feeling feverish and complained that my epidural had stopped working (it had, actually, run out). I was given three doses of medication through the epidural but still felt the contractions just as strongly as ever, and was shaking and throwing up. I repeated that I felt feverish and was given tylenol for a headache. I tried to sleep some more, and later in the evening the midwife came in and told me I had a fever. She ordered everyone but Mark out of the room and packed me with ice packs. She lowered the thermostat in the room just as low as it would go.

For the next few hours, I labored under ice. It was pretty weird and surreal feeling, I know I was awake and aware, but the fever made it seem dreamlike. At 2 am the midwife checked my cervix and I was dilated to 9 cm. She informed me that I was not ready to push, but that the boys needed out--she apologized profusely as she told me I needed a c-section. I had no problem with this. I'd been in labor close to 24 hours and was tired, fevered, and packed in ice. I just couldn't wait to be warm again.

I was awake for the surgery--they wrapped my legs in warm blankets and tied me down to calm my shaking. I watched as they prepped my belly for surgery right up until they drew the curtain across my belly. I didn't feel them start to cut, but eventually felt the tugging and pulling sensations as they pulled my organs out and rearranged them on my abdomen. They let Mark stand up and watch as they pulled Joel out at 2:49AM. A moment later, Roman followed.

Both boys are absolutely wonderful, and we are all happy to be home and healthy.