Kate's Birthday, Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve is always an emotional day for me. Ten years ago on Christmas Eve I went to the doctor for a regular pregnancy check up. Later that same day I had an emergency C-section. I had no idea when the doctor sent me to the hospital for observation that he really meant that I was going to have a baby that day. Kate wasn't due until the end of January and all my kids come late so I thought she might be born near Valentine's Day. Scott was home tending the other seven children, the oldest being 11 years old. I called to tell him the doctor wanted me to go directly to the hospital with no stops in between, all I could think about was that the Christmas shopping wasn't finished. I went directly to the hospital, but stopped in the gift shop for a moment because I hadn't yet eaten breakfast. I grabbed a snack and headed upstairs. With the large medical file in hand I gave it to the nurse in the Labor and Delivery area. She looked at the file and her eyes opened wide. She grabbed my arm and told me that I was going to have a baby today. People began rushing all around me and soon I was in a bed with an IV and nurses were padding the side rails with blankets. I asked what the purpose was for the padding. The nurse told me it was just in case I begin to have a seizure.

I don't remember exactly how it all happened but Scott arrived and delivery options were presented to us. This baby was very small not like my 10 pound Andrew the pregnancy before. This baby had stopped growing because of damage to the placenta, she was estimated to be about 4 pounds. I had known that something was wrong when I didn't seem to be growing bigger and she seemed to be less active. She was still for long periods of time. These are the reasons I went to see my doctor that week. The first time I brought all seven children with me. School was out and I had no where to drop my children off. After the nurse took my blood pressure multiple times and in multiple positions, the doctor asked me to return in 2 days without the children. That was Christmas Eve day. I didn't understand the significance of blood pressure readings at this time.

Entering the surgery room I was extremely worried, not so much about Kate (I was too ignorant to know that I should have been) but about whether or not the anesthesia would work properly. I tried an epidural with the twins, it didn't work at all. I tried it once more because of back labor, with Andrew and one side of my body became numb. I don't like hospitals, needles, and the smells associated with them. I never wanted to have a C-section. I just knew that I would feel everything. This time they would use something different and faster. The surgery room was filled with people and my arms were strapped out to my sides. The baby was delivered quickly and she was escorted out of the room.

The following minutes or hours as it seemed were the longest of my life. I suppose that the doctors were sewing me back together. It took forever and I was so nauseated. I kept heaving with every movement. Eventually I ended up in the recovery room. I can remember being freezing! When I asked about the baby I was told that she was doing better than I was. She was breathing on her own and seemed to have all the right reflexes. I was not recovering as the doctor's expected. My blood pressure did not return to normal, but remained high. I was restricted to my bed, no lights, no phone and no company. I was hooked up to a blood pressure monitor that took my blood pressure every 15 minutes. How unrestful! I demanded to see my baby. I nursed her and she did very well considering she was only 4 1/2 pounds. I relaxed considerably with her near. Finally the nurses allowed me to breastfeed her regularly.

I received injections about every 4 hours, of something to help keep my blood pressure down. Alarms went off as the drug wore off and a new dose was needed. I remained in the hospital for about a week. Kate was 3 pound and 11 ounces when we were discharged. A home nurse was assigned to visit at least twice daily to check on my condition. I was on 10 times the normal dose of beta blockers and ace inhibitors just to keep my blood pressure close to 150/100. I didn't understand at that time how close to death I had been. It wasn't until I had follow up visits with my regular doctor that I began to understand the gravity of the situation. Scott had been worried about having 8 small children, four of which would be in diapers. I could never have left my small children at that time. Of course that is if I had any say in the matter. I am grateful I was spared. My greatest joy comes from my children.