Life is AMAZING! Life gets in the way... having 3 kiddos and one on the way our precious blog has been put to the side. But, I am here to tell you an incredible story. The story of our 4th.
It all started in October, 2016. We had our initial appointment with our RE. Four cycles and 3 IUIs later. We found ourselves getting a call from our RE herself. (Mainly because he hadn't gotten a call back from our early morning bloodwork and I didn't know if I were to continue my medication or not.) She called to tell us that we were in fact pregnant, but our HCG was a little on the low side. We were excited, but worried. We had been in that situation before. Several bloodworks and ultrasounds later, we found ourselves once again being released from our RE to our regular OBGYN.
The pregnancy was much like our previous 2 full terms pregnancies. I was sick. Not at sick as when I was pregnant with TT. In the 3 years since Griff's journey, doctors apparently changed their views on Zofran. So, I didn't take any. At one point, I even tried the arm bands. My regular OBGYN even told me to take 1/2 of a Unisom and B6 (2x daily). I did, but I am not really sure how much it did for me. Towards the end of pregnancy, I started throwing up once again. I stopped aspirin part way through the pregnancy and started folic acid. During the pregnancy, my back hurt again. One of the mid-wives told me about a physical therapist to go to. I did twice. During September, I had a bleeding scare. We freaked out. Jason's parents came over to our home and after we talked to our on call doctor we headed to triage. No contractions and no dilation and by that point the bleeding slowed way down.
The entire pregnancy, I kept saying I didn't want to be induced. I just wanted it to happen on it's own. We had been induced with the previous 2 full-term pregnancies. Jason would have much rather had a induction (mainly due to planning purposes). As we neared the end of pregnancy, the doctor would ask about it. Finally, at my 38 week appointment (my weeks fell on Mondays as most of my appointments throughout the pregnancy fell on Monday's perfectly) I agreed to an induction. That appointment, the family came with me. So, we ate at CiCi's. We got a call from the doctor himself, induction was set for 39w1d on 12.5.17. We were to be at the hospital a little before 5am.
That week, we got as much done as week could. But, we still had a to-do-list by Friday. We planned on getting the rest done Friday-Monday (we still needed to finish laundry (a ton was sitting in the living room), vacuum, pack my bag/Jason's/and the other kiddos', clean the kitchen, wash Griff's sheets, etc...). I went to sleep Friday night and Griff was in bed with me.
I remember waking up during the night, but not getting out of bed. A little after 5am I rolled from my left side to my back. I immediately felt a gush. I thought to myself "I either peed myself or my water just broke!" I sat up and felt it again. I walked to the bathroom keeping the lights off, sat down and peed. I could tell it felt like a ton. So, I turned on the lights. Blood. Blood was everywhere. It was in and on the toilet and all over me. I wiped. I stood up. It dripped everywhere. I sat down and felt more gushing. I walked to our bedroom door and screamed for Jason who slept downstairs on the couch. He came up and I told him what was going on. We didn't know what to do. We yelled. I cried. I wanted the doppler. I laid down on the floor. Jason had grabbed a towel to put under me. I could find him. I couldn't find his heartbeat. I couldn't feel him kick. I screamed. I prayed. I didn't know if we should pack up and leave. Call the doctor. Call 911. I was begging for everything to be ok. Jason kept asking what I wanted him to do. "I DON'T KNOW!" Finally, I said call 911. The 3 kids were awake at this point. TT crying, Chloe upset and Griff saying something was on the bed.
I remember hearing Jason tell the operator what was going on and where we were. I just kept trying to use the doppler. I kept screaming. I felt like it was an eternity. Then, a city copy should up and finally the EMTs. Jason got the phones and chargers. The kids got on shoes. Jason called Mande (the babysitter) and the cop walked the kids down to her house. Jason called his Dad and he turned around (he was on his way to work) to come get them to take them to his home. Jason also called Courtney. Once there, they asked if I could get up. I did with help. We walked down our steps and I laid down on the bed. We left out the front door. I remember looking at our steps and seeing my kiddos standing there worried with fear. Before the ambulance pulled out, they took my vitals. I was given an IV. My blood pressure was high. They checked me. They wanted to make sure that I wasn't crowning. Jason tried to get in the back of the ambulance with me, but they had him sit up front. I just kept crying, yelling... I wanted to leave. The EMT had my doppler. He used it 2 or 3 times on the way. He was able to find the Baby's heartbeat. What an AMAZING sound!!!! I was still worried sick. Why the blood? Where was it coming from? During the ride, I kept asking where we were. They took us to Bethesda North. Where we were set to deliver. Small talk tried to happen, but I just wasn't up for it. The driver pulled in the wrong area so we had to shut the doors and try again. I remember seeing Jason when the doors opened. We went in through the ER together and straight up to triage.
Once there, they had me get up and go to the bathroom. They had me peed in a cup. They said if there was blood in it they would just throw it out. I felt gross. I had on a bra, underwear and shorts. I was covered in blood. Jason wasn't allowed back with me until after I peed and got into the triage room. They had to ask me the usual questions (is he allowed here, does he hurt me, etc...). When I was finished using the restroom, I asked for a blanket. I walked to the room and laid on the new bed. He was then allowed in after the questions. Jason had been given the doppler and our Aloe back. I was told to take my clothing off. I just let it dropped to the floor. I put on a hospital gown. They gave us a bag to put everything in. They got me hooked up to the monitors. Again, my BP was a little high. But, we found the baby! My back was beginning to hurt. By, nothing was really being picked up on the monitor. After the nurse did what she needed to, a shift change happened. The nurse asked if I wanted my IV moved (the EMTs had tried to put in the bend of my left arm it didn't work, but they got it in the bend of my right arm). I didn't mind it, so we left it. The Resident (Dr. Stivers I believe) came to see and check me. She gaged me 4-5 cm and -1 station. I had been 2 cm Monday (this was Saturday). Ok. So, I was the bleeding my bloody show? Did my water break? It was so much blood! I am not exaggerating. I don't remember seeing any clots, just TONS of blood! She went to talk to the Dr.
Eventually, we were told it was Baby Day. We called Courtney. I talked to her. You could hear her sigh of relief when we told her that the Baby was good, but it was time. We had nothing with us though. I could see (I had no glasses or contacts). We were dirty. Again, I had nothing but what I wore to bed and was not blood stained. Jason was wearing what he had worn Friday to work. We hadn't showered since Friday morning.
Courtney said that she could go over to the house to start gathering things. Jason didn’t have a bag packed at all (we were as much worried about his). I had a stack of a few thing (two outfits, flip flops, sports bras and our hygiene bag). It was in our closet. The kiddos had nothing ready. We had put some big sister and big brother shirts somewhere, but we couldn’t remember where (come to find out they were in a suitcase in our closet). Luckily, the Baby’s things were all packed and ready to go!
We called Russ and Sharon. Russ had picked up the truck from our house and kiddos from Mande’s. She was about to send her husband to get Dunkin Donuts, but Russ showed up. The cop had even given the kiddos stickers after walking them down. They were at their house eating breakfast (cinnamon rolls, I think). We told them we were ok, but we had nothing. They agreed to help Courtney get things to us. After hanging up, we realized we had Redsfest tickets. We called and offered them to Russ and Sharon eventually. Somehow, Courtney gathered it all up and Russ and Sharon meet them at our house. The kiddos wore what I had sat out the night before for Redsfest. We didn’t know at the time, but Courtney went ahead our sat out things for the 3 kiddos. She grabbed not only our hygiene bag, but my stack of other things. I asked her to take care of the sheets. I knew they were blood stained.
A few hours after arriving, Russ and Sharon and the 3 kiddos arrived at the hospital. Jason meet them. They brought the truck to us so that we could have it to come home. They brought their way with our other carseats in it. They were excited to go to Redsfest. We could see! We got glasses and contacts.
Before arriving, we had been moved to our L&D room. I think her name was Stephanie. She got us toothbrushes and toothpaste. I felt amazing to wash my face and arms. It was felt even better to brush my teeth. They had washed me down in the triage room also. Jason was able to freshen up a little also. They allowed me to walk. My IV kept going off, because it was in the bend of my arm. So, I agreed to get it moved. Whoops, should have down that earlier! We were able to walk for a little while. I was poked 4 more times, by 3 different nurses. The nurse that finally go one to go was the nurse in triage that asked if I wanted her to move it!
Dr.
Altman was on call. I hadn’t seen him at all this pregnancy. But, we didn’t
care. He came in and wanted to check me. I was 4 cm according to him. He eventually
broke my water. There was TON! Like seriously, it kept coming. It was bloody.
Much more bloody that he likes to see. I was able to progress on my own. I had
some contractions. At first, there wasn’t a pattern to them nor were they
intense. I swear I just felt them in my back. What was worrisome it that the
Baby kept going the wrong way. I went from -1, to -3 to -5 station. To increase
the contraction intensity, they stared Pitocin. They had to increase it several
times. My cervix did it’s job.
Once I got my epidural, my blood pressure
went very low. So low, that they had to give me medication to make it come back
up. When they did that, my pulse went to 130s. Alarms seemed to always be going
off.
My epidural was amazing! John, came in
wearing Marshall lanyard. We felt more at peace. It was meant to be.
C-Section kept being mentioned. Between BP and
pulse issues, the Baby going up and not down, blood clots the size of my doctor’s
hand… they doctor kept an eye on us. He said, “We have to see who wins… you or
the Baby!”
While laboring, we got knock on our door. We
had a visitor. I was my brother and sister-in-law. We typically don’t want anyone
there. We labor alone. However, things were going as planned anyway and we
needed the distraction. We talked. We laughed. Jason was able to bring up some
lunch. I didn’t mind. It smelled good, but I could eat. I had been having
intense waves or nausea and had evening been getting sick. So sick, it hurt my
chest.
Our family, went back out to the waiting
room.
I could feel more and more water leaking. I
don’t remember there being so much with other 2 full-term pregnancies. It was still
bloody. He checked 1 or 2 times more. He had me do a practice set of pushes to
see if the Baby would come down. He did with each push. I was almost complete. He
said that I would be ready to push within 20 minutes.
I was. I felt the pressure. The urge to push.
After 3 sets of 3 pushes. Our December Gift came into this world. Nine days
early. At first he didn’t cry. I worried. They said he would and he did. The
most beautiful sound ever. After delayed cord clamping and a little wiping off,
we did kangaroo care.
He was eventually weighed and measured. We took
footprints (2x actually – nurse accidently messed up his name). Baths could be
given until 12 hours later. It was a new hospital policy since Griffin’s birth.
We were able to feed him for the first time.
When the doctor told us that we would be
ready to push within 20 minutes. We text our family in the waiting room and text
Russ and Sharon to leave Redsfest.
Once settled and family was there, Jason
went out to get the kiddos. They were they first ones to meet the Baby and
learn his name. It was an AMAZING sight to see. I am glad I got in on video.
Then Don, Cara, Russ and Sharon were welcomed to come in.
I was about time to move to our Recovery
room. Since he was born at 3:26pm we couldn’t move until after 5:26pm. Don &
Cara left. Russ & Sharon went to get up Subway (which they gave them mine
for free once she told them what they were doing). We let the kiddos open the
present from the Baby. He had brought them 3 Fingerlings and a gym set. They
were so happy! Especially, Teegan (she had that on her Christmas wishlist). With
my numbness and nausea, they decided to move use my using the bed and not a
wheelchair. As we made our way from the 3rd down to the 2nd
floor, we ran into Sharon (Russ went back out to get the milk). The new nurses
wanted to check us all out so Sharon took the other 3 kiddos to a Christmas
party that happened to be going for kids. Again, they had fun.
After coming back, the everyone got to hold
the Baby again. After lots of LOVE, they all left. That night, Courtney picked
them up from Russ and Sharon’s after a birthday party for Cayden.
Pain was intense for me. The uterine
cramping was fierce. I was itched from the epidural, but not as much as I did
with Griff (perhaps because I had to have more medication with him). I kept feeling
gushes. After delivery, they did give me a short in my left him to help with
the bleeding. During the night, I didn’t sleep at all. I had pains meds (that
they had to call for 2x). We sent the Baby to nursery just for a bit, but it didn’t
help. Around 4:30am, they brought the Baby back from the nursery for his bath.
They delayed it another hour trying to let us rest.
The second morning, I sent Jason to get him
some clothing from Target. I had been up the night before to the bathroom, but
hadn’t showered. So, I showered and then he left. When he was gone a million
people (it seemed like came into the room). They wanted to do the circumcision.
I begged them to wait. I called Jason. He was checking out. They waited and he
was able to go with the Baby for the procedure. Jason then jumped in the
shower, Courtney and Caitlyn brought the kids to see us. It was nice, but we tired.
After the visit, Courtney took them to Russ and Sharon’s. We ate cafeteria food,
it was good. I had also had a tray from there for my breakfast. Jason didn’t get
a chance to eat that morning. He was going to during his Target run, but that got
cut short. The Baby had visit from the pediatrician and audiologist that day.
He passed all tests!
My pain was lessening, but Baby Blues were
already setting in. That night, Jason called and ordered Buffalo Wild Wings. He
went to get it. We sent the Baby to the nursery again, that night for a bit.
But, I woke up (I did sleep a little) basically screaming for Jason to get him.
The next morning, I ate what they brought
me. Jason had a donut and food from the cafeteria. We waited on discharge from
the Baby’s doctor. Around 12 noon, that happened. After packing and pictures,
we started our journey home (making stops at CVS and Wendy’s).
Marshall Jase Lee Hauck
12.2.173:26pm
8lbs 3.5oz (although she wrote 3.6oz and that’s what it may say on his birth certificate)
20.5 in
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