Sunday, July 13, 2008

Matthew Wilson turns 2...

July 14, 2006

I got up and threw on a white tanktop and some khaki shorts. I lounged around the house a bit, because we'd just received a phone call from Dr. Dausch. Matt took the call while I continued to rest. She said "Don't come in this morning. Wait until 1pm to come to the office."

Today was the day. I was going to meet my baby boy. I was at exactly 38 weeks gestation. I'd been having plenty of Braxton Hicks contractions. I'd begun to dilate. And our beach trip was fast approaching, as was his due date. And, not wanting to take the chance of having him while on our trip, we were doing all we could to get him here a little sooner.

Since time was on my side this particular Friday morning, I decided to take some fun pictures with my then only child, and some last moment pregnancy pictures. We got Maegan all ready to go, and Matt took her to my mom's house. I went for a pedicure. I was nervous, but excited. I couldn't wait to meet my little man. My little surprise miracle from out of the blue!

I went back to mom's house and Matt and I headed off for the hospital. Mom got Maegan to my cousin, and then she and Daddy were going to meet us at the hospital once we called and gave them a time.

We drove to Dr. Dausch's office. We didn't really know what to expect. This was such a different experience then having Maegan. We walked in, signed in, and waited and waited and waited. Finally, they took me back to see Dr. D. She did a cervical check and said, "Things have progressed." And then I felt a sharp pain and I said, "GAH!" and she said, "OH, sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you!"

She left the room, and then came back and said, "OK, I've called Labor and Delivery and you can head over there now." So, hand in hand, Matt and I walked over to admissions, and then proceeded on to Labor and Delivery.

I had two nurses checking me in. They asked me to go on to the bathroom and get changed into the lovely hospital gown. Matt waited patiently and I got changed into the oh so fashionable gown. I came out and crawled in the bed.

Upon sitting down in the bed, I had a contraction. Not bad. Easy enough. I'd had these before. One nurse began hooking me up to the monitors. The other nurse asked me about 20,000 questions. My IV went in without a hitch. Another contraction came on. Still pretty easy. Nothing gripping.

More questions. I knew I was having a c-section, so I wasn't too worried about these contractions that suddenly seemed to be picking up in speed and intensity. I was beginning to have to breathe through them a bit. Still, nothing like my pitocin induced contractions that I had with Maegan.

One nurse looked at me and said, "I doubt you are really in labor."

I didn't say anything in response.

Mom and Dad showed up. We had called Mom on our way over from the doctor's office to admission. Mom seemed excited and nervous. Dad was very excited to meet his newest grandson.

The anesthesiologist came in. He was a very nice man. Tall and slender, and very kind with an excellent bedside manner. I instantly felt at ease with him. This was NOTHING like my experience with Maegan (that had taken place at a different hospital). He proceeded to ask me questions. They were quite repetitive, but I answered them just the same. And I continued breathing through contractions that seemed to be about 3 minutes apart, and were registering quite nicely on the monitor.

Soon, it was time to whisk me away to the OR. It wouldn't be long until I met my baby boy!

The OR was very cold. Matthew was in his scrubs and was instructed to wait just outside the door, until the epidural was in place. A precious nurse clasped me in a bear hug and talked me through the epidural procedure. She had me completely at ease. The epidural went in ... piece of cake! I got on the table, laid down, and Matt was by my side.

I was shivering. My legs were becoming numb. Contractions were a thing of the past! I was becoming nauseous. I was going to puke. I was beginning to panic, that I'd not be able to enjoy the birth of my boy, because I'd be puking my guts up like I did while having my princess! The anesthesiologist quickly put those fears to rest, while Dr. D. stepped up to the table and began surgery. I got a shot of something in my IV and suddenly, I was no longer queasy.

Dr. D was just talking away to the nurses, I was chatting with Matt. Meanwhile, my guts are all over the table. In no time, I hear Dr. D. laughing and saying "He's Out! Look to your left, Lisa and you'll see him!" Sure enough the nurse brought him around. Matthew followed her and took pictures as they got his APGARS and warmed him up a bit. I laid there crying tears of pure joy. I could hear my baby boy crying. He was perfect... or so I thought.

A few moments later, I was sewn back up, and Matthew Wilson aka Wils, was resting in my arms. They wheeled me back to my room where I was greeted by Mom, Dad and Grandma. I was feeling great and passed Wils off to my parents so I could quickly put make up on. Matt and I began making all of the obligatory phone calls. Soon, Wils was back in my arms after quite a few photo ops.

As I was holding him, I noticed a whine to his cries. I knew this whine. I'd just seen it on Birth Day a few days prior. That whine meant he'd swallowed fluid and couldn't expel it! I patted his back a little and tried to offer him some help. His color was perfect, so I knew it wasn't dire, he was able to get oxygen. The worry was that pneumonia would set in. I didn't let on to anyone what I knew. I carried on as normal. I attempted to nurse him, but he was just not able to suck and breathe simultaneously. This is when I knew that he was having troubles that I couldn't fix. After a little over an hour, Dr. D. came in, she got her picture taken with us and little Wils was carted off to be checked by our pediatrician.

Dr. McAtee came to see me, just before I was headed up to my room. My brother, my new niece and my sister in law were with us. Ryan and his family gave us some privacy and Dr. McAtee filled us in on the situation.

Wils had, in fact, swallowed fluid that he was unable to expel. He was going to be going to the progressive care nursery to be evaluated. I took the news well and had but one question. "Will I still be able to nurse?" Dr. McAtee explained that her son went through the same thing and that he went on to nurse just fine. That said, I was OK.

Later that evening, friends dropped by to see us. I was filled in on Wils' weight and length... 7 lbs 7 oz and 19.5 inches long. The neo-natologist brought Wils in to see me before she took him to the nursery. She was so kind. She said she didn't feel he'd be down there for very long. I kissed my boy and off he went... to spend his birthday in the Progressive Care Nursery. Matt took people down to meet Wils, and I stayed in my room and rested. I wasn't allowed to get out of bed.

After a night of calling the PCN every couple of hours and wondering WHEN I'd get my son, I finally was able to get cleaned up, showered, and devoid of all wires, tubes, etc. My sister got me a wheelchair and we were off to see Wils. It had been just about 24 hours since his birth at 3:42 the day before. I was so happy to see him, but was just sick, seeing him all hooked up to the machines and monitors. He wasn't on O2 and hadn't needed any at all, PRAISE GOD! He was just laying in his little bed under warming lamps. The monitors beeped and blinked. He'd open his eyes. He'd wiggle his toes. Dee and I were in love with him and were drinking up the sight of him. His nurse let us hold him.

I was so happy to have him in my arms again. He was so tiny, so perfect, so beautiful. He was sucking on a pacifier. I learned later, that was to help him learn to suck, so he'd be a successful eater! It worked.

I asked his nurse if I could nurse him. She said no, they were feeding him formula so they could see how much he was eating, but that I could pump and they'd add that to his bottle. Then the Neo-natologist overheard us and he said I could come back that night and nurse him after his bottle.

I went back up to my room to greet visitors and to get some rest. That evening, they brought me back down. He nursed successfully. I was so proud of my boy. Then he puked on me. The first of what would turn out to be MANY pukings to come!

The next morning I took the baby bath class that is a must, why, I don't know. When I got back, I had a nice surprise... Wils was up in the regular nursery and he was hungry and wanted MOMMY! I got to feed my boy and have him in my room with me. He had his portrait taken. And then, he was whisked away for his snipsnip of the foreskin. He handled it very well. I was a proud Mommy.

The rest of the day we snuggled and got to know each other. He was perfect, in every way. And I was totally in love with him.

Today he is TWO years old. Time has flown by. He's still so amazing. He's a tiny little guy. He has gorgeous blonde hair that curls in the back. He has a heart of pure gold. He loves to give kisses. If he tells me once, he tells me 1000 times a day "I love you, Mommy." and he melts my heart each and every time. He adores his big sister and his baby sister. He's outspoken. He loves being outside. He loves to eat (though you couldn't tell by looking at him). He's just the way God intended him to be. He's my little miracle. He's my surprise. He's my boy. And now, he's 2! Time really does fly. I'm so blessed to have Matthew Wilson in my life.

Thank you, Lord Jesus, thank you for my baby boy. Thank you for making him so perfect and wonderful. Thank you for allowing me to be his mommy. I'm so very blessed. Amen.


Happy Birthday, my little Prince! Mommy loves you with all her heart. And I hope you and your sisters will always know just how wonderful you are to me, and how much I adore each one of you.

1 comment:

Alexis Jacobs said...

Happy happy birthday! Love the story mommy :)