The Eve of Their Birth
Today is one of those days when I need to be reminded about the blessings of motherhood. I’m tired, I’m aggravated, I’m stressed! They were continually underfoot or defiant today. However, there were moments of pure sweetness from my babies.
This afternoon we were outside and the boys were all playing together with their climber. All of a sudden, there was a big brother love fest! They were all kisses to each other. Then, Bobby, who said “bark” as in the bark on a tree for the first time today, made two pieces of bark kiss. It’s moments like that when I think that we must be doing something right to have such loving children.
Anyway, as I promised Bruce (and you for that matter), I figured I’d begin the story of their birthday today since the action began 18 months ago today. It was President’s Day. Mom and Dad had the day off from work but Bruce didn’t. I had a doctor’s appointment scheduled, and Mom and Dad came with me to see the babies. It was something they often did. So, off we went, a camera in their hands and my pregnancy wedges in mine. As a side note, the wedges were wonderful for both sleeping and ultrasounds. They really helped the nausea I would feel after laying flat for a while.
The ultrasound was taking an unusually long time, but then again all those measurements took a while if the boys were uncooperative. At some point, the tech left the room. Mom broke out the camera. My head practically spun as I directed her to NOT take a picture of my face only my tummy. I was indeed feeling queasy. A doctor I didn’t know entered the room. This wasn’t unusual as the group was very large. She announced that the babies were going to be delivered because Baby B- “Bobby” I interrupted- was “shunting” or bringing all his blood away from his vital organs to his brain. I asked if I could use the bathroom. I had to pee in the worst way. Everyone looked at me as if I was losing my mind.
On the way over to the hospital just over a walkway, I asked if we could just deliver Bobby. They said no. I still don’t quite understand why, but fine. Dad just kept saying, “I can’t be having babies today! I’m just here for an ultrasound!” Those were his exact words. I called Bruce at work to tell him the babies were going to be delivered that night, the next day or by Wednesday at the latest. He was on his way. Everyone kept asking if I was okay. I felt surprisingly calm. I was, I thought, prepared for my little preemie babies to be born 10 weeks early. After all, I spoke to the mother of a preemie several times, and she told me what to expect. I read as much as I could. I was ready.
When we got to the labor and delivery wing, they hooked me up to monitors to watch the babies. It turned out that I was having contractions but thankfully didn’t feel them. After the nurse had to come in twice to help me use the bedpan, they catheterized me. It ticked me off because I constantly felt like I had to pee then. Some flunkie came in to “check” me. I told them before they did that I wasn’t dilated, but what did I know? They weren’t satisfied until I informed them that they were touching my tonsils from the inside when they proudly pronounced that…I wasn’t dilated at all! I also got my first steroid shot. It hurt like hell! I winced trying to be brave for my already very nervous father. He left the room to get something, and I confided in my mother that it burned badly. Still, I hoped to be able to have at least one more for the sake of the babies.
It was getting late; I had signed every consent form imaginable, some three times. There were forms to admit the boys to the hospital, to treat them, to have my tubes tied, to perform an emergency hysterectomy, and then there was my living will to contend with. My parents were getting more and more nervous. I found it more and more ridiculous. Each time they came in, there was an “oops, we forgot” form to fill out, and each time there was something more grave that they had to say. Each person told us different odds of baby survival, and as the night wore on the numbers got lower. I sent my parents home promising to call them the instant we knew the babies would be delivered.
To Be Continued tomorrow.
This afternoon we were outside and the boys were all playing together with their climber. All of a sudden, there was a big brother love fest! They were all kisses to each other. Then, Bobby, who said “bark” as in the bark on a tree for the first time today, made two pieces of bark kiss. It’s moments like that when I think that we must be doing something right to have such loving children.
Anyway, as I promised Bruce (and you for that matter), I figured I’d begin the story of their birthday today since the action began 18 months ago today. It was President’s Day. Mom and Dad had the day off from work but Bruce didn’t. I had a doctor’s appointment scheduled, and Mom and Dad came with me to see the babies. It was something they often did. So, off we went, a camera in their hands and my pregnancy wedges in mine. As a side note, the wedges were wonderful for both sleeping and ultrasounds. They really helped the nausea I would feel after laying flat for a while.
The ultrasound was taking an unusually long time, but then again all those measurements took a while if the boys were uncooperative. At some point, the tech left the room. Mom broke out the camera. My head practically spun as I directed her to NOT take a picture of my face only my tummy. I was indeed feeling queasy. A doctor I didn’t know entered the room. This wasn’t unusual as the group was very large. She announced that the babies were going to be delivered because Baby B- “Bobby” I interrupted- was “shunting” or bringing all his blood away from his vital organs to his brain. I asked if I could use the bathroom. I had to pee in the worst way. Everyone looked at me as if I was losing my mind.
On the way over to the hospital just over a walkway, I asked if we could just deliver Bobby. They said no. I still don’t quite understand why, but fine. Dad just kept saying, “I can’t be having babies today! I’m just here for an ultrasound!” Those were his exact words. I called Bruce at work to tell him the babies were going to be delivered that night, the next day or by Wednesday at the latest. He was on his way. Everyone kept asking if I was okay. I felt surprisingly calm. I was, I thought, prepared for my little preemie babies to be born 10 weeks early. After all, I spoke to the mother of a preemie several times, and she told me what to expect. I read as much as I could. I was ready.
When we got to the labor and delivery wing, they hooked me up to monitors to watch the babies. It turned out that I was having contractions but thankfully didn’t feel them. After the nurse had to come in twice to help me use the bedpan, they catheterized me. It ticked me off because I constantly felt like I had to pee then. Some flunkie came in to “check” me. I told them before they did that I wasn’t dilated, but what did I know? They weren’t satisfied until I informed them that they were touching my tonsils from the inside when they proudly pronounced that…I wasn’t dilated at all! I also got my first steroid shot. It hurt like hell! I winced trying to be brave for my already very nervous father. He left the room to get something, and I confided in my mother that it burned badly. Still, I hoped to be able to have at least one more for the sake of the babies.
It was getting late; I had signed every consent form imaginable, some three times. There were forms to admit the boys to the hospital, to treat them, to have my tubes tied, to perform an emergency hysterectomy, and then there was my living will to contend with. My parents were getting more and more nervous. I found it more and more ridiculous. Each time they came in, there was an “oops, we forgot” form to fill out, and each time there was something more grave that they had to say. Each person told us different odds of baby survival, and as the night wore on the numbers got lower. I sent my parents home promising to call them the instant we knew the babies would be delivered.
To Be Continued tomorrow.
posted by Dana | 4:36 PM
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