Six years ago I was checking into the hospital...
I was not due until October 26th. It was a crazy day.
Let me start at the beginning... Scott and I got married in August of 1993. We wanted three boys... We actually started trying to have kids in February of 1994. By April, we were not pregnant and I headed to the doctor. We had a plan, I was a teacher, we were on a schedule, and I was in a panic. So, we started fertility treatments that summer. It was a roller coaster of emotions and experiences.
In May 1997, I had a miscarriage over Mother's Day weekend... it was horrible, like all miscarriages are. I had gained over 45 pounds while on fertility treatments, emotionally was nuts due to all of the drugs and hormones, and had a student in my class (in the 8th grade) who had an abortion the very same week.I was devastated... Then our doctors sat me down and said the most horrible words, "Mrs Sublett, we do not know how to help you. You have poly-cystic ovarian syndrome. 96% of the women who come through here are able to be helped, but we can not help you. I'm sorry..."
I was an utter failure (know, that I understand now that I wasn't, but this is how I felt)
So, fast forward - In the Fall of 1998, we traveled to Penza, Russia to pick up our sweet, little boy. After all of the years of fertility, I went on "the pill" to regulate my body again, and yes... I got pregnant before we left... we returned from Russia, and I gave birth to girl six months afterwards.... It was crazy. After all of this craziness, we were thrilled and happy... AND DONE. Two kids. Both healthy. One special needs in some areas. Two perfect children, two sleep deprived parents, one beagle.. life was as good as it could get...
...or so we thought...
So, in 2005, my hubby decided to have a vasectomy... We knew that we were unable to have children, but I needed to KNOW that no more kids were coming into our household. We scheduled it. We were ready. And then... eleven days before his appointment, I took the last pregnancy test from under the bathroom sink... decided it would be a shame to waste it, so I took it. But please understand that it was only as a joke. But it seems that the joke was on me. The test came up positive immediately. No five-minute-wait for a sign. It was immediate. I took seven tests before lunchtime.
Well, it took me a few months to understand how this would be a blessing.
So, on Saturday, September 17, 2005, some great friends hosted a wonderful shower for me. I was uncomfortable and huge... I was the size of a barn. I was retaining water like you cannot imagine. I could not eat at the party because I was hurting. My baby was dancing, playing soccer, or just trying trying to kill me from the inside-out... My girlfriend, Tracey, took one look at me and said, "You have edema. You need to go to the doctor"
Monday, September 19th I decided Tracey had a point, so I headed to the doctor... My blood pressure was 210/170... borderline stroke. I had pre-eclampsia. The doctor said, "It's 11am, you need to drive straight across the street. I will meet you at the hospital. We need to get this baby out of you." I sweetly explained to her that I had a baby shower scheduled at work at 12... so, I would meet her there around 1:30! I proceeded against her will, and enjoyed my shower. I considered it to be my last meal, so I enjoyed myself. After the shower, I called Scott to let him know that after he got off work, he should drive over to the hospital because we were going to have our baby 5.5 weeks early. I also mentioned that he would need to drive my car home from the hospital due to it being full of baby presents!!!
I was checked into the hospital at 1:45pm. I was taken to my room in a wheelchair. My nurse, Bonnie, was amazing. I had a nursing student attempt to put in my IV... she tried three times... my arm looked like a PIN CUSHION... now, remember that I was hormonal and miserable... I "pleasantly" let her know that she was done and could send my Bonnie back in and she did not need to come visit me again! I started my round of drugs to start labor, and began walking my laps between contractions.... I think that I had to have created ditches in the hallways due to the huge number of laps I made that afternoon and night...
It was a crazy day. I was thrilled at the thought of meeting my baby... I was terrified to know that he was going to be tiny and premature... I was hurting like crazy.... I was happy... My mother had asked to be in the room and was loving every moment and walking every lap with me... It was going to be an event of a lifetime...
...to be continued tomorrow...
