This really isn't about your birth, but it is about the first week of your life and the fact that unfortunately, we only got to stay together at home until Thursday morning at 4 a.m. then it was back to the hospital for 5, yes 5 days!!!
Your father insist I go to the ER on Wednesday night about 10p.m. I fought him tooth and nail - I lost. We were watching a movie, I was asleep lying on your father's chest. He woke me up and he said that I was shaking. When he woke me up I wasn't feeling well at all - I had chills, was freezing, then was hot and my head was pounding!! So I called my mom to tell her we were going to the hospital, so Paul and his girlfriend watched you for like 30 minutes until Grandma got to the house to be with you. Meanwhile, at the ER they drew my blood, gave me an IV thinking I was dehydrated and gave me a catheter - embarrassing. They thought I was crazy because all they could detect was a fever. By this time it was 2:30a.m. and they were about to send me home, but just then my ob/gyn, Dr. Ponder, returned the doctor's call and said for me to go back to IHC hospital for monitoring A.S.A.P. I was devastated. I was crying, like "ugly cry face" crying! I couldn't imagine not being with my newborn baby and did not want to go back to the hospital. The nurse called IHC to make sure I could take you with me to stay at the hospital. I could luckily, but they wouldn't provide anything for you. Whatever!
So, dad and I went back to the house, loaded up all your stuff, a bag for me and we drove to the hospital. Grandma Shelly followed us to the hospital. We checked in at 4 a.m. Ugh! We were put in a room on the 4th floor. The nurse was AWESOME. Seriously. She was so great and beautiful. They wheeled in your "bed" it was just like the one they give you when you are born and in the hospital except it didn't have any padding or anything, so good thing your father is smart and brought you lots of blankets, diapers and everything you needed because they would not provide for you at all. Kind of weird to me.
Anyway, I was engorged at this time and my milk was coming in like crazy. I was in SO much pain, plus I had this awful annoying pick line in the inside of my arm which made it hard to move. I grabbed my pump and tried to pump, but it wouldn't work, I was dying in pain, and could barely move my right arm, so I did what any rational adult would do, I lost it! I just started bawling. Your dad was a rockstar, he was very comforting and awesome then the super, great nurse saw what was going on and brought in the most amazing thing ever - a hospital grade breast pump. That thing was AWESOME!! I pumped like a mad cow and was starting to feel better. Then the fun really started. I got ZERO sleep. The doctors, nurses, residents, phlebotimist, and CNA's piled in and out for hours taking my blood, asking me questions, checking on me, taking my vitals, giving me drugs for my pounding headache and the then worst part of all - I got put back on magnesium! I thought I wanted to die. Oh and not to mention my hormones are all over the place. UGH! Grandma left about 6 a.m. and then came back the next day she was great! The next day they moved me down to the first level again since they had more staff down there. i was on constant monitoring. Grandpa Frank stopped by to visit. Grandma Donker was great too. She came and brought us some yummy fresh food - real turkey sandwiches and fruit. I was so glad because I was over the hospital food.
Then they moved us back to the fourth floor again when it got busy in labor and delivery, this time we had such a beautiful view from our window and thankfully. One day, I can't remember which one, but there was a huge motorcycle ride that went down state street and we had the best view, it was really cool to watch and hear. It lasted for at least an hour.
You were amazing in the hospital. You slept a lot. We had lots more visitors. Aunt JoLynne, my dad's neighbors Kyle and Tara and Aunt Kim. I had to turn some visitors away because I really didn't feel well. I just held you a lot, your father and I played board games, talked and slept. Did I mention that we were there for 5 days!?!?! Ugh!
The nurses just loved you and some were the ones we had the first time we were there and they were happy to see us return. Some nurses would just come hang out in our room to hold and feed you and chat.
Look at how dang cute you were even though the circumstances weren't the best!
There was the head nurse that had great intentions, but she rubbed us all the wrong way. Your dad and her exchanged words a few times. We just wanted answers as to what was exactly going on and no one could give us an answer. We heard all kinds of things but we did find out that I got preclampsia, which gave me a fever that lasted for days and skyrocketing blood pressure. It was really frustrating for all of us.
One night Grandma Shelly and Grandpa Glen stopped by after work to bring us dinner, they came in our room and put the food down - we didn't budge! We were all so tired and passed out that we didn't even hear them come in the room. We were all tired physically and emotionally.
We didn't know when we'd ever be allowed to go home. Dad did take a few breaks to go run errands, get fresh air, some treats and food! Just to get out. The tow of us were going stir crazy. You did great though! You slept a lot. You and I bonded a ton. I held you as much as possible, it was kind of difficult because my arms were full of IVs and bruises from the the needles, I was weak so I would prop my arms up on pillows, hold you and just stare in awe at how perfect you are. We were able to master the breast feeding thing and I was producing milk like no other! Magnesium makes you very, very thirsty so I was drinking gallons of water a day - no joke! But then I was producing lots of milk, so that was good.
Anyway, we finally got word that we were able to go home on Monday night! Woo hoo!! We were ecstatic to pack up and go home. I couldn't wait to be in our own bed, get on our own routine, eat regular food, be in our nice new room and be together - uninterrupted.
Wow! That was a whirlwind. After that it's been smooth sailing since! I would much rather have me be hospitalized than you, so that was the upside about that whole thing.
Thanks for being such a wonderful and easy going baby! You have made being a mommy for the first time more enjoyable each and every day than I have ever imagined!
I wold have done that whole experience over again just to be your mommy.
I love you!
Thanks for being you!
Love,
mommy
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