Birth Story

So it is time for me to tell all of you how the day really went with the birth of Dela.  Let's just say that things did not run as smooth as I would have liked.  We could also say that is is possible that I may have just used of one of my (9) lives that day.

We woke at 4:30 to get to the hospital by 5:30.  Once we arrived, we were checked in, gowned and within 30 minutes the first sign of how the day would play out had passed.  The first sign: a dull needle.  Not just any dull needle though.  According to the nurse that put the iv in, her words "that needle felt like it had a barb on the end of it".  AWESOME!  To me it felt like she was trying to jam a plastic straw into my vain.  It hurt so bad that it actually gave me a contraction.

Two antibiotic bags later and it was time for the walk to the surgery suite.  Yes, if you are in labor, you are wheeled in.  If it is scheduled, they let you walk back on nervous legs.  I kissed Paul, told him not to forget the camera and video and then made sure my ass was not hanging out of that lovely gown.

Once we were in the operating room, all shame goes out the door.  I am not really even sure why they let you wear a gown during surgery because it was hiked up over your stomach and the entire back is also exposed.

The anesthesiologist came in and asked a series of questions and then he began.  He gave me two numbing shots and then he inserted the spinal block.  This is where things got a little crazy.  First, your feet and legs actually feel like they are on fire.  Then they lay you down on your back.  If you are like me, you will get dizzy and then throw up.  The spinal block is suppose to stop at the top of your stomach right under your breast.  In my case this did not happen.  The block kept going until it was to my nose.  Imagine what it feels like to drown and this is what was happening to me.  I began to thrash and bang my hands because I could not talk.  My voice box was actually numb. I could hear in my head what I wanted to tell them but nothing would come out.  They kept telling me to breath but I couldn't.  The last thing I remember is my doctor telling everyone let's go, let's go.  Then everything went dark.

What seemed like forever but was actually only about two minutes, I woke up to Paul racing into the room and the sounds of a screaming baby.  Neither one of us got to witness Dela's birth but the good news was she was out and healthy with a head full of hair.

Per the anesthesiologist, he said I may have spinal stinosis.  Per me, he gave me too much juice.  In the end, it didn't matter because all of that gave us this...