Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Hey! Its Me, ALEXIS GRACE!

May 31st. I have six weeks to go until I am supposed to deliver Alexis Grace who is due on July 9th. Friday May 29th is my mom's birthday and since we were all working we decided to celebrate her birthday Sunday May 31st pool side at my parents neighborhood pool. Sunday morning I ran some errands to make sure my mom and I had all of the essential pool items....Magazines (people, us weekly, etc), Check. Doughnut raft so I could lay belly down in the pool and let my back get some sun, Check. Sun screen for our face and dark tanning oil for the rest, Check. Fruit, crackers and other snacks, Check. Non alcoholic drink for me and beer for Jason and mom, Check. I went home to get Jason so we could drive up to Cartersville.
The drive takes 45 - 50 minutes - its not bad, but too long to get anywhere in a hurry.

Jason and I arrived around 3:00 pm. I had been waiting 6 months to wear the cutest maternity bathing suit ever! I couldn't wait. I love summer time and I love the pool. Once we got to the pool (which is only 5 houses from my parents house but because its down a nice size hill and we had so many rafts and bags we drove) we set up our little space. Lounge chairs, table, magazines, etc. I wanted to wait until I was good and hot before I got in because the water was still pretty chilly.

I read my magazines for about 20 - 30 minutes then got in. I jumped on my raft and with in 5 minutes I was off of it. I felt a horrible pain - not labor pain but something sudden in the lower section of my stomach. Did I smash my baby's head? I was so worried but Jason said there was no way I could do that. I was still so worried I had done something to the baby - then I thought maybe it was the cold water - maybe the baby was freezing or maybe I laid on her the wrong way. I decided to just stand in the water for a minute but I was still uncomfortable. I got out of the water and I was holding my stomach. My mom asked me if I was okay and I said "yea, I'm fine. I think I am having those Braxton Hicks contractions again. I read they would get more noticeable as time went on and I got closer to giving birth".

So, I layed down on the lawn chair and picked up a magazine. After about 5 or 10 minutes I felt this liquid leaking out of my body - I though to myself, Oh my God. I can't believe I am peeing in my pants! I am in public and I am peeing in my pants! What are people going to think? Sure I am pregnant but really. This is ridiculous. Then it stopped. Whew! That would have been embarrassing if I had to get up and leak the entire way to the bathroom. I'm not 90!

I continued to read my magazines and talk to my mom and Jason. I was still getting the Braxton Hicks but I was so used to those because I had been getting them since my 4th month of pregnancy I thought nothing of it. Just some discomfort.

But then it happened again - about 10 minutes later. This slow leak of liquid. What in the world is going on with me! I leaned over and asked Jason if there was a puddle under my chair and he said "yes, but just a small one. No one will know". I told him I was so embarrassed and he said to sit on a towel that it would stop in a second. It stopped. For a few minutes......I was also still getting those Braxton Hicks contractions which were getting a little closer together. Then the slow leak was back. I decided to ask mom "Are Braxton Hicks supposed to be close together"? She looked at me with this very odd facial expression and asked me "is anything else happening"? I said "well, I can't stop peeing". Her face got even more odd looking and she said "Do you think your water broke"? I said (very calmly actually) "No. there is no way". Its too early".

She suggested I go to the bathroom and make sure - so I went and there wasn't any blood but there was a strange mucus consistency. Not a lot but I know I had not had that before. Although I had no idea what it was so I didn't think anything of it. (Jason and I had not had a birthing class yet and I wasn't that far into reading what to expect)

I walked back to the chair and told her I wasn't sure what was going on - so we decided to calmly get up and drive back home to call my Dr. My mom told Jason that she thought my water broke and Jason literally turned WHITE! I watched him as he packed up and he did not look well - looking back it is quite funny as he moved in slow motion and disbelief......

In the 10 steps it took to get to our car I was really feeling these Braxton Hicks and I started to cry. I was also not sure what in the world was going on. Yes, I still didn't understand that I was in labor... I know you are thinking - uh...are you that dumb? Well, apparently I am. ;)

Anyway, we got back to the house which is 5 houses from the pool and by this time I was feeling even more pressure and I was really crying now. We called the on call Dr. (I was supposed to deliver at Piedmont in Atlanta) and she suggested I go to Cartersville Medical Center to get checked out and then make the decision to drive to Atlanta or stay put. So the 4 of us pile in the car - my dad was driving and my mom was timing the "Braxton Hicks"...... 4:24 pm/30 sec; 4:26 pm/20 sec; 4:29 pm/30 sec; 4:31 pm/30 sec; 4:33....I was crying and in quite a bit of pain while Jason was sitting next to me white as a ghost and talking to my stomach saying "don't worry Alexis, its not time yet. Its not time to come out yet". He said this multiple times and I wanted to scream - it was not comforting at all.

We arrived at Cartersville Medical Center in about 10 minutes. I was in a lot of pain at this point and a little worried. We had not taken a birthing class so I had no idea what to expect. My mom ran in the hospital to get a wheel chair. Jason took me up to the delivery floor while my mom checked us in. When Jason and I were in the elevator he still kept telling Alexis that it wasn't time and I yelled "Quit saying that! It is time!" And that phrase was never heard again.

The nurse had me in a delivery bed by 4:45 pm. She took a swab of my "pee" and sure enough my water had broken and I was not having Braxton Hicks but LABOR PAINS. I was 3 - 4 centimeters dilated. The nurse had me sign the paperwork for an epidural but 15 minutes later told us there was not time for ANY medication. I asked her why she was saying that and to not say it again but she said sorry, there isn't any time. You are 9 - 10 centimeters dilated. You are having this baby now. The TWO Doctors they called to come to the hospital didn't even get there in time for Alexis's arrival. A lot more went on but it would take me days to go into detail but you get the gist.

Everything happened so fast and I was so nervous I had both Jason and my mom stay in the delivery room. Alexis Grace was born at 5:50 pm. Total Labor and Active Labor time: 1 hour and 45 minutes. Alexis Grace was on a mission to meet the world. 4 lbs 11 oz and 17 inches long. My little bean was here.

She came out and Screamed! I remember everyone sighed with relief and I remember thinking it was odd. I was relieved it was over but because that meant the pain would go away. Why was everyone else relieved? Were they just excited like I was? You could literally hear the room breath again. I got a couple of pictures with her then they took her out of the room. Turns out everyone was excited to hear her scream since she was six weeks early. That thought never even entered my mind. I never once thought she wouldn't be okay. It was a little while before a nurse came back in and told us they were going to have to send her to a NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) center right away. She was not able to breathe on her own. We were confused and scared. I just gave birth and now I didn't get to see my baby. All of the happiness was gone. In 20 minutes our room went from complete happiness to complete anguish. Jason and I did get to see her right before she was taken to Northside Hospital. I will never forget the faces of the 5 men and women who came to pick her up. I will never forget the room where I had to say good bye to my new baby. I will never forget the incubator they were going to put her in for the trip to Northside and I will never forget how it broke my heart. I will never forget how Jason and I were there for each other and how quiet our room was that night.

We checked out of Cartersville at 10:00 am the next morning. I was in perfect condition for someone who just gave birth. I am most certain that was because of two things: the mid-wife who delivered Alexis Grace and God looking out for our new family. I am so thankful for May 31st, for my family, the Cartersville Staff, the Northside Staff and most of all for Alexis Grace having such a strong soul and such determination.

These pictures are Alexis's first days at the Northside NICU.

Me, my brother Peter and Dad with Alexis and her second set of breathing tubes.

Alexis Grace with her first breathing tube.















Alexis Grace graduated to a smaller breathing tube with daddy!















She is SO CUTE!!!!! I love you Alexis Grace!! I love you Jason Taylor!!
To be continued.....