December 24-27, 2011

December 24, 2012

2:00 am my water breaks and Adam & I grab our things and get into the (brand) new car. Thank goodness we had already installed the car seat! Since Bassett Army Community Hospital is less than 2 miles away, we get there in a matter of moments. We are the only car in the parking lot. We get up to the Maternal Newborn Unit - and are the only patients there, too!
Since we're pre-registered and my water broke, we're put directly into one of the fancy labor & delivery rooms. We spend the next (approximately) seventeen hours laboring, with little success. Even with medication to help regulate the contractions, eighteen hours only manages to increase things from my original 2cm...to 4cm.

At this point several concerns came up. Although my contractions are very close together & strong, and Olivia is completely engaged in my pelvis - the pace is too slow. We might have continued to work in this vein, except:
1. I've now developed a high fever, which they feel indicates chorioamnionitis - an infection of the fetal membranes.
2. Olivia's heart rate is too high, with too few variables. This could be because of her position and how pressure is affecting her, pressure on the cord, or the infection...or something else. No change even after giving me Oxygen.
3. Since labor has been taking so long they're not sure I can dilate quickly enough to deliver within the preferred 24 hours from point of rupture.

Several nurses, the midwives and the doctors all come in to describe our options. I really should mention, and plan to write a letter to the hospital about it, that the staff was so incredible that I felt no worries at all (so to speak). They were completely 'patient-centered' and wanted to work with my labor goals and not pressure me into anything. I (actually) laughed and said, "You know it's okay to boss me around a little." It seemed like no decision at all to choose getting a Caesarean section. While I had the option of laboring longer, Adam & I both agreed that we'd rather proceed with delivering Olivia quickly than waiting until a potential 'emergency' situation. 

The team went into work with impressive speed. In a matter of moments the anesthesiologist returned from his family celebration - which included his black lab Plato; the techs & surgical team arrived from being on-call. It was amazing. I'm prepped for surgery and after they get me into the Operating Room it's a matter of about six minutes before I hear her crying. Adam was able to watch the procedure - including, as he says "looking inside my stomach" - and then got to cut the cord (a second time) and go with Olivia as she was cleaned and taken to the NICU for a few minutes. I continued my stand-up (or in this case 'lay-down') routine, telling jokes to the whole operating room. Yes Natalie, I told the pirate joke. It was a strangely relaxed environment. :)

Olivia & I were put on antibiotics and I was monitored for other potential complications and kept on Oxygen. So it was a while longer before I was able to hold her. I'm so glad that Adam was there and got to share those first moments with her. Her daddy was the first person she got to meet in the whole world.
We got great care at Bassett, and all the nurses and midwives were wonderful. The doctors - both Ob/Gyn and the Pediatrics staff were kind and attentive. I am so impressed & grateful for the level of care that we received during our few days there. Because of the infection, the surgery & because I am a first-time mom we were required to stay at least 48-hours. After that they just asked that we stay a little longer so that they could keep an extra eye on Olivia overnight, which sounded great to both Adam & I. We wanted to be home, but felt that it would be silly not to take advantage of the extra care & help.

We had great support from our Army family as well. So many people reached out to us and offered help. We are so blessed. Our dog & bird received many cheerful visits from friends taking care of them. We came home to find a welcome sign for Olivia & dinner was prepared for us. (Thank you Jessica Abel.) We had wonderful visitors at the hospital - Morgan, Jess, Veronica, Melani, the Dallmans. And we were able to stay in touch with our family - even though spread across several continents - through facebook. It's been a three days packed with some hard work, long hours and love - but mostly love. 

Now we're home and have passed most of the time sleeping. Sophie is already a fan of Olivia. She is extremely attentive to her moods and is sticking close. Our family is all together. I feel very complete.
Tonight we got to skype with my parents, sister & grandfather. We'll be trying to connect with other family via skype over the next few days. My mother will be here for a visit very soon. I can't wait for everyone to get to meet Olivia in person.