Baby Liam Ray Clark
8 pounds 9.3 ounces
21 inches long
...simply perfect
Monday-January 24th I had a couple appointments. My first appointment was with my OB. It was a fairly quick appointment. First the exam: weight-good, bp-excellent, baby boy's heartrate-perfect! Still no progress so we were definitely set for the c-section the following morning. Dr. Stockstill sent me on my way to head over to the CARES presurgical testing site. After a quick blood draw, nasal swab for MRSA and a series of questions from the nurse I was finished and headed home to get the house (and my brain) ready for what was to come.
Papa came for dinner and a briefing on the following day's events. After spending some time with the boys and getting them settled for bed, I tried to tie up some loose ends and settle down myself. Heading to bed around 11 pm did me no good. I tossed and turned all night and finally took a shower at 4 am and woke up Joe to do the same.
5 am-After loading the car and hugging Papa goodbye we headed to Memorial! So early....And by the way, it was torture to watch Joe eat his breakfast and drink a soda.
5:30 am-Upon arrival we were sent to L&D on the 13th floor to get checked in. Three nurses immediately 'tag teamed' me for a quick prep. L&D was quiet and they were running on time. I was dressed in the Bear Suit. It was actually pretty neat. It is a purple papery gown that is lined with material to keep heat in. You are plugged in to a heater that blows warm air into the suit. Apparently regulating body temperature lowers the risk of infection during and post surgery! The only downside is that the suit really puffs up so I looked like the stay puff marshmellow man. The IV was terrible and the nurse admitted that it was the toughest IV she had done in a long time. I'm not at all scared of needles so either her technique was off or my vein was not cooperating!
6:00 am-After TONS of questions we were left to wait. Soon enough the anesthesiologist was in for signatures and to discuss the spinal. Then my wonderful OB came in to check on us.
7:15 am-Kissed Joe goodbye, up on my feet and heading to the OR. The OR is cold. The people were super friendly and did their best to ease the nerves in the room. (Nerves were all mine of course.) The anesthesiologist was awesome and within a few minutes I was numb and draped to be prepped for surgery.
7:30 am-Dr. Stockstill entered the room and gets ready to begin! As soon as I am checked to make sure I am fully numb, Joe was brought in and was placed at the left of my head. A nice nurse takes our camera (ugh-the crappy one as Joe didn't want to be responsible for the DSLR). We chat and try to pass the time while surgery begins.
7:50 am- Dr. Stockstill announces he is close to baby. Nurse with the camera moves over to start snapping away. Lots of pushing on my belly and voila, his head is out! Suctioning....More suctioning...It was quiet in the room and I was anxious.
7:56 am-One more huge push and Dr. Stockstill announces, "He's Here! It's a BOY!" Lots of crying from baby. Tears from mama. Big smiles from Daddy. They dropped the drape and I get to lay my eyes on the sweetest little thing ever:) Joe keeps yelling, "He's big, Jess! He's BIG!" But to me, he looked like a little peanut. Crying and wet. Ticked off that we pulled him from his happy home. Kinda purple but starting to pink up as he cried.
After his arrival the timeline is fuzzy. But it goes something like this: Baby looks good overall but is grunting. He is suctioned and they are stimulating him to encourage him to get rid of all that fluid in his lungs. His Apgars are recorded. He is weighed. Oxygen is given to him. And I am watching everything and nervous as all get out. I just want to get up and see what the heck is going on. The neonatologist is assuring me that he will be observed but can't comment whether or not he will be okay. I'm glued to this table as they pull and stitch and at this point I am given Zofran to ward off any nausea. Dr. Stockstill is taking a LONG time which is not uncommon with a repeat REPEAT c-section. He starts asking for something called surgi-film and is getting rather antsy for it. The anesthesiologist is scrambling to get on the phone to have it tubed to the room. I am convinced I am dying, lol. What the heck is surgi-film and why the hell is it so important to have it NOW? Then pain in between my shoulder blades and my sternum. Yep, I am dying. This didn't happen before. And at the best possible time (during the beginning of my slow death on the table) Jonathan busts in the OR. Ha! Perfect timing. He observes my insides being wide open and chats happily with Joe. Can I get up and bust them both in the face? Hello, I am dying. SO, I decide to tell the anesthesiologist so he can be prepared for my depise. Bless the man, he tells me it is only referred pain from all of the intense tugging, pulling, stitching and surgi-filming, lol. And promptly shoots me up with a narcotic. Love him, love him, love him. Literally 2 seconds pass and I am more fuzzy and fuzzier and fuzziest, lol. I don't care what they are doing but I do start chanting I want this to be over. Is this over? When will it be over? Poor Dr. Stockstill starts chatting with me..."Now Jess, we can't go any faster. It's okay. I'm working as fast as I can. I know you want to be done." Then probably dictated that I was not lucid, ha! And more fuzzies....Baby leaves to go to the nursery and I am sad that he can't ride with me to recovery but they are concerned about his breathing. Next thing I know we are in recovery and Dr. Stockstill is standing over me telling me that all went well. Joe is proud and shows off the pictures he and the nurse took. Well, that is after he had to go on a hunt for the camera that he left in the OR. Good thing he didn't bring that DSLR!
9:30 am-I have to stay longer in recovery because my body temperature is too low. We don't know anything about the baby's status.
10:00 am-FINALLY, I can go to Mother Baby! We are greeted by the sweetest nurse ever, who randomly goes to our church! And she gives us the best news that baby can come to our room.
10:20 am-I hold my sweet baby for the first time and just stare at him. What a perfect ending to the morning and the perfect beginning for a new little life.
