Lydia's Arrival- Part 5

From that point on, things become blurry.  It was about 3:30 am and I was terribly tired.  Things began to become more urgent.  I vaguely remember more people in the room.  Then the doctor was telling me that they were moving me to a bigger room in case we needed to do a c-section.  Within a minute or so of her telling me that, it suddenly became an emergency.  All of the sudden, she was telling me, “We’re taking you for a c-section.”  And I heard her telling someone, “Get Dad some greens (scrubs) for the O.R.”  Then my bed was being wheeled out of the room and down the hall to the O.R.

At this point, all of the stress and anxiety I had been feeling since the day before began to take over.  I held my hand over my face as I was rushed down the hall and just started crying.  Kendall wasn’t with me, which made things much worse.  The doctors were great and did their best to reassure me.  They told me, “You’re going to be okay.  We can get a baby out really quickly.”  I appreciated the reassurance, but I was a lost cause.  There was no calming me now.

This was the first that I remember feeling really scared.  It was the first I remember begging God:  “Please God.  Please God.”

Things were very busy in the O.R.  I could hear 2 people counting instruments.  The anesthesiologist was there.  (I was so glad I already had the epidural in place.)  A special team for the baby was there.  Doctors and nurses were there.   There was a lot going on to get me ready for surgery.  Once in the O.R., I just let loose and began weeping, adding to the noise in the room.  In the midst of my bawling, I listened and nodded as 2 people ran through the risks with me and I read and signed a consent form. 

Things were a blur, but I remember that Kendall tried to come in and was sent back out.  I kept my eyes on the door, waiting for him.  I also remember hearing my Baby’s heartbeat on a monitor.  I didn’t know how fast or slow it was, but I knew it was still going.  Several  minutes before they cut me open, they took off the monitors to prep my belly for surgery.  It was a scary few minutes when I was aware that I had no idea whether or not her heart was still pumping.

Finally, they let Kendall in the O.R.  He says that I was already opened up by the time he came in.  I was so relieved to have him there.   The anesthesiologist stood at my head and explained the tugging and pressure and pushing I would feel.  That was not pleasant at all.  Soon, he was telling Kendall, “They’re pulling the Baby out now, if you want to stand up and take a look.”  Kendall stood and looked over the curtain to see our Baby.  Within seconds we heard a hearty cry.  We were immediately reassured that she looked great and her tiny, flailing, screaming, wet self appeared behind the curtain for 3 seconds before she was whisked away.  It was 3:58 am.