I was certain Sara was in labor so I asked her why she was gasping in pain. This was not the first time he thought I was having contractions...FYI
Me: "Are you having contractions?"
Sara: "No. Go back to sleep."
It started about 0400, He woke up around 4, I had been up a bit longer and I knew something was wrong. Without her knowing I started to estimate the timing between the gasps. I estimated them to be about 15 minutes apart. No problem. He didn't know that I wasn't "gasping" for all of the contractions b/c I didn't want him to know. So the gasps only came when i couldn't hold them in. Still, Sara denied having any contractions. My alarm went off just like any other morning. I hit snooze and Sara gasped.
Me: "Was that a contraction?"
Sara: "No I don't think so."
Me: "Well, either way they are only about 15 minutes apart."
Sara: "Not really. They are 5 minutes apart." I don't remember admitting this...but I guess after about 2 hours I couldn't lie anymore
FIVE MINUTES apart!?!?!?!I Are you kidding me? All of the pregnancy and birth classes I attended, 5 in total, said if it lasts longer than 30 seconds, 5 minutes apart for more than 1 hour....GO to the hospital. Still she denied labor. She got up to go check the computer to see if she was in labor. ?? I have no idea it's just what she did. Where would we be without Google? Doesn't every expectant mother check the internet to find out if she is in true labor??? I really don't think this is so unusual. No one I talked to gave me any clue as to what true contractions feel like. Plus I had been having the same kind of crampy feeling the previous two nights/mornings So, I got up, shaved, and put my uniform on expecting to go to work for a little bit until Sara told me it was time to go to the hospital. I couldn't believe he put his uniform on, couldn't he see I was in labor?! Right then she doubled over in pain. It was real, that's at least what I thought.
Me: "Are you in labor?"
Sara: "No I don't think this is real labor. Don't worry about it." Honestly, I wasn't 100% sure. I knew I was in a lot of pain, but I thought I would pop the girl out late, not early!
Whatever, I informed her it was time to go the hospital. I went downstairs finished putting music on the iPod, made some coffee, and called the grandparents-to-be letting them know we were going to the hospital. I texted into work telling them the same, and even had time to make arrangements for Moose to be looked after. He also wrapped Christmas presents lol!! What was Sara doing you ask? Easy, she was taking a long shower, and doing her hair correction - drying my hair. I went up into the bed room, adrenaline running, to find my beautiful pregnant wife in her underwear laying on the bed.
Me: "What are you doing? We have to go."
Sara: "No we don't I don't even think it is real." (Sara has a watch in her hands timing the
contractions)
Me: "Get dressed we are going!"
Sara: "Just let me rest her a minute. I want to do my hair first." DRY my hair sweetheart, DRY my hair. Who like wet hair??!
Me: "Get up and let's go! Either you get up now and come with me, or I'm calling an ambulance to come get you. Either way we are going to the hospital now!"
Reluctantly she got up just in time for a contraction to hit. Back down onto the bed. As far as I know labor started somewhere around 0400, it is now 0630 and Sara is still in her underwear denying that she is in labor! I'm never going to make it. How do you think I felt Lt. Harrison?? Around 0700 I finally have her, the bags, and the car seat in the car but no pillow :( We forgot a pillow and we are heading to Tripler Army Medical Center on a wonderfully overcast day. I was so lucky they had parking near the entrance to the hospital, normally even the expectant mother parking is so full yo
u end up parking a 1/4 mile away! You would have dropped me off at the door though, right honey?? We get into the hospital and up to Labor & Delivery Triage. We get her looked at and wouldn't you believe it? Sara is in labor and dilated to 2cm and 90% effaced!! (remember the previous conversation when she told me "no I'm not in labor.") While being monitored the nurse told Dustin to rub my hips during contractions. Helpful? NOPE Tripler can't admit us until she is at least 4cm dilated.
Doc (who looked 12 years old): "We can't admit you. Go walk around for 2 hours and be back her at 1030 and we'll check."
We went out to the car.
Sara: "Just please let me sit in the car and rest for a minute? I'm not ready fo
r this. Don't make me do this?" I was TERRIFIED!
About 15 minutes later I get her out and we are walking. We went walked down to the galley to grab a bite. Half way through her bowl of cereal Sara turns green and says "I'm gonna puke. NOW!"
Yup, puked right in front of the cash register, right in the front of the galley! And all over me, among other things. So we walked all the way back to the car so I could get pants to change into. I refused to take the bag out of the car until we were admitted. Anyways, every time I had a contraction Dustin thought he had to rub my back or pat my back or something b/c of that crazy nurse. I kept slapping his hands away - it was a distraction from my breathing and counting and I swore it made the contractions hurt more But God bless my husband for trying to comfort me. 1030 finally rolls around and back to Triage. Somehow they got the time we left wrong and looked at me like I had grown a second head when I told them she needed to be checked. The contractions were now 2 minutes apart and lasting about 70 seconds! C'mon! 1100 she goes back. 3 cm dilated, 90% effaced. All the while Dustin's phone keeps going off from text messages...and he
keeps replying. I didn't swear at him but I did pretty much demand the phone be turned off. Something like "I hate that stupid sound. Turn that stupid thing off and pay attention" or something to that effect... Again, we were told to go and walk around for 2 hours and come back. I wanted to DIE! We walk not sure what I was doing was walking. I had to stop like every 30 seconds for a contractions around. Back to the car where Sara begs me to let her sit there and rest. I was forcing her to drink water, and again took 15 minutes to get her back up and walking. Off again. Sara throws up in the male head a few times and by now has completely stopped talking (a very bad sign if you know Sara). Get back up to Triage to rest. Now the contractions are still 2 minutes apart but lasting 70-90 seconds. Baby is coming (I thought).
Me: "You are doing great baby."
Sara: "F$#@* you. You don't know!" Seriously, I wasn't doing great, and he didn't know ;)
'Nuff said. God bless my wife. Never one to mince words. At least she said something to me. Seriously, she said about 8 words to me in the 12 hours of labor to this point! What did I do? Oh yeah.....forgot. You did this to me!
At least we got back, checked and now she was 4 cm. Admission at last!!!! Please someone give her an epidural! I can't take any more of this!!! What exactly could you not take?? I only swore once and I was the one in pain!
By now it is 1530 and we are on our way, baby is coming.......eventually. Another 30 minutes pass and finally the epidural is in place. It wasn't till almost 1615 that Sara started to speak to me again. To be honest, I never really thought she would ever start. The nurses were good, no sense of humor, but they were all good. The doc came in, broke her water to speed things up. The baby is coming! Maybe. Yeah, so much for that!! 2000 rolls around and Sara has a fever. Great. Antibiotics on the way as well as packing my wife in ice to reduce the fever, the baby is still ok but her little heart was pounding! This is the most rest Sara has had in months. Rest? I was freezing cold, shivering but my body was burning up. I thought I was going to chatter my teeth out. Plus my legs were so numb and uncomfortable I almost wanted to tear out the epidural...almost. One problem. She wasn't comfortable on her side. I can't win. Sara can't win. What's next? I'm freezin
g cold. I turned the temperature up in the room only to have the nurse turn it back down again. Sara is burning up to the touch I was burning, I was still cold, I'm freezing cold! And this baby is never going to get born at this rate!! Finally we agree on something ;) It wasn't until 2300 did things start moving again. Another cervical exam and now we are completely effaced and fully dilated! C'mon where is my baby?! I'm so tired I just wanna sleep or cry or both. Sara at least had an epidural. Again sweetheart, other than having to stay up with me and being in an uncomfortable chair that you could get out of, what did you do that deserved an epidural? Oh yeah, you were cold. Poor Dusty :( lol Hell, I wanted one! The epidural was only fun for a few hours. Those daddy chairs in the rooms? Who the hell invented those things? The Spanish Inquisition? The most uncomfortable piece of furniture known to man. Mine didn't even fold out all the way! 2325 and we finally get the green light to push! Sara pushed, and pushed trying to get the kid out on the 21st! 12/21 has a nice symmetry to it. We almost made it. We could have made it but you and Dr. were so bust chatting it up about Vegas that you guys kept missing contractions (opportunities for me to push). I finally had to interrupt and tell you guys that I thought it was time to pus
h again! As the baby crowned, her heart rate decelerated too fast and the staff got really nervous!
Doc: "We need to do an episiotomy. We need to get this kid out." I didn't hear this, but I saw the scissors - ick
A snip later......I would like to take this opportunity to say, I never wanna get cut down there!!! Epidural or not I will never know how Sara did it! Oh yeah, epidural....duh? :( You think it's so easy - you try Mr.! To her credit she Beared Down (Chicago Bears double entendre) Before pushing the Dr. said it was time to "Labor Down" and I asked if that was like "Bear Down"...he didn't get it but I still enjoyed it and got the kid out all on her own!!! Only 50 minutes of pushing and out came a dark haired, blue, cone-headed lizard monster!!!! She was only slightly cone headed for like a minute, now she's perfect :) Screaming of course! I don't know if I have ever been happier and more relieved. It was the best moment of my life. that's pretty sweet, huh?! :) Mommy and baby were ok. It was the 22nd of December 2010, 0020 hours, I got to hold her......all 19 inches, 7 pounds and 11 ounces of Claire Noelle Harrison....our first are YOU having our second??. The rest is history.
One week later and we fall more and more in love with Claire everyday!
Above is a perfect example of what I feel I look like everyday - and not just when I wake up :) Seriously though, if you have a mac, have you ever played with the photo booth? I laughed until I was crying last night, and it was the best therapy ever on earth. I'm perfectly aware that these picture are generally only funny to the people taking them - like a funny story you can't tell because "you'd have to be there" But if you need some cheap therapy, take some goofy pictures!
**It may appear that that my dress is hawaiianish - but I assure it is NOT - and furthermore, I'm only wearing a shell necklace b/c it was given to me at the start of the Luau and it would be rude for me to take it off. Anyways, you gotta love the "take a picture of me but we're really taking a picture of you" photography style ;)
