Checking in the Hospital (Part II)

Once again I should be sleeping, but there's no time like the present and it has already been far too long since the first post. So...

Mandi, being brilliant, had already called ahead to the hospital to find out what doc was on call and to ask a few other questions that I can't remember now. Anyhow, I was in luck because my doc was on call and thus already at the hospital.

So when we arrived at the hospital the only really weird stuff I had to endure was standing up to yet another gush of water. (Yes, amniotic fluid continues to be created and thus leak whenever you move. Once again making you feel like you've wet yourself in public.) Anyhow, since I'd followed all of the rules and preregistered we didn't have to worry about too much paperwork and quickly checked into L&D (labor and delivery).

I named three people on my pass list. (I was a no info patient which was different than I had expected or how it was explained. Next time I'm going under an alias.) I wasn't allowed to change those names while I was in the hospital.

And after that I went back for observation. Observation really isn't that exciting of a place. Especially when you're not having any contractions (or any that you're really aware of). I declined the checks and blood work until I'd spoken with my doctor. So they proceeded to hook me up to two separate contraction monitors  and asked me some questions (which I no longer remember either). Fielding showed up about that time and I remember wondering if he was okay or if he was freaking out in his head. I also think the nurse had to think we were a bit crazy because of just how honestly we answered the questions. I swear there were a few contractions that occurred, but every time one was about to hit I ended up heading to the restroom. Oh, and they confirmed I was leaking amniotic fluid too.

Oddly enough we sat in observation for an hour when my doc finally showed up. (That is totally normal. They want to figure out if you really need to be admitted or not. He told me that the monitors hadn't registered any contractions and then checked my progress. No more progress than my appointment a week prior. So he advised me start pitocen and an epidural. Yeah...no. (I'm pretty sure this was the moment my doc wanted to tell me I was being difficult.)

I had told people I was going to opt for a natural delivery. Not because I thought it was a wonderful thing or anything like that. No. I'm terrified of needles and the thought of a needle in my back freaked me out. And yes, I also told people I thought it was STUPID of me to try natural when fabulous drugs were readily available. NOT because I think people who chose a natural birth are stupid, but more so because second to needles, I avoid pain as much as humanly possible.

Anyhow, he being a great doctor because I'm a slightly crazy patient pushed me to make some decisions. He told me that 80% of women who's water breaks don't start contractions on their own and have to be induced. He also told me how chances of infection increase the longer you wait too. So I had some decisions to make. I decided no pitocen and that I'd just wait it out a couple of hours to see how things went. I'm pretty sure I told him my uterus would win. After all, I'd beaten the odds thus far. -No morning sickness, no cravings, no issues at all. Just grew a healthy baby right on target. (God must know me pretty well.)

So I went back to a room and began the wait. Mandi, being brilliant again, knew my sister was still in the hospital. (Yes, the exact same hospital. She had delivered her son the day before.) She went and found her and had her come down to where I was to talk to me about what I needed to do. (Let's not hide it. It was to talk me INTO what I should be doing ie an IV at the very least.)

My sister had just gotten there when the nurse came in with a phlebotomist to draw some blood. -Please see part where I say I do not like needles. The nurse not knowing this tried to explain to me the why behind the draw. Hello, I do NOT care about the WHY. At this point in time I just want FIVE minutes to figure out what I want to do or figure out a way to deal with it. After some very short serious conversation, I decided to go with the IV. So the floor nurse (who oddly enough Kelli and I both knew from Middle School) came in to give me the IV. She was really efficient about it and walked me through what she was going to do to help me deal with it all. Yes, I cried and it was terrible (for me). I remember her telling me she was really proud of me and I told her that unfortunately I didn't care if she was proud of me or not. It didn't help. (Yeah, I know. Apparently I'm a pretty big jerk when I go to the hospital.) Kelli stuck around for a few minutes later and then headed back up to her room.

From there I honestly don't remember a whole lot. Contractions started going at some point in time and with EVERY SINGLE one of them I felt like I had to go to the restroom. So I'd get off the bed and wander to the bathroom. Cable/monitors in tow, though not hooked up then head back to the bed after. I don't know if every L&D room is like this, but I swear it was like a mini trek and with each contraction it just seemed so tedious. Needless to say contractions had started and they were going along just fine.

And since I've written a mini novel, rocked my child to sleep and need some sleep of my own, I'll have to write another part to this story. Who thought I'd have so much to say about it all? But at least you can think about the terrible things you can say to a doc the next time you go to the hospital. =)


TO BE CONTINUED....