The body (the road to meeting Viviana)

This post contains graphic pictures

Read the introduction, the previous post, first...

In the maternal assessment center on the 6th floor of the hospital, our baby's heartbeat was monitored. The baby seemed to be sleepy, but no concerns. My IV was hooked up and we waited. And waited. The nurse pointed out that I was having contractions. They weren't painful like the last time, just the start and what I had been feeling most of the weekend. Jeff was given his scrubs and our parents spent some time with us as we sat in this small room, me in my gown in a recliner, Jeff sitting in the chair nearby.





There were visits from two men I liked to see, those who were to provide me with drugs. Love those guys. They explained what I was to expect. At this point, it all still seemed so weird and dreamlike. Dr. Chow arrived a little after 9:00 AM and chatted with us a bit about final thoughts or questions before getting prepared for my surgery. As he departed he says, "I gotta go read my manual." Nice. Our parents left and went to their waiting room post. I walked with Jeff and a crew of capable hands to the operating room. How absolutely strange walking to the operating room! Jeff's waiting room was pointed out. We kissed and said our I love yous before I walked in the room. It felt like a movie set. It didn't seem real. All the bright lights, so many tools, so many people, all there for the sole purpose of getting my baby out and doing so with our safety at the top of their minds. I felt safe, secure and scared all at once.

I sat on the edge of the table waiting for my spinal anaesthesia, also referred to as a spinal block. It's the same concept as the epidural I had with Mirabella, but it would numb me faster with one shot lasting about two and a half hours (from what I can remember of what they told me). I hung my head down as one man held my shoulders down and the other cleaned by back with a cold solution, which he said would be the worst part. I could handle that if it was the truth. Then the poke, not comfortable. It stung like crazy for a few moments, but it was manageable. I laid down on the table with assistance and my cathetar was put in. How was I this nervous for that to happen? After all, I knew much worse was to come. It didn't hurt. I don't even remember feeling it much. My doctor was in the room now and we were minutes away from birth time.

One of the anesthesiologists said, "We're going to bring you from the R rated version to the PG one and then we'll get your husband" as I could tell I was all sprawled out, naked from the chest down, on the table. I was so fearful of the shaking reaction I had the last time I was on the table. It was so out of control it felt like a seizure that wouldn't end. They prepared me for the possibility I may have that again, but when Jeff came in and grabbed my hand, still no shaking. I was so happy that it never came.

Jeff held my hand, rubbing it as I was loving being able to stare at him unaltered with no shakes. I felt tugs and pulls, but no pain. There was constant anticipation about feeling pain, but I was fine and no pain would come, in the operating room. It is such an odd feeling when they start to prepare you for the pressure, telling you it'll be like someone is standing on you and you feel it, but without any pain! An anesthesiologist let us know that it would be about one to two minutes before the baby was out by his estimation. Whoa. Jeff was told to get the camera ready and I wondered if there was apprehension on his part of having to finally look over the curtain that protected us from seeing what was going down. He stood over that curtain and started snapping without hesitation, with a ton of playful provoking by the crew. "Come on Jeff! Get ready! Are you snapping, Jeff? Keep snapping!" they would say.

The curiosity was killing me as with each snap, Jeff would have something to say. "Oh my God! Oh, wow! Oh my gosh. Oh..."







I was told by Jeff later that each of his comments, the oohs and ahhs of all sorts, came with the reveal of each body part. First the head, then the shoulders and then..."OK Jeff, you are going to announce what the baby is. Get ready!" the guys said. I waited in suspense as I stared at Jeff and he looked on...and finally..."It's another girl!!!" he said with a sweet excitement. It was 9:54AM on Monday, April 5th.

More to come...