Monday, July 8, 2013
Friday, June 21, 2013
The body (the road to meeting Luccia)
This post contains graphic pictures
Read the introduction, the previous post, first...
As we waited in the maternal assessment center, Dr. Chow came in to greet us and to see if we had any last minute questions. Mostly our time was spent joking around and laughing, both of which helped to calm my bouncing nerves. I had previously asked one of the anesthesiologists if I could be more sedated when it came time for the repair of my umbilical hernia after I delivered the baby and was told they could do that. Dr. Chow reiterated this could happen, so my one question was answered and things were ready to get rolling.
My doctor left to get prepped and my mom and Jeff's dad took his spot in the room. We briefly exchanged a few words and kisses as I was shuffled out the door. The time had come! Jeff would gown up after I left and we would be reunited once my body was prepared for surgery. My two anesthesiologists walked me down the hallway and led me into the brightly lit operating room. The room was already bustling; friendly faces were verbally embracing me and making me feel welcome. I was comforted knowing it was these people who were assigned to make sure our baby and I were taken care of and made it through. It is such a surreal feeling walking into a room knowing in just a matter of minutes, I will be bringing a new life into the world.
I was instructed to sit on the bed and soon I was in position for my spinal block, the injection of drugs into my spine that would get me all numbed up for my surgeries. I had kind of forgotten about this part and how badly the needle poke felt, but the burn went away quickly and guided by my anesthesiologists, I was soon flat on the bed.
Everyone was moving more rapidly at this point. A curtain higher than I remembered from my c-sections with Mirabella and Viviana went up over my chest and now all I saw were lights and blue. I felt complimented as one of the nurses said, "Wow, you're all baby!" as I imagined my big ol' belly sticking straight up in the air. I laughed and referred to one of my husband's previous comments about it being even bigger than a fully inflated beach ball. Then the reality of my entire body, all my lady parts, being on display hit me and I pictured in my head what a sight that must have been.
Dr. Chow came in, Jeff got into place and I was about to have our baby. My name and my procedures - c-section, tubal ligation, umbilical hernia repair - were said aloud by my doctor and he confirmed I did indeed want my tubes tied. I could tell things were being recorded and suddenly the tone seemed much more serious. It was time.
There were three or four people on my side of the curtain and the same amount or more on the other side. Still more were in the room, all ready to take care of the baby and me. "Who's the schmuck that left all this scar tissue to get through?" Dr. Chow teased as he made reference to himself and the scar tissue that had built up under the line from my previous incisions. The mood lightened. We laughed. And waited impatiently. Jeff held my hand and we made small talk with each other and the crew.
From out of my sight behind the curtain one of the nurses said, "You must be the life of the party, Jen, if this is how you are in the middle of surgery!" "Yes, she is." Jeff said, and I found myself feeling quite proud that I didn't even sense an eye roll out of him while saying it. He was out of my sight line then too, however. I mean, of course I always tell myself I am the life of the party, but how nice it was to have someone else's affirmation of the fact. Haha!
Then, in what felt like not enough time at all, Jeff was told to get the camera ready. Even with all of the anticipation I felt, I couldn't believe it was already time! Jeff stood up and one of the guys pulled some of the curtain down for him to see. Although he had been through this step a couple times, I still worried he may faint at the sight that was in store. But he was awesome and I heard the snaps of the camera alongside of the amazement in his voice.
Read the introduction, the previous post, first...
As we waited in the maternal assessment center, Dr. Chow came in to greet us and to see if we had any last minute questions. Mostly our time was spent joking around and laughing, both of which helped to calm my bouncing nerves. I had previously asked one of the anesthesiologists if I could be more sedated when it came time for the repair of my umbilical hernia after I delivered the baby and was told they could do that. Dr. Chow reiterated this could happen, so my one question was answered and things were ready to get rolling.
My doctor left to get prepped and my mom and Jeff's dad took his spot in the room. We briefly exchanged a few words and kisses as I was shuffled out the door. The time had come! Jeff would gown up after I left and we would be reunited once my body was prepared for surgery. My two anesthesiologists walked me down the hallway and led me into the brightly lit operating room. The room was already bustling; friendly faces were verbally embracing me and making me feel welcome. I was comforted knowing it was these people who were assigned to make sure our baby and I were taken care of and made it through. It is such a surreal feeling walking into a room knowing in just a matter of minutes, I will be bringing a new life into the world.
I was instructed to sit on the bed and soon I was in position for my spinal block, the injection of drugs into my spine that would get me all numbed up for my surgeries. I had kind of forgotten about this part and how badly the needle poke felt, but the burn went away quickly and guided by my anesthesiologists, I was soon flat on the bed.
Everyone was moving more rapidly at this point. A curtain higher than I remembered from my c-sections with Mirabella and Viviana went up over my chest and now all I saw were lights and blue. I felt complimented as one of the nurses said, "Wow, you're all baby!" as I imagined my big ol' belly sticking straight up in the air. I laughed and referred to one of my husband's previous comments about it being even bigger than a fully inflated beach ball. Then the reality of my entire body, all my lady parts, being on display hit me and I pictured in my head what a sight that must have been.
Dr. Chow came in, Jeff got into place and I was about to have our baby. My name and my procedures - c-section, tubal ligation, umbilical hernia repair - were said aloud by my doctor and he confirmed I did indeed want my tubes tied. I could tell things were being recorded and suddenly the tone seemed much more serious. It was time.
There were three or four people on my side of the curtain and the same amount or more on the other side. Still more were in the room, all ready to take care of the baby and me. "Who's the schmuck that left all this scar tissue to get through?" Dr. Chow teased as he made reference to himself and the scar tissue that had built up under the line from my previous incisions. The mood lightened. We laughed. And waited impatiently. Jeff held my hand and we made small talk with each other and the crew.
From out of my sight behind the curtain one of the nurses said, "You must be the life of the party, Jen, if this is how you are in the middle of surgery!" "Yes, she is." Jeff said, and I found myself feeling quite proud that I didn't even sense an eye roll out of him while saying it. He was out of my sight line then too, however. I mean, of course I always tell myself I am the life of the party, but how nice it was to have someone else's affirmation of the fact. Haha!
Then, in what felt like not enough time at all, Jeff was told to get the camera ready. Even with all of the anticipation I felt, I couldn't believe it was already time! Jeff stood up and one of the guys pulled some of the curtain down for him to see. Although he had been through this step a couple times, I still worried he may faint at the sight that was in store. But he was awesome and I heard the snaps of the camera alongside of the amazement in his voice.
I yearned for the visual as I heard all the oohing and ahhing and oh my goshes, not just from Jeff, but now also from the several people by me who were all looking over the curtain with him by this time. They appeared to be as enthralled as we were anticipating the sex of our baby. (The main anesthesiologist had playfully razzed Jeff and me some in the maternal assessment center that our chances of another girl were likely after already having two. "You know what that means...you're probably having another one!" he said. I figured him to be looking on to see if his theory was true.)
And there was the head!
Then the body! (I love this photo. I have a shot of each of our babies in this pose!)
The suspense was too much as everyone looked on and I was held captive waiting for the revelation from Jeff.
"Can you tell yet? Do you know yet?" I was asking repeatedly as all of his answers had been no. Then I remember the sounds getting louder, everyone's voices animated as Jeff finally said excitedly, "It's a girl!" I could tell he was beaming.
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
The introduction (to a scheduled c-section)
Just as it happened when I knew Viviana's arrival would be the next day, sleep was not so easy to come by the night before Luccia's birth. There was still much to do to get ready, but as I continued to prepare things late into the midnight hour, I finally felt like everything was under control . We thought about having Mirabella and Viviana stay at my parents' house that night so we could get things rolling more easily in the morning, but we made the decision to keep them with us which was so nice. The four of us had dinner at home before our run to Dairy Queen for a little treat. Bedtime approached quickly and the morning of May 31st came even faster.
Our neighbor and dear friend, Mary, came (with a gift!) to spend the day with the girls while we got our truck packed up. There was a bag filled with boy gear and a bag filled with girl gear all ready for our newborn to break in. Time would soon tell which bag would make it into our hospital room and which one would sit untouched.
Surgery was scheduled for 12:00 PM and we had to be there by 10:00 AM which meant leaving our house by 9:00 AM. The car ride left me feeling at once anxious, nervous and excited. I could not stand the wait before I met our baby, but the whole process of surgery - three procedures - scared me some. We parked in the ramp of the new Mother Baby Center at Abbott and I felt fantastic. We arrived five minutes early too, which for me was big! I could not believe how good I felt walking into the hospital and it didn't seem possible I was going in to have a baby just two hours from then. What a difference it made not having all the swelling I did with both of my other girls. I wondered if this was a predictor that this baby would be our first and only son.
It seemed like only a couple of minutes before I was gowned up and in the maternal assessment center.
There were two nurses taking care of me and visits from two anesthesiologists who are always collected and appear to display a sense of calm that is reassuring. We were told things were on schedule, and then, ahead of schedule, and soon we would be ready to get the show on the road even before the noon hour hit.
Our neighbor and dear friend, Mary, came (with a gift!) to spend the day with the girls while we got our truck packed up. There was a bag filled with boy gear and a bag filled with girl gear all ready for our newborn to break in. Time would soon tell which bag would make it into our hospital room and which one would sit untouched.
I grabbed the pretty pictures that Mirabella and Viviana had made for the baby to put up in my hospital room and we hit the road.
Surgery was scheduled for 12:00 PM and we had to be there by 10:00 AM which meant leaving our house by 9:00 AM. The car ride left me feeling at once anxious, nervous and excited. I could not stand the wait before I met our baby, but the whole process of surgery - three procedures - scared me some. We parked in the ramp of the new Mother Baby Center at Abbott and I felt fantastic. We arrived five minutes early too, which for me was big! I could not believe how good I felt walking into the hospital and it didn't seem possible I was going in to have a baby just two hours from then. What a difference it made not having all the swelling I did with both of my other girls. I wondered if this was a predictor that this baby would be our first and only son.
It seemed like only a couple of minutes before I was gowned up and in the maternal assessment center.
This time I wouldn't see Jeff in his gown and handsome blue hat until we were reunited in the operating room.
There were two nurses taking care of me and visits from two anesthesiologists who are always collected and appear to display a sense of calm that is reassuring. We were told things were on schedule, and then, ahead of schedule, and soon we would be ready to get the show on the road even before the noon hour hit.
Friday, June 7, 2013
Five
Luccia is one week old today and each day with her brings more joy than the last. She has been the most precious gift!
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Birth announcement photo slide show
Click the link below to see Luccia's virtual birth announcement. It was created by the company that took her first photos in the hospital.
Sunday, June 2, 2013
Luccia at 2 Days Old
Luccia (Lu-CHEE-uh) Adriana (Awe-dree-AWE-nuh) was born at 12:04 PM on Friday, May 31. She weighed in at 7 pounds 14 ounces and was 20 inches long. Here are a few photos of her from today at two days old.
Friday, May 31, 2013
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