11 Years Ago

11 years + 1 week ago

We had just finished closing on our new home and was in the process of moving. I was about 34-35 weeks pregnant and had a 3 year old at the time. The movers were real pieces of work. I remember the lead guy trying to convince me that he should leave all the boxes downstairs. His reasoning was that it was too stressful to wake up to unpacked boxes in the bedroom. Say what? I think his reasoning was to simply get out of doing his work. I calmly pointed to my large belly and coolly stated, "The boxes go upstairs."

11 years + 1 day ago

I'm in a major panic! That nursery has to be done! The crib must be put together! The kitchen has to be unpacked. And I just had to have my suitcase packed and ready to go to the hospital even though the baby wasn't due for another month. I called my cousin Gail, in tears! I couldn't see how I was going to be able to do this by myself. She so sweetly volunteered her husband and herself to come over that evening to help Mr. Sister and me. What a relief! Everything on my to-do list was getting done! I could breathe a little easier.

11 years ago

This was the 1st morning, since the move, that I had allowed myself to sleep in and it felt great! I got up and made breakfast. My daughter and I were having the best conversation at the kitchen table. I got up to clear the dishes and felt a sudden warm gush of fluid spreading down my legs! No! It can't be! It's too early! My water had just broke.

I matter of factly told Bethany that the baby was coming today. A look of sheer joy spread across her face as she danced around the kitchen table singing, "The baby's coming today-ay, the baby's coming today-ay!". Meanwhile I called the doctor, called my husband who had to come home to drive me to the hospital, and called my cousin who so kindly volunteered to take Bethany for the day.

What was I forgetting? At that point, the doorbell rang. It was the workman from the builder's who came to work on our "punch list". I had forgotten he was stopping by. I started to explain to him that I had just gone into labor and... I never got to finish my sentence. I was now staring at his backside as he made a mad dash towards his truck to get away.

We arrived at the hospital at 9:00 a.m. Labor was intensifying. Oh the pain! I didn't have this much pain with Bethany. But then again, I had a wonderful epidural that made all the pain go away. I asked Nurse Knucklehead for my epidural. She gave me narcotics instead saying that my labor hasn't progressed enough for the epidural.

I was now in a painful fog. Where's my epidural? I want my epidural and I want it now! It was getting close to 4:00 in the afternoon. I demanded the epidural as I was beginning to get hysterical due to the pain! Nurse Ratchet then informed me that my doctor didn't believe in epidurals and besides, my cervix had to be ephased to at least 5 cm before an epidural can be placed. If looks could kill she'd be dead on the spot. I gathered my senses the best I could and stated very seriously, "When I interviewed OB/Gyns I made sure they were aware and agreed to my request for an epidural." And then, in an even more stern, severe and measured voice, "Besides, you... have... yet... to... check... my... cervix... since... my... admission... this... morning." That got her attention.

Nurse Clueless finally checked and, sure enough, found my cervix to be ephased to 5 cm. She told me to go ahead and empty my bladder and she'd call anesthesia. I got up, with help from Mr. Sister, since I was still so woozy from the narcotics, and went to pee. Uh oh! I immediately transitioned from 5 cm to 10 and the sudden urge to push was overwhelming. "Help!" I weakly called out to my husband. I was scared. My hero, Mr. Sister, God bless him, ran into the hall shouting for Nurse Moron, the doctor, anyone! The baby was trying to be born on the toilet! Nurse Know-it-All came in and helped get me back into bed to prep for the pending delivery. She smugly stated that it was too late for the epidural now! At that minute Dr. Saving Grace, the anesthesiologist (who I knew very well as I worked with him at the hospital) got the epidural in in record time! Moments later, Munchie Boy was born.

Because of the narcotics I had received and due to his prematurity and small size poor Munch spent his 1st week of life in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit with the 1st 24 hours on a ventilator.

But all that is in the past and we can laugh about it now, for fortunately the Munch Miester is doing quite well. And guess what! Today is Munchie Boy's 11th birthday! Happy birthday to my little blessing.

Photo from our celebratory birthday dinner: Never mess with a boy and his "Shirley Temple".