Can you even believe it?! I am so grateful for this year. It has been a crazy year.
I am finally ready to talk about the birth. You will find interesting coincidences throughout the story, without which I would not be here.
Just some background, Cooper was a c sections after I pushed for over 3 hours. Sydney was a VBAC and was 1.5 lbs bigger than Coop. The plan for this, my third, pregnancy was that I would have a successful VBAC just like with Sydney. We had moved back to Toledo since Syd was born so I picked a practice that had midwives that I liked. I wasn't in love with the doctor in the practice but that was not a big deal to me since I was pretty sure I wouldn't be needing him.
I found out at my first ultrasound that this baby had cleft lip and palate. I also found out I was already 26 weeks, 4 more weeks than my dates. The MFM doc suggested we have chromosomal studies done and that I should deliver at Toledo not Flower. (coincidence #1) It was a lot to take in. I decided it was a good idea to go to Toledo and I was happy since I worked there anyway.
March 14, 2010 I worked labor and delivery from 11a-7p. I was 36 weeks pregnant and just starting to get a little nervous for labor that I hoped would come in another 3 weeks. The baby's room was not ready and my mind set wasn't either.
In bed that night Eric and I were considering doing some "boom chicka bow wow" when I started bleeding, significant bleeding, enough to make me really scared bleeding, and I don't freak out about ANYTHING. I sat on the toilet and called the midwife, my mom, my neighbor, and the hospital. Eric wanted to call 911 right away but I wouldn't let him. The midwife told me to go to St Lukes where their back up doctor was doing 24 hr call. I said no (good decision/coincidence #2). I told them I was going to Toledo Hospital. When I talked to the charge nurse, M, she told me to call 911. I said no. ((see, in labor and delivery we usually make fun of people who take the squad in since it is usually because a. they have no transportation (even though all their friends and family show up about 5 minutes later) b. 99.9% of the time it is not something that warrants an ambulance ride (such as a cold, vaginal discharge or contractions every 20 minutes since an hour ago) c. they're stupid)) I didn't fit into any of those categories but more to the point, I just wanted Eric to put me in the car and take me. I was assuming that would be faster. I said "let's go now".
I stood up to walk and immediately felt woozy. That is how much blood I had already lost. I am not exaggerating when I say, it was pouring out of me and it hadn't stopped, huge clots, scary stuff. Eric was beside himself. I laid down on the floor and told Eric to get me some towels and a shirt (I was naked), oh and go ahead and call 911. He said "I already did", smart man. He brought me the bathroom towels (white, of course) and my t-shirt that says "knitting is knotty". Thanks, hon.
My neighbor, an ICU nurse came over. She later told me she was pretty scared that I was not going to make it. By this time I was feeling really bad and starting throwing up from being so lightheaded and I was still bleeding. I started to get really concerned. I had no idea how the baby was and I knew I was in trouble and I wasn't even at the hospital yet. There was nothing to be done until I got there so at this point I just wanted to GO NOW. Luckily the paramedics showed up about then.
They started 2 IVs and I begged them to take me to Toledo Hospital since I knew Flower was probably closer. By the time they were taking me down the stairs, my mom was there and lots of neighbors were hanging around. The kids never woke up which was a total blessing, Coop probably would have needed therapy for life. They loaded me up and we were off. I had periods of feeling ok and then I would be nauseas and lightheaded again. I asked if I was still bleeding and they said yes. I was very scared about the baby and when I asked if they had a Doppler to listen to the heartbeat, they said no. I hadn't felt any movement since this all started and I was terrified something awful was happening to the kiddo as well as me.
Long ambulance ride to the hospital...
to be continued...
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