Wednesday:

2:30ish: When we returned to Dr Wise’s office, I measured in at 3 cm and the contractions showed on my face. She announced it was time to go to the hospital. I started to cry, hugged everyone, and thanked them for all of their help these last 36 weeks.

3:30 PM: Jay drove the short distance from one Baptist Parking Garage to the other. We retrieved all our stuff and proceeded to admissions. This was really happening.

They set me up in a Labor & Delivery Room and hooked me up to the monitors.

It was too early to do the surgery because of the lunch I had so we were scheduled for 7 pm. A surprising thing was that the staff questioned a) why I was having the baby right now and b) why I was having a C-section. Jay said that I was imagining their disdain but I really felt like I kept defending both decisions. I also had to defend the decision on an epidural rather than a spinal to the anesthesiologist. He agreed, and Dan, the nurse anesthetist Cassandra recommended, would administer it.

It was still early but I was still in a good amount of pain.

They asked if I wanted the epidural yet but I decided to wait. The epidural was finally started around 5:30-6. It was excruciating and I was not a very cooperative patient. Jay sat in front of me while it was adminstered and he was an amazing coach. The “threading of the needle” of the epidural into my spine was supposed to take 15 minutes…it took an hour. I felt pain and I felt him straying left or right, causing him to have to restart the process over and over again. I also developed this fear that I was going to be paralyzed by it, causing me to cry uncontrollably. The anesthesiologist came in and said to stop and do a spinal…five minutes later the epidural was in place.

Wheeled into the OR alone, I started to calm down. My legs were completely numb, so much so that I could not even move them. The assisting physician, Lonnie, was funny, got me laughing and calmed me down. When I finally was put on the table, I was calm and in charge, my only concern that Thanos be healthy and able to exist on his own.

Jay was let in after I was prepped. Dr Wise checked my ability to feel things. Nothing. Surgery started.

It took longer to get to the baby than I had thought. She finally announced when she was at the uterus. The next thing I heard was…”look at that head of hair!” She told us she was taking him out, head first and told Dad to take a look. I did not hear him crying and kept asking if he was ok. They assured me he was and that he was not supposed to cry yet. I felt some more tugging and he was out completely. It was 7:27 pm the first time Thanos took his first breath and let out a huge wail.

They told Jay to go take a look and after some hesitation and assurance from me that I was ok, he went and looked at his son for the very first time.

I kept asking, is he ok, is he ok. They assured me he was. Dr. Wise said he was beautiful and doing great. I remember looking at Jay and him telling me he was ok, all fingers and toes accounted for. Then they brought him to me and I saw my baby for the very first time and even got to hold him a little. He looked perfect. Jay and I held him for a few minutes and then, what seemed rather abruptly, a nurse took him back.

Jay went with him to get cleaned up and checked on. I told Dan that I was feeling good and did not need the sleeping meds for the remainder of the surgery. We talked about sports, of all things, and then I was sewn up and ready to go….

Little Thanos was announced to be 19.25 inches long and 6.25 pounds.

This entry was posted on Sunday, June 3rd, 2007 at 10:46 pm and is filed under Hansen News, Posts with Photos, Thanos 0-6 mos. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.