On this day, 4 years ago (Part 2)

Monday, January 8, 2007 at 12:45 AM

No baby.

After sitting in the triage room of the maternity ward for a couple of hours, half-naked and hooked to monitors that were clearly registering contractions, I was told I was "not in enough pain."  Apparently, the fact that I could talk through the regular contractions indicated that I was in "false labor".  I was given a shot of some liquid to drink that would supposedly allow me to sleep through the contractions.  Sleep, I would need.  For here it was, 12:45 in the morning (or middle of the night), and I was on my way home from the hospital feeling tired, a little embarrassed, and a lot relieved.

Monday, January 8, 2007 at 7:00 AM

I made it to work, exhausted, after the gag-inducing shot of liquid didn't seem to do anything to make me not notice the contractions that kept me awake much of the night.  And they were still going.  Still the same.  Very consistent in timing and duration.  But I wasn't due for weeks, so if this was false labor, I guess I just had to get used to it.  Though, I did tell my students what had happened the night before, and as they exited my room, I said, "See you tomorrow!...Maybe!"  And then I proceeded to get my desk cleaned, drawers organized, overly detailed lesson plans written for the week...as if I wasn't coming back...just in case. 

Monday, January 8, around 4:45 PM

I had made it through the day, made it home, ate some scrumptious whole grain chips and drank a big glass of water.  Now I was ready to lie down on the couch.  I was exhausted.  I put my glass on the coffee table, picked my leg up, ready to go horizontal, and "pop!"  What the heck was that?! I instinctively ran to the hardwood floor before it became evident - my water had just broken.  Jooooooohhhhhhhnnnnnn!!!!  I think we are going to have a baby!!!!!  I called the doctor and calmly explained what had happened.  She, just as calmly, told me that I could get a shower and head to the hospital.  She seemed in no big rush, so I did just that.  As I showered, John got all the details together, and again, we headed out.  Only this time it was a little bit different. 

Monday, January 8, around 6:15 PM

We were on the way to the hospital, with me seated on several towels.  It was definitely surreal.  We had just done this less than 24 hours earlier.  So much for false labor.  Though, I can say I now knew what we meant by not being in enough pain.  As soon as my water had broken, the contractions clearly intensified.  By the time we were on the way to the hospital, I definitely couldn't talk through them.  Somehow, the "dry run" the night before had prepared me, though, and I was feeling a little more ready for what was to come.  And obviously, I would not be coming home without a baby this time.  This was what we had been waiting for.

The check-in procedure went much more quickly than the night prior.  First, we had done it before.  Second, this was obviously a more urgent situation.  They took a woman with broken water quite seriously.  No triage for me...straight to the labor and delivery room.  It wasn't long before I was in enough pain to request my epidural.  Of course, the anesthesiologist came right during the middle of my favorite show, How I Met Your Mother, and I missed the whole thing.  So, I can pretty safely say that the epidural process took from about 8 until 8:30 PM.  And it didn't work!

What was weird was that the epidural did work on half of me.  So, part of me was enjoying the labor - that would be the right side.  The left side was writhing in pain with every spike on the monitor.  It took some time to get that all figured out.  When it was all said and done, I couldn't feel either of my legs even a little bit, but I was in no pain.

Through the evening, I was poked and prodded, checked and re-checked, and it seemed as though things were progressing nicely. 

Midnight approached.  All was well.