Birth Day

We arrived at the hospital promptly at 9 a.m., after arguing with Lurch (aka hospital security guard) about where we were and were not permitted to park. On the labor and delivery floor, we were taken to triage and given a tiny curtained-off cubicle to wait in, as all the rooms were taken by women actually having babies. So of course, I broke into tears, crying that this was my worst nightmare. Jed, too, was upset, but we both decided to try to make the best of the situation. So the nurse and a student came in, and started an IV (I didn't realize there would be so much blood--ugh)for the required two bags of saline needed prior to surgery. She said she'd come back to start my catheter, and I was like, "uh, my doctor said that wouldn't be done until AFTER the spinal was in place," to which she said ok, but that it really wasn't that big a deal, and if I let her just go ahead and do it, I wouldn't have to have my hoo-ha hanging out in the operating room for all the world to see. Trusting in this kindly person in the white outfit, I agreed that I could handle it. Uh, please trust me on this...If anyone ever tells you that a catheter is "no big deal," THEY ARE LYING. It was truly horrible, worse than any other part of my hospital stay.

They took me almost directly down to the surgical suite, with me bitching the entire time about how much the catheter hurt. Outside the door they had me put on a cafeteria-lady-looking hair cover, and gave Jed his booties and mask. I don't even remember telling Jed goodbye before they wheeled me into the surgery room, but I do remember shaking, extremely nervous. There were tons of people milling around the operating table, and everyone was very chatty. Two nurses sat me up to get the spinal, one holding my shoulders, the other holding my hand. It was honestly no big deal--felt kinda like a really deep bee sting. And then, just tingly and warm in my legs, followed by complete numbness.

They let Jed come in after the spinal and gave him a chair right by my head. My arms were out to the sides, but not restrained. Jed just held my hand while the surgery began. I didn't feel anything at all. It took about ten minutes for the baby to come out. It's all a little blurry in my mind, but Dr. Heidtman held him up over the curtain, and he was all gray and slimy and the most precious thing I've ever seen. They then took him over to another part of the room, to do all the wiping off, weighing, etc. that they do. A nurse told Jed he could come over, and so he went with the baby. I asked the doctor if he was ok, and he said that the baby was perfect. I'll let Jed write about the time he spent with Cole in those first minutes...from what he's told me, it felt very surreal to him.

So after a few minutes, Jed came back to me, holding Cole. He was gorgeous--round head, perfect skin. We sat together, the three of us, while the surgery was finished.

March 29 was, without a doubt, the most wonderful day of my life. I cannot explain the overwhelming and perfect joy that we felt...it was like, well, being in the presence of God, as dorky as that sounds. But there is no other experience in my life that could even come close to comparing to Cole's birth. I'd write more, but the little beast is grumpy and demanding some attention.