The Arrival

Tuesday, June 22, I was clearly in a funk. Seriously, did you read my last post?!? I was irritated with Brock from Reba. Clearly, I was not entirely rational. All I wanted to do was sleep and walking really was hurting that day. I went to bed and woke up at my usual 3:30AM for my nighttime tinkle. My sleep pants felt kinda wet. My thoughts were, "Did I tee tee in my britches?" and "Am I a super sweaty girl?" and "Did my water just break?" Now, we went to the child birth classes where we learned about water breaking and the "trickle" and the "gush." I didn't want to be a crazy girl rolling into the hospital thinking she's in labor when I wasn't so what did I do...Google. Isn't Google the answer to all medical questions? When I told Micah I was going to go check on this wet pants business, he mumbled okay and rolled over clearly either not believing me or not hearing me. After Googling what happens when your water breaks, I was even more confused. So, naturally I checked my email and Facebook all wound up from my notion that my water had broken. Back to the potty again, new sleep bottoms wet. I went back to bed just thinking it was all in my head. I mean, I was only 38.5 weeks along. I was already scheduled for induction on July 2. This was not happening. As soon I hit the bed, I heard a pop and there was a tiny gush. Yes, this was happening. I awoke Micah and he agreed that it was time to hit the road. I went to shower at 5AM and the water was off. They were fixing the well our neighborhood is on. Of all times! We were out the door by 5:30AM and on our way to UMC.

When we arrived at the triage labor and delivery room the doctors concluded that my water had indeed broken, and we were going to have a baby on Wednesday, June 23. Photo: Me in triage around 6:45AM.

As soon as I got in my labor and delivery room, I got my IV and they started Pitocin since I didn't have any pain. I walked in at a two and had been in that position for over a week. The contractions kicked up, and I requested an epidural. On of the biggest reasons I asked for one was because I couldn't get up to go tinkle. My mind wouldn't let me go on the bedpan. I tried running water, but just couldn't go. When I got the epidural, they would have to put a catheter in, which I wouldn't feel, but my bladder would empty! I was terrified of the epidural, but it really wasn't bad. Micah sat in from of me and was very positive.

I hung out at a four for most of the morning and early in the afternoon. I wish I had eaten before I had gone in; I was a hungry girl. My epidural wouldn't hit a spot on my left side. My left never got numb like my right side so I was rolled over. I got some really good medicine that numbed everything for about an hour. In the afternoon, I zoomed from a four to a seven, and she dropped way down. Then, in another hour, I went from a seven to ten, and the head was right there! My epidural was not working properly. At this point, I had seen four anesthesiologists! All very nice and bringing me drugs! Thank goodness for my nurse, Stacey, who recruited them to come in and fast since my labor was going so fast! My doctor was called to come in and deliver.

My doctor, Dr. Farooqui, rushed in in dress clothes and twenty-five minutes later of pushing we had our sweet girl Caroline Grace Malouf.



Much love and thanks to God,