A Year Ago Today

I had a normal doctor's appointment. Well, normal since having been put on bed rest due to pre ecclampsia. I was swollen to the size of a NFL linebacker and you could literally leave one word messages in the edema to my legs. My blood pressure was borderline crazy since I rarely get above 100 systolic on a normal day. In to the doctor's office I went to see if my kidneys were tolerating all the fluid that my body was retaining. Urine sample provided...hello to protein in my urine. Non stress test turned out to be something the physician didn't like and these words were uttered, "be at the hospital by 300pm, you're being induced." A little early, but ya know...I was pretty ready to meet her and be done with being pregnant. I left the doctor's office, packed up my stuff, and we headed to the hospital. I showed up to the room got in a pretty gown and laid down. By this time, I was starting to feel some pretty powerful contractions on my own. I'm pretty sure the doc could have touched Sydney's feet during his manual exam at the office...so I'm sure he stimulated something. The sweet nurse started the IV... right where I didn't want it, but I didn't complain. I didn't want to be one of those nurses... you know the ones who tell you exactly how to do everything. The doctor came an examined me again and guess what...I was dilated to 2 on my own. The process was in progress. Pitocin was started... tick tock tick tock. My blood pressure didn't like the contractions so the lights had to be turned down and the noise lowered. Mean while my parents were driving about 100mph from Georgia to Arkansas. Fast forward 10 hrs or so to 100am. My uterus went hypertonic (wouldn't stop contracting) and the pit had to be turned off. A quick check of the uterus showed pushing time. Thankfully, my parents arrived just prior to that time so I got to see them safe before the hard work began. I pushed. And pushed. And pushed. I couldn't tell if they were doing anything due to the darn epidural. Two and a half hours later and pretty painful epidural, Sydney arrived. My life was forever changed.