Monday, November 5, 2012

In the Beginning...

I can't believe it's been an entire month since I've written.

Wait.

Yes.  Yes I can.  Because you can't type with an infant in your arms, and I never want to put mine down.  He's just as amazing as I expected- maybe even more.

So here I am.  Here's my story...at least a portion of it.  I will try to spread it out through a few posts so as not to bore the reader.
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Friday, October 5th:

10:30AM-  Something didn't feel right.  Something hurt.  Something was wrong.  So I called the OB, and they said- just come in.  I was a little apprehensive.  I had an appointment later on in the afternoon, but I just couldn't wait.  I didn't tell anyone I was going.  I didn't call Andy.  I didn't email anyone.  I didn't phone a friend.  I drove in and took a seat in the waiting room.  A little boy befriended me and helped to pass the time by chatting my ear off.  But I didn't mind, because I was so nervous.

I was supposed to see Dr. Mantione, but instead Sandy came in to see me.  Ah, I love Sandy.  Sandy, Sandy, Sandy.  I came out with it, "Something feels wrong and I'm probably going to cry now."  And she just wrapped her arms around me and she said, "Honey, let's get this figured out.  Please don't be afraid."  And then she gave me an internal.  And then she said I was dilated 4 cm.  And then she told me I was 90% effaced.  And then she told me I had been in labor for 12 hours.  And then she told me I was going to have a baby.  That night.  And then I started to cry.

She stood up from the exam, and I could tell her hand was bloody.  She said, "I went ahead and ruptured your membranes while I was in there, so it's only a matter of time."  And then I started to sob.  Dr. Mantione came in, and they both held me while I cried.  "Go home, put your feet up, take a nap, and we'll see you tonight in L and D.  All our doctor's are on call this weekend- it's a GREAT weekend to have a baby."

I got in the car and I called my cousin Jodie.  "They ruptured my membranes without me knowing!" I gasped to her.  She calmed me down.  "You were already on the way.  It's safe.  You weren't starting from scratch.  You're going to be fine."

I called my husband, "Hi whoot..."  Is how it started.  "You're going to be a daddy...tonight."  That's all I could muster.  Somewhere in the background I heard cheers at his workplace.

I called my mom.  I can't remember what I said.  Maybe I just cried.

So of course I went back to work.  I came home and my mom and Lauren met me there to stay until Andy got home.  Then Andy and I walked for cheese steaks and fries (what a great last meal...mmm...) and what seemed like an ETERNITY later, we packed up the car with the birth ball, the go bag, the baby's go bag, a bunch of things we threw in at the last minute.  Andy took pictures of me on the porch one last time with my gigantic belly, and we drove off.

I look at them now, one month later, and I laugh.  I don't remember being pregnant.