Warren's Story

Written: April 10, 2013

 

Christmas Eve, 2012.

 

I was already feeling anxious before we left home to go to Ninny’s for Christmas breakfast. The past few days I’d been bleeding consistently (since the doctor’s stripped my membranes the Thursday before) and just wanted to hole up till D-Day.  The doctors assured me all was normal and it was due to my heritage of being a red-head.

 

So we (Bryan, Chris and I) trucked along down the road and visited…for a brief time. Not long after arriving, I got up from the dining room table and felt a gush. No, it wasn’t my water that broke, but more blood. Of course that put me in a panic. I’d never seen so much blood that didn’t result in something horrible. So, after gathering myself in the bathroom for a good 15 minutes, I walked to the back room and I called the hospital.

 

Now, when people were arriving, many were making the comment, “ Oh, you’re going to pop any second”, or “Watch out, today could be the day” or “Looks like you could be having a Christmas baby”. Little did they know, they were all right!

 

I walked back into the room and looked at Chris, “Uh…we’ve got to go”. The looks on everyone’s face was priceless. No one said anything and Chris just sat there staring at me. We eventually got around to leaving, but the ONE TIME I didn’t grab my hospital bag was the one time I needed it.

 

We arrived at the hospital around 10am and didn’t get to leave until 5pm. They ran tests and everything was fine. I had not dilated more than 3 centimeters and wasn’t having any contractions, just a lot of bleeding. Baby was fine; I wasn’t in pain and felt comfortable enough for them to let me go home.

 

Not even 20 minutes after I walk through my front door, another gush of blood. I’m freakin’ out at this point! Not much later and the contractions started. More blood, harsher contractions. They were still light enough that I was able to call mom to bring my sisters over so we could quickly celebrate Christmas. It was very quickly. Mom looked at me and said, Girl, you aren’t going to last much longer.

 

Checked back in to the hospital at 8p and the front desk was being ridiculous and asking me for information when I’m contracting and in pain! Any ways; we finally get into the room and get into the gown and settled in. Here I am hoping for a Christmas Eve baby and I get him delivered by midnight…

 …………………

 

Christmas Day, 2012

It feels like this happened years ago and is already fading so I’ll try to remember the highlights.

 

I never went into true labor. I wasn’t able to dilate past 8 centimeters. The pain was excruciating and the epidural was wonderful…while it lasted. After about an hour in a half, maybe two hours, the epidural was no longer effective. The anesthesiologist had already given me another dosage, but it was no use. I can tell you this: the “hee hee whoo” really does work. I’d clench on Chris and do that and it felt better, still hurt like hell, but was better.

 

After hours of contractions and no improvement the doctor finally came in and said Warren wasn’t turning face down (he was “sunny side up”) and we could try a couple things. A) Flip me on my stomach for an hour and see if he’ll turn on his own. Or B) Go ahead with a cesarean

 

At this point, I had a fever and an infection. I was burning up and thirsty but no one would give me anything to drink-only ice chips. Even after a certain point, they wouldn’t allow that. Mom stayed with me through it all and guarded her baby chick like a cougar.

 

But instead of quick surgery, I opted for the stomach flip.

 
Didn’t work.
 

I was prepped and wheeled into the OR and once again check for dilation. I had dilated fully and was told to push—but once I did, Warren’s heart rate dropped and they had to cut me open quickly.

 

Now THAT was the weirdest feeling ever. Everything felt like jelly and was being tugged this way and that. I remember singing/humming to myself because if I thought to hard about what they were doing, I’d vomit. I could write a novel on that alone.

 

Twenty or so minutes later, little Warren made his appearance into the world. What was the first thing I heard? Look at all that red hair! Success!! I done my part and passed the recessive gene!

 

Warren Allen Scott. 7 lbs 9 oz. 21 inches long. Red haired and fair skinned.

 

I asked to see him and he was abruptly shoved right up to my nose. I couldn’t see much of him, but the nurse pulled him back a bit and was able to see the little red haired fella.

 

I didn’t feel that connection that mothers speak of and that worried me. It took a couple days, honestly. I don’t know if it was because of the medication, the fact that they were not able to hold him right after because of the surgery or because I wasn’t able to see him because he was in ICU. Not sure, I know it’s normal, but it was a little disheartening.

Warren was in NICU for a few days and we left that Saturday. Needless to say, Chris and I were clueless and didn’t know what to do or expect. Those first few weeks were horrible.

Present Day…

 

In hindsight, we’d do a few things differently and make it a lot easier on us. Constantly feed the sucker and keep him dry.

 

He’s almost 4 months old now and the cutest, happiest baby ever.