Tuesday, March 18th -- I got hooked up to the monitor again - nothing unusual about that. I joked with the nurse who had become my friend that she was so good at finding Mason's heartbeat - she could always do it on the first try, and she did this time, too. Then, as she turned to leave the room, the heartbeat was gone. No problem, just need to move the monitor - guess she wasn't quite as good this time. Move the monitor, can't find it. Move it again, can't find it. Move it a 3rd time, can't find it. I roll to my other side. Still can't find the heartbeat after several tries. Ok, let's get on hands and knees, maybe he's just hiding. Still can't find the heartbeat after several tries. Hit the nurse call button, we need some help in here - we may need to start an IV and we may need to get this baby out now! Finally, after 4 1/2 minutes of trying, there he is, but barely! Just so you know, 5 minutes is the cut off before emergency c-section. IV is started, can someone please call Bill??? He's on his way! After 12 minutes, Mason's heartbeat is regular again and has lots of peaks like he's doing ok saying, "What were you worried about, Mom? I was just getting an umbilical cord squeeze high. Geez."
As a precaution, I was told to stay on the monitor for the next 24-48 hours. Mason's heartbeat was great for 24 so they told me I could come off of it. I wasn't so sure, so requested to stay on for a while longer.....
Thursday, March 20th -- I started bleeding again - a lot - at 11:30 pm (6 weeks to the day after checking into the hospital). The contractions started a short time later - not really intense, but for the first time, regular. They lasted for 30 seconds to a minute and happened every 5 minutes or so - I really only knew that because I was still hooked up to the fetal monitor. This time, though, they didn't go away. Instead, they got more intense and more frequent. By 4 am, they told me I couldn't eat breakfast or drink any more water, just in case I had to go in for the c-section. By 6 am, the on call doctor had been notified and came in to do an ultrasound and cervical check. Ultrasound looked ok, but the cervix looked "boggy" (whatever that means). By 8 am, it was time to call Bill. By 9 am, I was having a conversation with the neonatologist (preemie doctor)- who we would eventually know very well - and my perinatologist (high risk pregnancy doctor). If the lungs are developed, and we have no guarantee that they are, the risk for complications at 32 weeks gestation are minimal - he may not be a genius, but he will have normal brain development. If the lungs are not developed, and we have no guarantee that they are not, we have no way to predict what will happen............
It was exactly 1 year ago today that we lost Mason's heartbeat on the monitor for the 2nd time.
It was exactly 1 year ago today that Bill and I were so excited to meet our son that we were running around trying to do something when there was nothing to do (Bill, literally, me, figuratively)
It was exactly 1 year ago today that I told my mom what had happened, but that she needn't worry or come in. Afterall, she was working at the Obama event at the Rose Garden.
It was exactly 1 year ago today that the nurse came in and said ok, we're ready to take you into surgery. Oh, and by the way, you have to have everything out of this room because you're not coming back to it, but we don't know where you're going to be after surgery. I had been there for 6 weeks and had no intention of leaving before this moment so stuff was everywhere! You're telling us this, now??????
It was exactly 1 year ago today that Bill had something to focus his energy on. He was running around the room trying to pack up 6 weeks worth of clothes, food, cards, flowers, and things to entertain me - and try to fit them on a fairly large cart that wasn't nearly large enough.
It was exactly 1 year ago today that Bill donned the "space suit"
It was exactly 1 year ago today that we welcomed Mason Ryder to the world at 12:41 pm on Friday, March 21, 2008
It was exactly 1 year ago today that Bill watched his son be wisked off to the NICU as his wife was passing out from losing too much blood during surgery.
It was exactly 1 year ago today that Bill watched the doctors do CPR on his son and put a tube down his throat to hook him up to a ventilator while his wife was getting 2 blood transfusions.
It was exactly 1 year ago today that we made what would soon be the first of the most difficult decisions of our lives.
It was exactly 1 year ago today that we made the decision to baptize our son the night he was born because we didn't know if we would make it through until morning.
It was exactly 1 year ago today that our miracle arrived and would go on to become the toughest kid I've ever met.
We love you Mason! Happy 1st Birthday!
4 comments:
i'm so glad he got cake
He looks absolutely wonderful. We are so sorry we couldn't be there to celebrate with you. Looks like he enjoyed the cake!
Love the last photo - what an amazing journey. Happy Birthday Mason!
Mason you ARE amazing...Happy Birthday Cousin!! Your mom and dad have an encrediable story to tell you when you are older. Your mom should write a book, really!! I loved your birth story. God Bless YOU in your new One year!
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