Monday, August 6, 2012

I Did This! Beckham Cade Lewis

(Da Boyz... Homey - 14 yrs, The Hubs with Beckham - approximately 15 hours old, and Homeboy - 4 yrs)
It wasn't long and before we knew it, and it was time to go back to the hospital.  The car drive to the hospital was spent in quiet, small talk and moments of reflective, silence, as I am sure Steve and I had a gazillion thoughts running through our heads.
I thought of the impending pain that I was about to go through, until that sacred and blessed epidural would be placed.  I also repeated small prayers to myself.  Hoping, but at the same time, feeling as though everything would be fine.
Moments later, I was repeating the same scenario that was played out earlier... peed in the cup (again), donned a snazzy, cheek revealing, gown, and an ultra sound was performed.  And much to my delight, the ultra sound revealed that baby boy had turned! 
Steve and I sighed a sigh of relief.  There would be no "turning of the baby" and less chance of a c-section!
It was time to get the show on the road!  All preparations were made.  IV inserted.  Blood taken (after 5 attempts.  Thank you genetics.  I have wuss veins).  Monitors placed on belly and then replaced over and over, cause baby boy moved too much. 
Until that moment, I had yet to be "checked" to see how far I was dilated.  It was as if my doctor could tell by looking at me that there was really not much action going on down there.  My nurse then attempted to check me.  And oh my holy mother of Moses!  Pain!  Apparently my cervix was really high.  She roto rootered in an attempt to figure out my dilation and came up with a guess of maybe a 3 on one side.  
My doctor then arrived to break my water.  Pain again.  There was so much pain, I began to flashback to when I was being induced with Homeboy. After turning Homeboy (ouch!), my doctor, back then, attempted to break my water.  The pain was just as excruciating then as it was now.  I'm positive my head spun around, and I began to speak in tongues.  Both of my doctors were unable to break my stupid water!  It then donned on my current doctor as to why my previous doctor couldn't break my water with my last baby... "everything" was just too high.  He had tried with all of his might and then informed the nurse to start pitocin, and get the epidural in me A.S.A.P., and then he would break my water.  Bless that man!
Before I knew it, the epidural was placed and for the first time in months, I was completely pain free.  Long had been the days and nights that I had looked forward to my epidural nap!  To sleep soundly with virtually no pain, was a dream! 
There have been three other men, that I have crossed paths over my lifetime, that I have considered leaving my husband for.  Yes, they would be the Epidural Gods!  Just thinking about them, brings tears of joy to my eyes.  Memories of them shall forever be embedded deep with in the cockles of my heart and brain.  Thank you, dear Epidural Gods!  (whispering, head bowed in humility, hand placed solemnly over my heart...) "Thank You."

My doctor returned to my room after delivering another baby via c-section.  With all of his might he finally broke my water.  Pointing to the center of his forearm, my doctor informed me just how far he had to place his arm inside of me to break my water.  The first thought that entered my head was a disturbing image of a veterinarian and a cow.  Then I rebuked my doctor!  "That's just wrong dude!  I didn't need to know that!  Good grief!  I love the epidural!"

Unlike my previous deliveries, my contractions really started to roll, one after another.  Now we just needed to wait.  We entertained ourselves with partaking of Popsicles and my good friend Tracee came to visit.  We laughed and cracked jokes, making the whole labor thing, much more relaxed and enjoyable.  I'm so thankful for her and her friendship!

Moments later, our cheerful banter was interrupted with a beep.  Our immediate response was to look at the monitor to see where the beep came from.  I zoned in on the numbers that kept track of baby boy's heart rate.  The numbers were no longer in the 150's but in the 50's.  Due to my experience with Homeboy's labor, I knew that I needed to lay on my left side and the nurse would place oxygen on me.  Unlike my previous labor there wasn't a sense of panic or worry, though.  My labor, almost 5 years ago, was tense.  Homeboy's heart rate would drop to the rate of 30-something beats, and even at times.... to zero.  These episodes would happen repeatedly through out the night.  My nurse would race down the hallways and flip me to my side and place the oxygen on me.  She told us that all of the nurses on the floor were watching my monitor and that none of them had ever seen a baby's heart rate dip that low.  Those were not comforting words.  I was prepped to have an emergency c-section performed, just as soon as the o.r. was ready.  Steve jumped into the required scrubs, and I was shaved, and a sterile cap was placed on top of my head.  The Epidural Guy came in to pump me full of more numbing medicine and the nurse explained to me that they would be running me to the o.r. and that Homeboy would be delivered in a matter of 10 minutes.  At that moment, you don't care what the doctors have to do to you, or what pain you will have to endure.  I was willing to do anything to make sure Homeboy would be delivered safe and sound.  As soon as Steve and I were alone, we said a prayer and he gave me a comforting blessing.  Faith and comfort were restored and my doctor was inspired to slowly administer the pitocin slowly and within moments, and 2 pushes later, Homeboy was born! 

Although we were experiencing similar things with my current labor, as with my last labor, I had faith that everything would never reach to the dramatic levels as they did with Homeboy.  My nurse just suspected that baby boy was lying on his cord.  Near the end of my labor, just before the delivery, the nurse did mention that they would perform an amnio infusion (basically putting some fluid back into my uterus) so that baby boy would no longer be squishing his cord.  But things really moved along before the infusion was necessary!  My doctor and nurse checked me and said I was close.  A second later I informed everyone that baby boy was coming out!  My doctor told me to start pushing and then immediately said, "Never mind!  He coming out by himself!"

So with half a push, Beckham Cade Lewis was born on June 15th, 2012 at 1:18 am. He weighed 7 pounds, 2 ounces and was 20 inches long.  The familiar waves of emotion, from the previous births of my boys, spilled over me.  Tears began to well up in the corners of my eyes, immediate elation filled my heart, almost causing me to hyperventilate with sheer happiness.  Beckham was placed in my arms and Steve and I began to study every hair, wrinkle, and characteristic that he inherited from us.  Much to our surprise, he has dark brown hair!  He has kissable cheeks, long frog-like legs, a double chin (the one thing that he inherited from me!), and last but not least... a slight dent in his chin. 

It was love at first sight!  I think we'll keep him.

I'm overwhelmed with how fast time has gone by.  It seems like it was just like yesterday when I notified Steve that I was pregnant via text, while he was at work.  I admit it, I was not planning on having another baby!  I knew there would be hard days.  I knew that there would be exhaustion, nausea, swelling, emotional roller coasters, and pain.  Pregnancy can be HARD.  But the rewards have blessed my life beyond measure.

I love you Steve.  I love you Cody.  I love you Conner.  And I love you Beckham.

p.s.  I look forward to all of the granddaughters that are sure to bless my boys!  Oh yeah, Momma's revenge is sure to happen!

Beckham (A.K.A. Homer) 2 days old. 

It's true... I make cute boys!  Check out those cheeks and double chin!  I have to resist the urge to eat him up!


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