January 23, 2007

Home Sweet Home!

Hi All,

I am back blogging :) I actually like this it is kind of fun! Well, we have a girl - Evy! Of course, what parent wouldn't say this but we love her! I have to be honest and say that because she is my second child and I now know what kind of fun we are going to have based on the last 2 years with Harris that the maternal bond for me came way quicker and stronger. I am sure it also has to do with so many fewer questions and uncertainties than both Kirby and I had as new parents with Harris.

My labour was a little on the crazy side but already it is a distant memory. The condensed and least graphic version of events is as follows:

Friday
4pm - water breaks
10 pm - 3 cm, lots of contractions, I get an epidural (I can not beleive at point in my life I thought this would be a last resort - I would recommend it to everyone, you are comfortable and can be somewhat rested for the journey that lies ahead)
Saturday
5 am - 5 cm, contractions are becoming father apart, I have a slight fever. Dr's decide to give me oxytocin to see if they can speed things up. This has to be watched closely as I already have had a c-section and there is an increased chance for my uterus to rupture...very bad...due to the weak spot where the scar is.
10:30 am - I am still 5 cm but contractions are every 1-2 minutes and they do not want to increasethe oxytocin for fear of rupture. My fever has gone up again. At this point I am feeling the contractions extremely painful and they look into my epidural. The try to give me another one but now I am not reacting to the epidural so bye-bye movie and drugs:) We decided that this is too long for my body and that we are placing undue risk on my uterus and baby - decision for c-section is made. I have meltdown - not so much over the c-section but I am tired and these contactions kill.
11:30am - They prep me for surgery and get Kirby all scrubbed up to meet me in OR. I am strapped down to the tiny little hard flat OR table and cannot move my arms and legs - still having contractions 1-2 minutes apart. I am losing it - I need somebody to comfort me but Kirby is not allowed in yet and all the nurses are running around getting ready as it it happening fast. The anesitist assures me he has given me the "surgery strength" epidural and I should feel nothing below my nipples any minute. I am screaming - he doesn't think I should feel my legs - I am trying to flail them everywhere, I should feel the ice the are putting on me but I can pinpoint it everywhere.

It has been confirmed the epidural is having no effect on me. The options are wait at least 1 hour for the epidural meds to evauate my spine and then try a spinal or go under with a general. It was a milli-second decision - put me under.

The next thing I remember is waking up to Kirby holding Evy and from there everything is pain free. I think had it been my first child I would have been so sad not to have see her immediately when she came out etc. but I knew she was in such great hands with her Dad. I think they got a 30 minute window to bond the 2 of them before I woke up that will be an extra special memory.

I had been joking up to the day that the only way I would be annoyed was if I had a 20 hour labour that ended in a c-section when I could have planned a c-section to begin with. I take this back...I actually do not feel dissappointed at all. Evy picked her birthday, we had the element of surprise with my water breaking, I felt many contractrations - no thanks, and we are all healthy.

We were discharged at 48 hours thanks to my great doctor and Kirb, Evy, and I re-couperated one night at home until today when H arrives home - we can not wait!

I am recovering well and the health nurse just visited to inform us that she has already gained an ounce from yesterday so she is up to 9lbs 2oz which is super good.

Well, I am off to await Harris's arrival home. We will post pics tonight.

Love from the new Gompf family of 4 :)

Ps. For those of you asking Evy is named after my Auntie (Evelyn) Joan Brost, my favorite Great Aunt Ev, and of course Kirby's amazing Grandma Evelyn Gompf who was referred to her friends as Evy. Jaclyn her midddle name is after my sister.