A Glance Back: Cooper's Birthday

The night before Cooper was born was pretty eventful. I watched the marathon movie series: Father of the Bride I and II. In the second movie I laughed at Steve Martin trying to be in two places at once. His daughter and wife were both in labor at the exact same times.

During this movie, Chris Straits called and said he was taking Mary to the hospital because they thought she was in labor. I was too excited! I was still wheelchair bound and leg had to stay elevated, but I felt restless. I started packing my overnight bag for the hospital. I had a scheduled induction almost 1 1/2 weeks away, I realized later I was going through the "nesting stage". I remember not being able to sleep that night. I was too excited about Mary and Chris and hoping and praying everything was going okay.

I fell asleep and was awaken with Chris Straits calling to say Noah was here and Mary didn’t have to push very long. I remember hearing Noah in the background. I don’t know what else Chris Straits said because I was half asleep. I remember falling back asleep and dreaming of Mary and her baby. I woke up thinking of this and also wondering why I was wetting the bed.

It was still dark outside and I was so tired. I remember getting up as fast I could and sitting on the portable toilet beside the bed. I remember thinking: I have been “bladder restricted “. In other words, I have had to hold my bladder for long periods of time for help to the bathroom or just getting to the bathroom myself. I was able to hold my bladder all those times. Was I developing an “overactive bladder”? Why wasn’t I able to hold my bladder? I really tried to stop my bladder. I realized I wasn’t going to bathroom because of my bladder. I told Chris I think something is wrong. I told him I couldn’t stop my bladder.

He said: “What, Why? Call Mary and see if that’s what happened to her.” I called Mary’s cell phone and Chris answered. I asked him if Mary had experienced the same “uncontrollable bladder” all the sudden. He said a little and I should probably call the doctor. I put a call in the doctor and just sat on the portable toilet. I started having some minor cramping/pressure toward the very bottom of my stomach.

The doctor called and told her everything I had been experiencing. She then said I was having contractions. She then asked how far apart my contractions were. I said it was every couple of minutes. She said to start heading to the hospital. I told Chris this and he was already in the shower. I remember hearing the shower water on and Chris saying he wouldn’t be long. I had a random thought.

I remember when Daddy was making coffee and showering when mom went into labor with Danny. I also know she “barely” made it to the hospital before Danny was born. Danny was the fifth child. So, I can understand this was something Daddy was pro in the area of “labor”. This was our first child and Chris was for sure taking too long, especially when he started the coffee pot. I remember saying,” Chris we need to go.” I guess my tone caused Chris to panic a little and start asking me questions. “What? Why? Are you okay?” Despite the questions he picked up the pace.

We arrived at the hospital pretty early in the morning on Super Bowl Sunday. I remember arriving into our room and hearing this screaming that sounded like one in a horror movie. The lady I was told was experiencing "natural childbirth". I was told I would have to experience the same because of the blood thinner shots.

But wait!! With all the excitement of Chris Staits calling the night before we simply forgot all about shot. The only time since we were told to start the shots. I remember thanking God for this moment: I didn't have to have "natural childbirth".

Side Note: I remember searching the internet months prior on childbirth and the way to go was "naturally" (absolutely no pain relieve). My opinion is any woman who brings life or lives into this world is a "super hero". My focus is not how a women decide to experience childbirth, but that she can bring new life into this world. This new life is a miracle each and every time.

I remember calling Daddy and he was driving to the hospital to see Mary, Chris and Baby Noah. He didn’t believe I was actually at the hospital in labor. It took me three times as long to convince him I wasn’t joking than to tell him I was in labor.

This was the picture when Cooper first entered this world on Sunday, February 4, 2007 at 6:39 p.m.

A Glance Back: The Surgery

The day was early and cold. I recall Chris wheeling me in the waiting area and soon into another room. This was where my vitals were taken. I said my "goodbyes" and was taken into the surgery room and helped onto the table. The stress test was taken and monitor was placed more securely for the surgery. I was helped in a sitting position curled forward for the epidural. The lower part of my spinal cord was disinfected and I was told "do not move". I knew the risk of an epidural going into the wrong area could cause me to be paralysis. I was then told to lay down and a sheet draped right in front of my face. Before I could ponder feeling claustrophobic, I saw my foot being pulled upward by an anchor and chain. I thought this was amazing my leg could stretch at so many unimaginable angles.

After awhile, I started feeling as though my chest was becoming heavy. I didn't know if this part of feeling claustrophobic so I told the nurse. She told me to relax and I tried. Then, my throat felt like it was closing and I was now feeling my chest become extremely heavy. I was now taking deep breaths to relieve the feeling and several nurses were now surrounding my head. I said I was having a hard time breathing and the anesthesiologist who had given me the epidural was called and I could hear his running steps as he entered the room and to my side. I was checked and he told me some of the epidural had entered into my chest cavity. He told this "hardly ever happens". He told me there was nothing he could do to take the heavy chest or throat closing feelings away. He just said I was going to have to search deep inside myself and tell myself I could breath. He told me it wasn't safe for me to breath so heavily because this could trigger other things. For example, my heart rate to rise and thus the baby to become stressed. I knew the baby's monitor nurse had called my doctor and told her I had a contraction. I was given something through my i.v. to help relax me through the duration of the surgery.

Since I couldn't have much to help relieve my feelings of not being able to breath, I started wondering: Would this baby Cooper's birthday?. I could hear the nurse monitoring the baby say I just had another contraction. Dr. Carr preforming my ankle surgery told me "hang in there" and then his voice was drowned out by a familiar sound. Am I hearing a drill? Yes, it was a drill. I could imagine Chris using this same drill for those really longs screws. But this wasn't Chris drilling a screw into a board, it was my ankle. A drill was being used on my ankle and I was "freaking out".

I knew these thoughts would not help me to relax. I started to pray for help. My prayers caused me to have tears and I could the nurses telling me its okay. There voices were now miles away because my mind was now on praying. I prayed to let the baby not be born today because it was way too early. I prayed for relieve of my feelings of not being able to breath and to help me relax. I prayed, Lord...please,please,please,give your strength. I need your help, please, please, Lord. I remember during this helpless and desperate pray a song entered my thoughts. "He loves me so...he loves me so...He so good to me..." The hymn "God is so Good" was the answer and help that was given to me. My mind and heart was singing this and I felt completely relaxed. I continued to stay connected with the Lord through prays and I was told my heart rate was normal again and the baby hadn't had any other contractions.

The surgery ended soon after I was moved into another area to be monitored. The nurse who placed the monitor on my stomach was with me and said Dr. Ricinger wanted me to stay. I asked for how long because my ankle surgery was supposed to be out-patient. The nurse said because I had 2 contractions, I needed to be monitored overnight. Chris arrived and was told I would be checking into the hospital to stay the night. My dad stopped by soon after I had checked in for the night. My foot was still numb from the epidural so my pain was tolerable. I remember telling him I was hurting but I thought this would be all I would have to endure. The minutes when the epidural was diminishing completely, I can recall vividly. I could feel a lightly painful "throb" already but this was about to the biggest "throb" I have ever felt in my entire life.

I show this imagine because I have heard "that looks like it hurts". I can say whatever pain I have felt before this surgery wasn't even on the same pain scale. Yes, the pain was above 10 (being the worse). I just remember trying not to not lose myself within the sorrows of my relentless pain.

My life was completely changed. The moment I realized my life changed, I separated myself from my body. My body had let me down and I didn't know I could ever trust "it" (body) again to walk. This was a lesson I learned would also change my life.

A Glance Back: Before Surgery

The surgery of my left ankle took place a week after the accident. The time before the surgery was a blur. I remember Chris bringing a portable toilet and placing beside the bed. I remember talking on the phone and trying not to show how much I was in pain. I remember not sleeping until my mind was completely exhausted from trying not to think about the pain. I was given very little for pain relieve because pain medicine would be harm the baby. Also, I recall having doctor appointments for an ultra-sound and a stress test on separate days. After the ultra sound, Dr. Ricinger wanted me start on a blood thinner. The concern was I would develop blood clots from not being able to walk and this could cause major concerns for me and the baby.

A blood thinner would be administered though local anesthesia or shot. Dr. Ricinger scheduled a meeting with Dr. Carr performing the surgery to discuss the amount of blood thinner and the upcoming surgery. She called later the same day and had a prescription called to the Lake Carolina Pharmacy. The pharmacist delivered prescription and showed Chris and I how to use the syringe filled with blood thinner. Since I was almost eight months into pregnancy, my stomach was big and skin was tight. It did seem Cooper was right under my skin. I remember the Pharmacist saying “don’t worry you wouldn’t be stabbing the baby”. She told us local anesthesia had to be done everyday according to directions from Dr. Ricinger.

From the beginning of pregnancy, Cooper was a "high risk" baby. A normal umbilical cord has 2 arteries and 1 vein. Our umbilical cord had only had 1 artery and 1 vein called a “single umbilical artery”. The umbilical cord connects the developing baby (also referred to, as the fetus) to the placenta. The cord is sometimes called the baby’s “supply line” because it delivers the nutrients and oxygen the baby needs for normal growth and development and removes waste products .The umbilical cord begins to form about five weeks after conception. It becomes longer until about 28 weeks of pregnancy, reaching an average length of 22 inches. There are three blood vessels inside the umbilical cord—two arteries and one vein. The vein carries oxygen-rich blood and nutrients from the placenta to the baby, while the two arteries transport waste from the baby back to the placenta (where waste is transferred to the mother’s blood and disposed of by her kidneys). As the baby grows, the umbilical cord has to give more nutrients and function becomes challenged. The risks of having “single umbilical artery” are poor fetal growth, preterm delivery and stillbirth. I started going twice a week during the 3rd trimester.

The ultra sound was performed by a standard check list. Cooper had to be awake during the ultra sound because necessary movements were involved. Cooper had to move both arms and legs and head. Evaluation of the heart’s functioned and stress. The fluid-filled embryo sac where Cooper developed was examined and measured. The umbilical cord was examined to confirm it was still “in working order”. If the umbilical cord wasn’t providing enough nutrients to the baby then delivery would be scheduled as soon as possible.

The Stress test was done lying down on a bed. The bed was inviting with pillows and blankets. The monitor was a Velcro belt and worn closest to the fetal heartbeat. After ten minutes, the recordings were taken and shown to the doctor. The doctor was looking at the baby's heart beat/distance between each beat and how strong. This usually took longer than ten minutes because the readings had to be consistent. If too low, the first ten minutes, I had to eat something with sugar. A nurse would bring peanut butter crackers and some juice. Only twice I had to taken to have the “ultrasound” because the "stress test" did not meet the doctor's approval.

I was scared going from the "stress test" room to the "ultrasound" room. The thoughts of Cooper not doing okay were scary. The staff was hurried but calm to get the warm jelly on my stomach and start the ultrasound check list. I remember seeing Cooper on the ultrasound viewing screen. At first, Cooper would move lifelessly as my stomach was being pushed by the nurse aggressively trying to arousal Cooper from his sleep. Eventually Cooper would wake up give an unhappy face and turn away from the ultrasound. The ultrasound apparently has a sound that babies don't like and we can't hear. The ultrasound checklist was done and Cooper was fine both times.

With this in mind, Dr. Carr, performing the surgery and Dr. Ricinger had to plan how to care for myself and the baby during surgery. The plan: On the surgery day, an OP nurse would arrive soon after I would and perform a “stress test” on the baby. The Velcro monitor would be placed and stay before, during after the surgery. The recordings would be monitored as before, but the nurse would be at my side the entire procedure. I wasn’t able to be” put to sleep” so the only other option was an epidural.