NICKYS BIRTH STORY

Nicky was born in March 1998. I was scheduled for a C-section on the 24th, I had asked my doctor, Dr. Gibson a few times, if we could plan it forthe 18th instead, because I really felt like I was farther along than the ultrasound said I was, but he assured me that the longer the baby stayed in the better for the baby. They figured I was due on the 27th. Initially they dated me for the 12th. So on the 19th, I went to the hospital for pretesting. That's when they take down your medical history, check your blood pressure, and they ask you what route you want to go with anesthesia.

Normally, at this hospital, they don't do non-stress tests during pretesting, but my nurse, Terri Tighe, said she usually does it as a precation. She said it helps her sleep at night.

Well, she asked if I could stand for a few minutes while she put the monitors on my belly and checked the strips coming out of the machine. after a few minutes, I told her I wasn't feeling very well and asked if I could sit. Of course, she said yes. I explained that for the past month, when I was standing for a little while, I would start getting cold sweats, and I don't feel well. She thought that was interesting, didn't know why I would be feeling like that, but she had me lie down and continued monitoring. We noticed that the babys' heartbeat would be up between 150-160, sometimes higher, but when he moved it would drop way down sometimes to around 90. Terri wasn't in the room the whole time, but my mother-in-law, just had a feeling she should come with me, and she was there. It was a good thing because Terri came in again and said she called Dr. Gibsom, and he was on his way over. I got a little scared and thought, she must know something we don't, but she said she just wanted him to come over and check, and find out what he wanted to do.

We were feeling a little better about it when she came in and told me not to be surprised if he wants to take the baby today. Then I thought something was really wrong, but she told us that the baby was just showing signs of some stress, but not too bad. In reality, I found out later that the doctor was waiting outside and kept asking my mother-in-law if Chris was on his way, he was just getting ready to send me to the operating room without Chris because he was afraid for the baby.

When Dr. Gibsom came in he asked how I was feeling. I told him I was ok. Then he walked out and talked to Terri, came back in and told us he wants to take the baby today, as soon as he could get things arranged! Like a fool, I asked if we could wait until tomorrow so I could get my bags and stuff. He said he didn't think we should. So, nervously, I called my sister-in-law, Kathy, who was at my house watching Justin. I asked her to beep my husband Chris, and tell him what was going on. I was crying because I couldn't say goodbye in person to Justin, and I missed him!! But, I talked to him on the phone, trying not to cry, I told him baby Nicholas was coming out of mommys belly today, that I loved him, and that I would see him when Grandma and Grandpa and auntie Kathy brought him to the hospital to visit us that evening.

Later, Dr. Gibsom came in to chat. He said teasingly,"You knew you were having this baby this week didn't you!" I said smiling,"See, mommy always knows best!" He laughed, then told us we were scheduled for around 1:00pm. I didn't think he would make it in time, but Chris managed to get there just before they took me to be "prepped" for surgery.

I had opted for a spinal because I wanted Chris to be in the room with me, and I wanted to be awake to welcome my sweet little boy.

After the Spinal took effect, the doctors went to work, and a few minutes later at 1:56pm, I heard a short gurgled cry. I couldn't wait to see him, but after that cry, I didn't hear anything, and our pediatrician, Dr. Elloit, and the nurses were all surrounding Nicholas, a little longer than normal, so I got a little scared and asked Chris, "what's going on, is he ok?" He told me that they were just suctioning his nose and mouth out because there was a lot of blood. My brain still wasn't working quite right, so I felt a little better.

Soon, they brought Nicholas over to me and.....OH! He was soooo beautiful!!! I couldn't believe how precious he was! He weighed 6lbs. 1oz. and was 18 1/2 inches long. He was so tiny and cute, and I couldn't wait to hold him!

While I was waiting to see Nicholas,
I heard the doctors say,"have you ever seen anything like this before?" Later in the recovery room, I asked Chris why there was so much blood. He told me that the placenta had pulled away from the uterine wall, and that Nicholas had lost alot of blood, and also that the umbilical cord, which is usually attached in the center of the placenta, like a sunflower, was attached at the edge of it. My doctor in all his years of practice, he has been practicing probably as long as I am old, had never seen that before. He told me later that after I kept telling him I thought I was further along in gestation, he was not about to let me wait!

Later, when I was talking to Terri, I told her I was so grateful that she had done that test. I told her in a few days, Nicholas probably would have been dead. And she said,"No, honey, he probably would have died overnight!" I was stunned! Chills ran up and down my spine. I could have lost this sweet baby! Thanks to the quick thinking and expertise of this wonderful nurse, and the knowledge and wisdom of one doctor, my baby was alive!

Dr. Gibson commended Terri for a good call, and thanked her by buying her a 6-pack of beer. She definitely deserved it! When I filled out the questionaire for how my hospital stay was,I made sure and mentioned Terri and commented on how wonderful she was and how she saved my baby. She told me later that she got my comments in her box and that they commended her. I'm glad they did.

Well, that's the Rollercoaster ride called the Birth of Nicholas. I feel so fortunate to have my little bundle of energy!

Please, if you know a nurse who is dong a good job, tell her! Most of the time they get too little recognition for their hard work, and too many complaints. They have a hard job, and I'm sure they would appreciate it if you told them when they are doing a good job.