December 5, 1989:
22 years ago today I was 2 weeks overdue with our oldest son, Jeff. I was scheduled to be induced in the morning and was in the shower when the call came from the hospital telling me NOT to come, that there were just too many babies being born - BUT not to eat or drink anything, because they expected to get me in there at some point that day. So wait... you're telling a 9 1/2 month pregnant girl (I was 20) that she can't eat or drink anything, anything at all for perhaps a bit longer and it's already been since 10 p.m. the night prior?!?!? Are you outside your mind?
Fortunately the call came fairly soon - I think I left for the hospital around 10:30 or 11:00 AM. They went through all of the check-in hulabaloo and got me in a gown. Then they sent in the poor soul to get my IV going. I say this because anyone that knows me or has worked on me knows my veins aren't super cooperative for IV time. Then tack on being perhaps a skoche dehydrated and eff if you're going to find them. So they send in some poor gal to try and after her third unsuccessful attempt, my agitated young 20-something self turned my head all the way around and not-so-politely instructed whoever she was to go get someone "better" at this. I'm pretty sure that because I said it in such a manner - that she actually did as I requested.
This wasn't your "typical" induction job. Not the pitocin drip... no... this was the new "gel" they were using on the cervix to get it going. Ugh. So at 11:30, Dr. Meyer did the whole "gel thing" and said "See you in a while." I asked if I could then have some water or something... anything. "Nope, not for a few hours." And away she went. My mom and Jeff were there when the gel started to work. We were playing cards and I just remember not being able to sit still. Up and pacing and then sitting back down. Up, down, up down and thirsty as he**. After a bit they came in and said they were ready to do the epidural. Poor Jeff. "Why? Poor Jeff", you ask? The poor guy stood in front of me when they did it, holding me still and with his legs spread at a stance to better "cover" me. Of course the instructions are "Don't Freakin' MOVE". I didn't, I swear... yet they hit some nerve and my right leg took off on it's own, went straight up and in between Jeffy's legs. Uh huh... yep... a forceful kick to the privates. But ya gotta give him props - the guy stood still... mostly.
My next memory after that started was when Cathy, the nurse came in to "snag a bag". I was 20, this was NOT covered in lamaze... so we ask what that is exactly. She says all matter of fact that they pop the water pouch to try and get the labor moving along. She snagged it and immediately walked out of the room. Poof. As I have always known since then, she did this because she knows the reaction that's about to come. Too bad she didn't forewarn Jeff. Poor Jeff. Again. So the water is doing what water does and even though she told me I was going to feel like I was uncontrollably wetting the bed, I needed to remember that I wasn't. But somehow that didn't stick and dang if I wasn't wetting the bed. Jeff tried to remind me of Cathy's words to no avail. I was now humiliated and angry and get me out of these wet sheets! NOW! Ahhhh memories.
About now is when I was told I could have anything I wanted to eat or drink. Are you *&^$$##(* kidding me? I'll take broth, jello, water, 7-Up... (and a chill pill - requested by the big guy). They brought it up fairly quickly but by then I wasn't having any of it. I was pretty tethered by this point.
I had spent December 4th writing out birth announcements with December 5th and it was nearing midnight and getting close to NOT being December 5th anymore....
Fast Forward to 4 years later...
December 5, 1993:
So Jeff was born on December 6th, 1989 and the following year was Sarah on 12/3/90... then Ryan, then Katie on her big sisters' birthday 2 years later and then Zach Attack... But when Katie was born on Sarah's birthday I remembering thinking - "Oh My Gawd. How does THAT happen? I would never want to have kids on the same day." It was then that a higher being decided that it would be so... That's karma baby. Hah... baby. Get it?
Z-Man was actually not due until 12/8. Jeffrey was 2 weeks late, they induced Ryan 3 weeks early (thank god... more on this tomorrow) and Zach was appearing to be right on time. So it was mostly a laid back Sunday with some baking of a cake and food for family for Jeffrey's 4th family birthday party that night. I don't remember feeling extra energy or anything that they talk about as being indicators and, honestly, I hadn't gone through "normal" labor with the previous two so I wasn't really spending any time wondering what I was thinking, feeling, when, how, etc. The family left and after we put Jeff and Ryan to bed - Jeff put in the "Free Willy" VHS that Jeffrey had gotten for his birthday while I started to make cupcakes for preschool birthday celebration the next day at Ferris' Early Childhood preschool.
The cupcakes out of the oven and frosted and the movie about halfway through I begin to feel uncomfortable... I paced a little this way and that and remember telling Jeff that I'm just uncomfortable. It could be indigestion or just being up too much that day. So he tells me to call my sister... And I do. It's close to 11 p.m. I remember her laughing when she responds to Rob who has asked "what's up?" and she laughs and says "It's Kathleen. She doesn't know if she's in labor, the weenie!" Well duh! Friggin doctors have always induced me... :) I can't remember how that conversation ended actually - I just know Jeff and I tried unsuccessfully for 30-40 minutes to get either of our parents to answer their phones before heading to the neighbors to see if they could come stay with the kids while we went to the hospital. I think Jeff finally reached them just after midnight. But that puts us to December 6th and that means - the rest waits for tomorrow!
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