So after hanging out with the contractions for longer than I needed to, I summoned for my epi. Enter (as Master P endearingly called him) Twinkle Toes the Anesthesiologist Assistant. I wasn't really a fan of Twinkles Toes. He told me I asked too many questions. Hi, you're about to stick a flippin needle in my back that looks like a basketball pump, of COURSE I'm going to ask questions.
Twinkle Toes got the last laugh though. He decided the IV in my left hand wasn't sufficient (I'm not sure what gave that away... maybe the part where it was about three times its normal size). Twinkle Toes somehow decided that my right forearm was the appropriate place for IV Number 2. I don't know what gave him this impression -- I'm not the smartest person in the world, but there isn't a good vein there, to my knowledge. I tried to coax him to put it elsewhere, but Twinkle Toes knows best. Not. Enter lots of blood and bruising in my arm. I'd say the bruise was about six inches long and lasted longer than anything else from my delivery -- staples and back bruising from the epi included.
So whatev's... I got the epi. It was no big. Everyone talks about how getting the epi in the worst thing ever. I disagree. I hardly felt it and didn't really feel much pressure. After the epi they put a catheter in since you can't get up to go tinkle once you have the epi. That wasn't a big deal either. At this point, I didn't give a shit what they did to my hoo ha either.
Eventually the on call night doc came in to see how I was progressing. My poor Jillybean wasn't handling contractions so well. Every time I had one, her heart rate dropped, and it was staying down low for longer as time went on.
The doctor gave me a choice. I could c-section now, and she could pretty much guarantee Jillybean would be A-okay or I could wait it out and see what happened. She let me know that if I waited, and did end up needing a c-section, it'd be an emergency situation. I obviously opted for choice A. As pro natural childbirth some of you may be, when your child's, that you've been carrying for the last 9 and half months, life is potentially on the line, you do what you have to do.
Now I have to say I wonder what an emergency c-section would be like because from the time the decision was made to the time JBean was delivered, there was maybe fifteen minutes in between. They had my guts torn open before Master P was even in the room.
The c-section itself wasn't bad... but I think they should give you earplugs because you hear all sorts of things you don't want to hear. The scariest part was not being able to swallow -- only because I was breathing so heavily through my mouth with the oxygen mask on.
The best moment of my life was hearing Jillybean cry after she was born. Being strapped to a table wasn't so fantastic. I made Master P count all of her fingers and toes and I kept asking the pedi what her Apgar scores were (8 and 9 respectively).
At this point, Master P took JBean back to the recovery room while they stitched me up. This was probably the worst part. Not being able to hold her after carrying her for so long was heartbreaking. In fact, I didn't get to hold her for a little over two hours after her delivery. My body went into shock and I kept shaking like I was having seizures. But once I held her, it was magical. It was love at first sight. I've never loved anything or anyone as much as I loved her at that very moment, and the crazy part is that I love her more and more as each day goes on. I can't help but give her hugs and kisses.
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