The Longest (and hopefully best) day
Feb. 7th, 2010 07:39 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
hkellickThe plan for today was to get up, try to get out and shop, do laundry, make lunches and at least WATCH the superbowl, if not go to a party.
But that plan went to hell when K pointed out that she hadn't felt the baby move since last night. She tried juice and nothing. She called the doctor and he told her to try juice again and if a half hour goes by and nothing, go to the hospital for a nonstress test.
Well, getting a bad feeling, I go out to see if we can get K's car out while K tries juice again. I clear K's car off and realize that there's an.. embankment of snow that we won't be able to get through. Stupid snowmageddon storm and it's two feet of snow. Though, at least this didn't happen YESTERDAY
Half an hour goes by, and nothing. So we start to pack up. We pack for a couple hour trip, but a few things just in case things go south. Thank God.
Meanwhile, as we pack, someone barrels through the snow embankment and we can get out, thank goodness. So, we get out, follow suit, get shaken like crazy, but through. And off to the hospital we go.
The drive SUCKED, truly sucked. But we got there.
We get in, get registeresd and into triage. They connect K to monitors and things go south. The baby's heartbeat starts decelerating and we aren't sure why. All signs point to fetal distress, though. They call Kristen's doctor again and the doctor is concerned as well. He runs in and.. long story short, they need to do an emergency c-section.
So, in a whirl, we go from triage to the surgery room. I put on a mask, gown, slippers and hair net and sit by K, trying to stay calm while confused, upset and freaking out. K is upset and the entire experience was.. not the positive birthing experience we expected.
Within minutes, the baby comes out and he is immediately rushed over to the nurses to intubate. Apparently, the umbilical cord had wrapped around his neck three times and they were concerned that he wasn't getting enough oxygen.
So they intubate him. K nor I barely see him and we're freaking out.
So, at 1:52, Robert Joseph Kellick is born, but the poor kid has a hard Birth Day,
They lead Robert to the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) and I follow to see what's going on. He's intubated, but he has color and seems to be reacting well to being out, so.. that's good.
I go back and check on K who is trying to shake off the anesthesia. I stay with K until she gets a private room, then back down to the NICU where I check up on Robert again. He's doing better, and is off the intubator and the nurse invites me to stop by again at 6 to help give him a bath and change his diaper. Meanwhile, K hasn't really seen the baby, so I bring the cell phone cameras and take a few pictures on each camera and bring them up so K can see him.
After that, we start making phone calls and text messages. We both had friends and family and such we needed to call. One of the calls was to our friend, Amy, begging her to feed the cats and bring a few things, including the laptop I'm on now.
Go downstairs and spend time with my baby. He didn't care one way or the other about me. I gently stroked him, he opened his eyes, closed them and went back to sleep.
I don't have feelings for what it's like to look down at this tiny thing with my face. This tiny little thing that's partially mine. It's a wonderous feeling, but one I can' describe...
Robert wasn't interested in my voice or my touch, or even having a little bit of blood drawn, but the bath... the bath he didn't care for. You'd think we were doing terrible things to him, the way Mr. Quiet cried. *chuckle*
And now, here I am, half watching the superbowl, but mostly here, posting about a very traumatizing day that may end up being one of the best days of my life...
I still think the kid should be named Murphy... It feels.. appropriate...
But that plan went to hell when K pointed out that she hadn't felt the baby move since last night. She tried juice and nothing. She called the doctor and he told her to try juice again and if a half hour goes by and nothing, go to the hospital for a nonstress test.
Well, getting a bad feeling, I go out to see if we can get K's car out while K tries juice again. I clear K's car off and realize that there's an.. embankment of snow that we won't be able to get through. Stupid snowmageddon storm and it's two feet of snow. Though, at least this didn't happen YESTERDAY
Half an hour goes by, and nothing. So we start to pack up. We pack for a couple hour trip, but a few things just in case things go south. Thank God.
Meanwhile, as we pack, someone barrels through the snow embankment and we can get out, thank goodness. So, we get out, follow suit, get shaken like crazy, but through. And off to the hospital we go.
The drive SUCKED, truly sucked. But we got there.
We get in, get registeresd and into triage. They connect K to monitors and things go south. The baby's heartbeat starts decelerating and we aren't sure why. All signs point to fetal distress, though. They call Kristen's doctor again and the doctor is concerned as well. He runs in and.. long story short, they need to do an emergency c-section.
So, in a whirl, we go from triage to the surgery room. I put on a mask, gown, slippers and hair net and sit by K, trying to stay calm while confused, upset and freaking out. K is upset and the entire experience was.. not the positive birthing experience we expected.
Within minutes, the baby comes out and he is immediately rushed over to the nurses to intubate. Apparently, the umbilical cord had wrapped around his neck three times and they were concerned that he wasn't getting enough oxygen.
So they intubate him. K nor I barely see him and we're freaking out.
So, at 1:52, Robert Joseph Kellick is born, but the poor kid has a hard Birth Day,
They lead Robert to the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) and I follow to see what's going on. He's intubated, but he has color and seems to be reacting well to being out, so.. that's good.
I go back and check on K who is trying to shake off the anesthesia. I stay with K until she gets a private room, then back down to the NICU where I check up on Robert again. He's doing better, and is off the intubator and the nurse invites me to stop by again at 6 to help give him a bath and change his diaper. Meanwhile, K hasn't really seen the baby, so I bring the cell phone cameras and take a few pictures on each camera and bring them up so K can see him.
After that, we start making phone calls and text messages. We both had friends and family and such we needed to call. One of the calls was to our friend, Amy, begging her to feed the cats and bring a few things, including the laptop I'm on now.
Go downstairs and spend time with my baby. He didn't care one way or the other about me. I gently stroked him, he opened his eyes, closed them and went back to sleep.
I don't have feelings for what it's like to look down at this tiny thing with my face. This tiny little thing that's partially mine. It's a wonderous feeling, but one I can' describe...
Robert wasn't interested in my voice or my touch, or even having a little bit of blood drawn, but the bath... the bath he didn't care for. You'd think we were doing terrible things to him, the way Mr. Quiet cried. *chuckle*
And now, here I am, half watching the superbowl, but mostly here, posting about a very traumatizing day that may end up being one of the best days of my life...
I still think the kid should be named Murphy... It feels.. appropriate...
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-08 01:34 am (UTC)Robby wants to know if you're going to call the baby Robert, or Rob, or...
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-08 01:37 am (UTC)