Happy Birthday Babies! April 17th

When I got into the Operating Room - the nurse (Nancy) helped me get on the table and our nurse anesthetist worked to try to give me a spinal block.  He had to poke me a few times because he couldn't get the needle in.... it seemed a little traumatic at the time but in hindsight it really didn't hurt that bad.  It was more a combination of it hurting a little, being so uncomfortable as you try to round out your back with a giant uterus and your nervous and your afraid it won't work at all.  But it did go in - and they laid me down and put in the catheter, propped me on a block and strapped down my arms.  They put up the drapes and let Ruth and Shane come in.  I was nervous and trying to be funny.  I told the NA that I wasn't trying to be glib - but covering my nerves with humor.  He said he was impressed with my word choice under medication.  He was showing me photos of his red-headed children when a horrible wave of nausea came over me and I was trying to wait for a break in his story before I mentioned the nausea... but I was certain I would vomit - so I had to interrupt.  He added something to my IV and I felt instantly better.   

I think it was at this time that Ruth and Shane were admitted into the operating room.  I was glad they were there and Shane was glad that Ruth was with him for moral support.  They couldn't see much over the drape and Shane didn't try to look.  Ruth did look over a few times - and especially at the end.

I was quite worried that I would be able to feel things because I could feel the pressure of people touching me.  Dr. Steve Robison had Dr. Matt Robison assist him.  At one point I did remind them that I could feel what they were doing.  Dr. Robison asked me, "can you feel that?".  I couldn't and our NA told me that Dr. Robison had put a huge clamp on my stomach and if I couldn't feel that I didn't need to worry.  Shane and Ruth were good company and support.  I still felt the need to entertain the room a little bit even with the oxygen mask over my face. 

I have heard friends say that once the baby comes out that you feel so much better almost instantly as far as the pressure of them.  I can not express how literal this experience this is - at least with twins and a c-section.  It was such an instantaneous relief from pressure.  I practically felt like bursting into song.  Something grand and sweeping - like dancing around the room singing, "The Hills are Alive..."  But I couldn't - my arms were still strapped down.  Perhaps that is why they strap down people's arms like that.   

Baby A was born first - Sargent Slade Williams at 5:05pm.  He weighed 4 lbs and 13 ounces and was 18 1/4" long.  It was great to hear him cry.  Dr. Robison showed him to me - but from my vantage point all I could see was the bottom of his feet.

An entire minute later, at 5:06pm, Baby B was born into the world.  I was very glad to hear her cry - as we were all worried about her having dropped of the growth chart. 

Charlotte Dee Williams and she was 2 lbs 12 ounces and 15 3/4" long.  Smaller even than was predicted.  Dr. Robison held her over the drape so we could get a peek at her and then they passed her through the same window that our son had gone through to the Resuscitation Room.  I really think they should call it a different name.

Again - let me say what an amazing physical relief to have those two babies lifted off my diaphragm!  I couldn't really believe that they were here.  We sent Shane to be with the babies and Ruth stayed with me.

Ruth stood up at that point and was very interested in what was going on.  She was so amazed at the size of the GIANT fibroids that she forgot to take a photo of them.  Six weeks later she is still kicking herself for not taking a photo.  She asked Dr. Robison some questions and I remember that she was impressed / curious that he was using a straight needled to close.  I also recall him saying in response to the hospital having a different type of dermabond than he normally used, "that I will make it work - I learned how to roll with things like this in Iraq".    While he was closing one of the nurses came in and told me that everything was fine with the babies and told me their weights.

They took me into recovery and Shane went to see the babies in the NICU and to tell our support team in the waiting room that everything was alright.  In addition to those already there, my long time bestie - Michelle Clements Harris was there, ,along with Krista and Phoebe Smith, and Ashytn Larson.  Cole was also there.  Shane went out and told everyone the babies names - it had been our "hot secret" for 7.5 months.     Shane really liked the name Slade and I really like my maiden name, Sargent - so we did a combo for our son.  I have always liked the name Charlotte and about 10 years ago a friend of mine had a toddler they called Lottie (Charlotte) and I liked it all over again.  And, my dear husband was raised in Charlotte, NC.  Dee is my dad's middle name and Shane's mother's name.    Doctor Robison came out into the waiting room and said hi to Cole and Byron and I think that my mom introduced him to some people - if I'm remember what people told me correctly.    I waited in recovery for what seemed like forever.  My nurse, Nancy, took good care of me.  A few people came back to seem me for a few minutes at a time.  I was nauseated and they came me phenergan which made me even more sleepy and out of it than before.  Shell got a real kick out of how crazy I was acting.  I kept saying something to the fact of "I'm sorry I'm acting so crazy" but I couldn't help myself - I was aware that I was out of it but couldn't quite wake up enough to stop.  It seemed like forever until my husband came to see me.  I had the nurse go look for him.  He and Anna were changing all my stuff to a new room and that took a little bit of time.  I was staring to think they he had gone out to dinner with some friends or something.  I had to stay in recovery for about an hour.  Stevan and Angie came back there and Anna brought me some photos of the babies to see on her phone.  My mom came back and Leah came in for a few minutes to see me too.  Ruth had to get back to work.  After my hour they wheeled me on the gurney through the NICU to see the babies.  I was so out of it from the phenergan that I couldn't really keep my eyes open and I kept saying to the nurses, "I'm sorry that I'm acting so crazy".  I saw the babies in the isolates and was able to reach in and touch them.

  It was great to know that my Aunt Karleen was helping with the babies and helping Shane in the NICU.   The babies did great.  They did not need any surfactant, nor did they need to be on the c-pap.  They both had IV's, received antibiotics - in case of infection being the cause of their being so small (they didn't have an infection) and for the first 24 hours were on room air with a little force in a nasal cannula.  And they were being kept warm.

Here are some additional photos of the new born babies.  They don't really look that little in the photos because there isn't anything to give perspective to their tiny size.  But they were tiny!

Sargent Slade

Charlotte Dee

Sargent Slade

It was quite a night!  I really can't remember a lot of it.  The babies had to stay in the NICU of course.  They never got to come to my room - but I was able to take an Ambien and sleep - other than to get up to start to pump.  Nothing like pumping for 15 minutes in a total drug and exhaustion induced stupor to get 1 or 2 tear sized drops of colostrum every 3 hours!   Shane spent the night that first night and was helpful to have there since I had the IV and the catheter and was so drugged.

What an experience!