The story of Cade

Here's how things went down.

My contractions started on 10/20/10 in the late morning and lasted from 11-2:35 when my water broke during the strongest contraction I'd had so far.

I called David to give him the news, then called a friend Steph to see if I could bring the kids over.  I then called Mom to tell her to go ahead and get on a flight tomorrow because grandson #3 was on the way.  David called back and said he on the road and was coming home and would take me to the hospital instead of meeting me there.

I went and dropped the kids off at Rogers.  Steph told me that I shouldn't drive myself to the hospital... which at the time I thought was silly. Of course, I can drive myself.  But with David on his way to the house, I guess I could let him drive.   As I was pulling into our street, as if on que, I had the worst contraction yet.  I realized how people could get in a car accident driving themselves to the hospital while having labor pains.

I pulled in the driveway and I think for the first time in my life I honked for David to come out to the car.  He must not have recognized I was in labor and very ready to go.  Then with the next contraction, I honked again.  Maybe all the honking confused him.   So I went inside and said it is time to go. He quickly got in the car and I got in the back seat. I was going to lay down and turn on some relaxing music.   I soon realized that this was not a good idea.  Back seats are not comfortable beds.  So I got in the front seat and we were off.  I called the hospital on the way to tell them we were coming and they asked if my water had broke and I told them yes. They said they would do a test when I got there to make sure.

In retrospect, I now see time can be measured in contractions.  1 contraction in the driveway, 4 contractions to drive 20 min  to the hospital... and so on. They checked me and I was dilated to a 4+ and about 80% efaced.  Translated, this means I was not going back home.

I was having contractions about every 2-5 min now. They got me in a room and I was ready for the epidural.  They slowly got the IV started and the Epidural came right after.  It is good to remember that the worst pain in the world is either child birth or maybe a broken femur.  When they asked for me to 'rate my pain' about every 90 seconds, I took that into consideration. 

I did my best to 'shape my body like a ball during contractions while a long needle was placed deep into my spine.  The anesthesiologist thought it was quite funny when, in response to his question of what does it feel like, I responded that it feels like a large needle is being stuck in my back.  Just previous to the epideral, the nurse checked me again and I was dilated to a 7. (about 6:15pm)

The contractions continued and our baby continued to progress down the birth canal - so they felt much lower.  I labored down with about ½ an epidural. Since I could feel things... I knew that he was crowning.  I  told David and the nurse he was crowning.  David’s eyes went wide and said “Really”?  Yes, I replied. 

The nurse asked if we should call for the Dr.  and I said yes.

Soon thereafter I was in position with our nurse, OB , intern, 3^rd year medical student and David waiting patiently for me to have the baby. The epidural, now in full effect, was dreamy.   The contractions seemed like a walk in the park.  I asked the medical staff if they knew of any good places to eat? They all looked around uncomfortably.  The answers were short.  In fact too short and then the uncomfortable silence once again.  So I told jokes and stories like helping to entertain the croud. I just didn’t want everyone standing around staring at me and waiting for the baby to come out.   I pushed with every contraction and  it was not long before a beautiful  baby boy was gently placed on my tummy .

We named him Cade Porter Myers