August 26th, 2009...The day that changed our lives forever!

August 25th, 2009

8:00pm-- Feeling just BLAH. I think I may be coming down with the flu. Lance and I are trying to watch a movie, My Best Friend’s Girl, and I can barely stay awake. Lance is thinking there is something really wrong with me, I haven’t said more than two words, abnormal for me. I choose to go to bed early.

August 26th, 2009

4:30am-- I abruptly wake up and get myself to the bathroom. Still groggy trying to figure out what’s going on, I’m starting to speculate my water has broken. I sit there a for a few minutes and then call for Lance. He jumps out of bed and I tell him “I think” my water has broken, but I’m not sure I’ve never done this before! I still have 2 more weeks to go! So Lance goes and gets our paperwork from our Child Prep class and starts reading, and we both agree that it probably has happened. With a sleepy chuckle Lances states, “We aren’t ready! And man, I had a lot of work to do today!” We agree to go to the hospital, we would rather chance being the silly first time parents and be sent home. This decision sparks a flurry of activity in the Gustafson master bedroom. After a few minutes Lance and I turn, look at each other, and just start laughing. We had been opening and closing drawers in an adrenaline stupor no knowing what the wear! Silly us. We gather our things and off to the hospital we go, with bags in tow!!!

5:00am-- We arrive at the maternity check in desk and I am admitted to a Triage room to monitor Rowdy and to confirm that my water really did break. I quickly get dressed in a gown and made myself comfortable on the bed. I still am in shock we are at the hospital. I am strapped with monitors that belt around my belly. Nurse says I am contracting, just not in any sort of pattern, and not with any pain or intensity. She does a test that does confirm that my water did indeed break. We will be meeting out sweet little boy today!!!

6:30am-- I walk down the hall for an ultrasound to check Rowdy’s position to see if he is still transverse. If he is, we will be scheduling a c-section as we assumed. The ultrasound tech believes that he is “moving down” towards a head down position. This news has the nurses setting me up in a labor delivery room. I am all of a sudden VERY nervous. I have been preparing myself this whole time to go thru a surgery and now they are telling me I have to labor ALL day and push this little guy out?!

7:30am-- I am all set up in my room, still trying to comprehend that I will have to do this the ol’ fashioned way. We call my parents and tell them to start the trek from Idaho, we will be having a baby today. MG, Lucy, and Ty come to the hospital and bring Lance some breakfast. We wanted him full of food, less chance he will get lightheaded and pass out over the course of the labor and delivery. Just chit chatting with my nurse, Julie, who I loved! Starting to feel contractions, no pain, I can just feel my belly tightening.

8:00am-- My doctor, Dr. West, arrives on the scene. He basically says that ultrasound tech didn’t know what the heck she was talking about, Rowdy was still in the same position that he had been for the last few months, transverse. He at this point gives me two options. Option #1: Schedule a C-section for 2 hours out and have out baby boy. Options #2: Labor for many hours “hoping” that he will get into a head down position, and if he doesn’t, then have to have a C-section. Lance and I opted for option #1. Dr. West said great we will shoot for 10am to send you to the OR. This is now a rollercoaster of emotions preparing myself the big surgery again, and thinking how crazy it is that we just made an appt to become parents. In 2 hours we will have our little boy. The wait is on.

9:00am-- I am getting prepped for my C-Section. Because of my uterine fibroid they are ordering extra blood and putting in an additional IV just in case something bad were to happen. Dr. West comes in to explain to me what will be happening, he has brought in another doctor to assist with the C-section, because my fibroid has made it a little more intense. The anesthesiologist comes in and preps me on what will happen during prep and surgery from his side of things. I am getting more and more anxious. They give Lance some scrubs to put on. He is looking mighty fine! I can’t believe I’ve been at the hospital for 4 hours already. The time is just flying by!!!

10:20ish am-- I am told the OR is waiting for me. I kiss my husband one more time, I will be seeing him in about 15 minutes or so. I wave goodbye to the Atwood clan. Off I go down the hospital corridor in my fluffy socks, gown, and crazy hair cover! Arrive in the OR, it is SOOO COLD!!! Brrrr! They have me climb up on the operating table. My anesthesiologist administers the spinal block. Not too painful. Within a few minutes my bottom half is completely numb. I stop to think how I can’t believe I am going to be a mommy very soon, a very surreal moment. They get me adjusted and propped up on the table just so, I feel like I am stretched out on a cross. The oxygen hose goes into my nose and monitors on my chest and the end of my finger. The curtain goes up just below my neck. All I can think about is how this is so like Grey’s Anatomy and how bizarre it is to be awake for a surgery! Dr. West enters and starts the documenting, all 10 of the people in the OR must state their name and purpose for the surgery. After everyone was done, I looked at the anesthesiologist and said, “Don’t I get a turn. I am Erika Gustafson, Mommy-to-be.” They just laughed. Finally Lance appears at my side. I am SO glad to see him, he kisses my cheek and holds my hand. Dr. West begins the surgery, and Lance and I were trying to talk to keep each other calm, it wasn’t working that great, and to be honest neither of us remember what the heck we were trying to talk about. All of a sudden, I felt GREAT pressure, no pain, just intense pressure. I felt like Dr. West was sitting on my chest, my body being yanked back and forth, tears were welling in my eyes, and then that’s when we heard it…..

10:47am-- A cry…a beautiful strong cry. The most beautiful sound in the entire world. The tears start flowing. Lance and I looked at each other through tear filled eyes and can’t believe we are parents! Dr. West walks Rowdy around the screen, and that’s the first moment we saw our sweet screaming little boy. WOW! We made a little human being…what an incredible rush of emotions. Lance kisses me all over my face. Rowdy is whisked away as quickly as he was shown to us to get wiped off and evaluated. Lance leaves to head out with Rowdy and to leave us to wrap up the surgery. It seemed like a lifetime, but it was probably only about 30 minutes or so before I was wheeled out of the OR into recovery where Lance met me pushing a clear bin with our son, Rowdy, swaddled and sleeping. Our first moment as a family.