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Preemie Books
The
Preemie Parents Companion: The Essential Guide to Caring for Your Premature Baby
in the Hospital, at Home, and Through the First Years by Susan L Madden M.S,
William Sears MD, Jane E Stewart MD
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On December 30, 1999 I had went to bed as usual. My husband and I had settled down quite early anticipating our anniversary the next day! At 3 am on December 31, 1999, I woke up to some very bizarre feelings in the lower region so I went to the bathroom thinking I had to relieve my self. Well I had sat and did my business and as soon as I went to get up from the toilet a flush of water came out of me! My first thought was that I was still peeing. I went to get up and it was still leaking out of me. I wasn't sure at this point whether I should look or not I was so afraid that I was bleeding. I called to my husband who was fast asleep and very hard to wake out of a sound sleep! I called to him and he didn't answer. I think it took me about 3 times before he responded to me. I wasn't sure what was happening to me so I called my mom in the next town and told her what happened and she knew that I had broke my water. So I proceeded to tell my husband to come to the bathroom right away! He was still in a deep sleep and thought I was kidding with him. I said," Honey you need to come right now I just broke my water." He came and said, "You can't break your water it isn't time!" I said, "Time or not I did and we need to do something." So I called the on call doctor and he told me to come to labor and delivery immediately and he would meet me there! I was so scared. I can remember that hour feeling like 10 hours till the doctor got there! I was examined to see if I was dilating and I wasn't. The nurses then took the test to see whether it was fluid I was leaking and sure enough it was. The hospital I was at wasn't equipped for a premature delivery so I was transferred to a hospital that was more equipped with a Neonatal Intensive care. I was rushed by ambulance to the Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, Pa.
I
was in their labor and delivery room for nearly 9 hours doing test after
test to see if I had indeed ruptured my membranes. The test they did came
back positive for PROM. I initially thought they would just send me right
back home! But I was then brought back to reality mighty quick and was in
the hospital for the long haul and played the waiting game for my precious I was there three days when on January 3, 2000, I was awoke from some major pains. I was sure that I was going into labor. It was the worse pain I had ever felt in my life. Menstrual cramps times 10. I called for the nurse and she told me that she would call the doctor. Prior to this happening I was given two shots to develop my angel's lungs in case she did come a little earlier then they wanted her to. The doctor came in to see me at 6 am and I was again rushed over to labor and delivery and was put on the fetal monitors till about 9 am when my doctor came in to see how I was doing. Dr. Coulson took one look at me and said, " Honey this isn't the same face I seen yesterday all smiling and laughing." She said, "I am going to take one more ultra sound to see how she is doing." During my stay at the hospital I was given many ultra sounds to keep track on the fluid levels for our angel! The ultra sound that they did that morning found our sweetie to be frank breech (feet first).Dr. Coulson kept a close eye on me and said she had to go and think about what to do next. She wasn't gone no longer then 10 minutes when she came back in and said, "Honey I think you are going to meet your baby today!" Immediately tears came to my eyes. I said, "So I am going to deliver my little girl today?" She said, "Yes you are in too much pain and I don't want to take any chances." She said, "In about an hour we will take her by C Section." I had enough time to call my mom and my husband who was at work in the next town. My mom and husband got there and I was an emotional mess. I wasn't prepared for what I was going to be going through! That hour whizzed by so fast. I was wishing it would never come cause I just wasn't ready to meet her yet. At 10am I was rushed to the OR and was given an epidural and some la la land medicine to numb me. I can remember asking for my husband. I didn't want to do this alone! I was a mess! I don't think those doctors will ever forget me! As soon as my husband was allowed in the OR I remember asking the Anesthesiologist when they were going to start! He said, "Honey they are just about ready to pull your baby out!" I just sat there crying! Next thing I knew they said, "Are you ready to meet your little girl?" I said, "Is she dirty?" I had always had this vision in my mind that I never wanted to see my baby all bloody and they just laughed at me! The next moment I heard her little cry and I looked at my husband and nearly died. It was now a reality! I was finally going to meet my precious angel. The Neonatologist was there with his team of workers. Courtney Skye was born on January 4, 2000 at 11:18am. She weighed 3 lbs 13 oz and was 17 inches long. Courtney had APGARS of 9,10. I was able to see her for a brief minute. They brought her over and all I could do was cry. I touched my sweet angel's little face and was able to give her a kiss before they took her to the NICU. Courtney stayed in the hospital for about 2 weeks and then was transferred to a hospital closer for us and spent another 2 weeks there! Courtney never needed any resuscitations or oxygen. The only thing that she did need was a feeding tube in her little nose! The doctor's later told me that when they took Courtney out the uterus was hot to the touch. I had an infection sooo bad that it could have been detrimental to both Courtney and I had they not took her when they did. Today Courtney is now a happy and growing way to fast 10-month-old little girl! She now weighs 14 lbs 13 oz and is doing so well! I just thank the staff at the hospital for their quick thinking for had it not been for them either Courtney or myself might not be here! |
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