Well, it has been 2 weeks and I finally have a minute to sit and write this out.
Originally Lucy was set to be delivered by c-section on September 10th so I should still be pregnant but as I have learned, not all plans go according to how we think they will.
I had been going for weekly NSTs since 25 weeks to monitor baby and also to keep me sane. They usually went very well and the health of the baby was never in question. The last one I had was on Monday, Aug. 24. At that time I complained to the nurse that I had also been experiencing itchy hands and feet which is a symptom of a pregnancy condition I can't remember the name of. So, the lab came up to take some blood and I waited. The blood test was to check my liver function. While I waited, the NST continued. Eventually the blood work came back and the doctor came in to go over it with me. Not my regular doctor, but the Monday doctor whom I had met a couple other times b/c I always went on Mondays and sometimes had questions. Anyway, she showed me the numbers and told me that everything looked good. She also mentioned that the baby's heart rate was a little high (up around 200 for a while) but that it seemed to have calmed down. She told me that she would write a note in my file and that I would have to re-do the tests on Thursday to make sure nothing had developed.
OK, so I got home around 1 pm. We spent the afternoon and evening doing family things and didn't really think much about what the doctor had said. Around 7:30 the phone rang and surprise, it was the doctor! She told me that she had been thinking about me all afternoon and even though there was no immediate danger she didn't think I needed to be put through the stress of having to worry about what might happen. She talked to the OB that was on duty that day and the next day and they agreed that there was no reason to make me go another 2.5 weeks. She basically said that with the condition they were testing for that they would induce at 37 weeks anyways so I should just come in to the hospital in the morning and they would fit me in for my surgery! WOW, I was in shock and totally excited. The fact that a doctor I barely knew would go to that trouble for me was so touching. She even said she would try to be there to assist in the delivery even though it was not her day at the hospital.
So, then the frantic planning started. I already had a bag packed but we had to get Violet's things sorted. I did not sleep at all that night but eventually it was a reasonable time to get up. We dropped Violet off at her grandparents and headed to the hospital.
A different doctor that I don't know at all was on duty when I got there. He had another NST done which was completely normal. He was saying things that lead me to believe he might try to send me home. We were getting a little nervous but once the OB walked in everything was a go. She was very kind and talked about how she came very close to losing a child and could kind of relate and that it looked like it was "time to relieve me of my pregnancy."
Then the waiting. We got to the hospital around 8 and were told surgery would be at 3. At 1 the OR called up and informed the nurses we were a go at 2. Then one of the nurses came in and told me that my actual maternity doctor would be there to help with the surgery! They had called her to tell her what was going on and she insisted on being there. She was my doctor with Oliver as well and actually delivered him so I wanted her there too. I was touched that she would cancel all her appointments to be there for me. She came early and talked to me.
At 2:37 Lucy came screaming into the world. It was a great sound! The doctors all exclaimed how big she was (8 lbs 3 0z) for 37 weeks. I am so glad she came out early she would have been over 10 lbs! I had to stay in recovery while dad went up to the room with her. Apparently she cried the whole hour I was gone. As soon as I held her though, she stopped crying. She was hungry and wanted to nurse right away.
We were able to go home on Thursday and just missed seeing my OB who was scheduled to do the surgery. He actually came up to visit us but we had gone. He even phoned to congratulate us (he was there when Oliver was born as well).
So, the last 2 weeks we have been concentrating on getting Lucy to eat properly. She had a little trouble and I was a lot stressed out about it but as of today she is gaining and nursing properly.
Anyway, we are feeling pretty blessed right now.
