Seven years ago this very minute after a difficult pregnancy (sick for weeks with hyperemesis to the point of being on a Zofran pump for 8 weeks) but only 4 hours of labor I was dilated to 9.5 cm. The nurse was telling me it was time to get to work. I was whining that the doctor wasn’t there yet. We went back and forth like this a few times and Tony finally told her something (I didn’t know what until later) and as quick as that, she turned to the other nurse and said, “Call the doctor, she’s complete!”
Dr. Lugo jogged from his office through a tunnel under the hospital while Tony ran out to the waiting room to tell my parents that they could go get Britnee and Janae (staying just a few blocks away with my friend, MaryLee Baker) 'cause we were “having a baby!” He turned around to come back to my room and the waiting room door had locked behind him. He tried with little success to get the nurse’s attention who was behind the glass window. She finally saw him and he came back in the room just in time to see the doctor slapping on gloves to help our third daughter come into the world.
The baby that was supposed to be smaller than Janae for sure (8 lbs 6 oz, 19.75 inches long) and possibly smaller than Britnee (7 lbs 7 oz, 20.25 inches long) according to my doctor weighed in at 8 lbs 5 oz and was 21.5 inches long! Her name decided a couple months earlier by her sisters pulling apart a wishbone? Kerrigan Brook.
She was our big surprise. We thought we were done after two girls who gave us a run for our money during delivery and the few weeks following. I even cried when I called to announce my pregnancy to my parents. Not because I didn't want another baby, but simply because I was afraid of what we might have to go through again. My dad's response? "Nowwww (my family and close friends can probably hear that long drawn out word)...this time everything's gonna be alright. I believe that!" And I'm sure he prayed to that end. And everything WAS alright - during the delivery and afterwards...it was the pregnancy we forgot to petition for :)
But big surprise and all, we can't imagine our lives without her now-toothless smile and constant comedy. Happy Birthday, Kerrigan!
5 comments:
Happy Birthday, Kerrigan!!!
Are you sure I didn't have you as a patient?? Sure sounds familiar...
The whining, the puking or the mad rush before delivery? I wasn't really a bad patient (I don't think). Never yelled at Tony or the nurses during labor. Just kind of went into my own little shell. The worst it got with me was when I was hospitalized the 2nd time (2 trips to ER and 2 overnight stays) with hyperemesis right before they sent me home with a Zofran pump. They were giving me benadryl, phenergan, reglan and pepcid in my IV. It burned so bad that I would writhe in pain every time they administered them. MaryLee came to visit and asked what she could do. I had her comb my hair. It took her forever to get all the tangles out. I didn't even act that bad during labor and I made sure to tell the nurses that. Didn't want them to dread seeing me come in to deliver. The last dose, I had a loud mouth nurse that drove me bananas come and do it. I told her they'd had to switch arms and why(my vein was completely red). She said that was a bunch of nonsense and went and got saline solution to add to it. It took her longer to get it all in me but didn't hurt a bit. She was not very happy with the other nurses for allowing me to be in so much pain. If only I'd had her earlier!
Happy Birthday Kerri Berry!
Happy Belated Birthday, Kerrigan!
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