I can't believe Mary is EIGHT! I can remember her birth day so clearly. I was going in for my regular 37 week check-up. I was excited because Aaron was coming with me. He had just finished his last finals at BYU the day before. It was a Friday morning. Everything was looking good. As we got ready to leave the doctor paused for a moment. She said, "Let's do an ultra sound". Of course, I was so very eager to see another picture of her...as I'm sure any anxious soon-to-be new mother would be. I don't think I realized right away unusual it was do do an ultrasound without anything seeming wrong and how inspired the doctor was to do one.
We went into the next room. The doctor turned on the monitors, checked around a bit, and paused. Then I understood that something was wrong. She showed us that there was no more fluid surrounding the baby..only two small pockets around her neck. It was as if my water broke. She informed us that this was dangerous to the baby and could cause death; we would need to go next door to the hospital and get induced right away. I was shocked. I wasn't ready...I had no baby bag, no toiletries, I had work things I needed to finish. I was nervous for the pain and the uncertainty of labor. And my doctor, my inspired doctor, was leaving out of town for a conference, and my mom was all the way in Oregon.
The induction was slow. Justen came and he and Aaron gave me a blessing. That made me feel better. Little did I realize that the blessings were already pouring out around me. I started to get excited. It was the morning of April 28th. Later that evening the doctor told me that she wouldn't come until the next day, but that she'd talked to her colleague who would take her place. He was amazing too. I had only dilated to a 5 (after the balloon was placed inside to speed up the process). I called Tiffany and asked if she'd wash my garments so I'd have a pair to wear when I left...and buy me a nursing bra. She knew just what to get. I was so happy they lived close. Looking back I giggle at the urgency of my birthing check-list. I was hoping my mom could make it out in time. To this day, I still try and remember what a contraction felt like. I wish now that I hadn't gotten the epidural later that evening, but I was nervous to not if I still had another day to go.
At about 11 pm they took my temperature again. My high temperature and Mary's high heart rate were signs of an infection. In a matter of minutes they pulled out the epidural and whisked me into the operating room. They put in another larger needle, a spinal. The anesthesiologist sat by my head. He explained everything to me...the sensation that I couldn't breathe, the nausea and itch from the medicine. Sometime in there my mom came and I was so relieved. Everything was all happening so fast. And while it seemed like I was almost out of my body as they worked around me, everyone with a job and a skill, I remember feeling so grateful that they cared for my well-being and our little Mary's.
Then in a matter of minutes she was here. I remember being so anxious to see her. She was beautiful. Aaron said she looked good. I could rest. I was busy getting the spinal out and getting stitched up as well as vomiting from the medicine (the first time my whole pregnancy) to realize that another skilled and amazing doctor, our pediatrician, was needing to care for our little angel with under developed lungs. He gave her a CPAP. They brought me in another room as I was recouping. I had no idea she was not well. I had nothing to compare it to. And I felt a little out of it. Aaron came and told me once things settled down with my recovery and Mary's care. Mary would stay in the hospital for several days. My mom remembers seeing her huge alert eyes as she headed in the elevator to the NICU. She was aware the second she came into this world.
Mary's soul is so beautiful. She has a tender and caring spirit. Her eyes are so bright and capable. It's hard to express the gratitude I feel for being chosen to be her mother. But when I recount the miracle of her birth, it's pretty easy to see from where it all came.
Happy eighth birthday Mary my angel girl!
xo
Mom
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