Adrienne

Who Knew Something So Small Could Mean So Much?

Adrienne Helen Wilson. Born 25 Aug 2010.

• Friday was my last day of work.
• Monday Mom arrived to help me prepare for the arrival of our baby next week. We start a few sewing projects.
• Tuesday I got a call from the hospital saying I "needed to get a stress test because my amniotic fluid level was too low," as determined by the last ultrasound. I grab my wallet and nothing else and demonstrate to Mom the route to the hospital so she would know where to go when labor starts.
• Upon arrival at the hospital, the front desk checks me in and says, "So you're here for your induction?" Huh? I reassured them that there must be a mistake.
• Tuesday afternoon I'm on a bed, still in my street clothes, in the process of a stress test.
• Tuesday evening at 6 pm the doc comes in and says, "I don't like the way your placenta has stopped working. Best to get that baby out while you and she still have energy and oxygen left." (Suddenly it hits me. "What? Like...have a baby right now? So am I the last one to find out that an induction had been planned for me? No wonder doc wanted a stress test--they wanted to see if my baby was strong enough to go through with a regular delivery.") I don't say it out loud though...
• I end up NOT going home after all. I text Jaime that he's about to become a dad a week early. He drops what he was doing in Seattle and begins the adrenaline-fueled drive to Olympia. Even though I told him there was plenty of time, he can't help himself.

FYI--The lady in the delivery room next to me is screaming bloody murder and you know it's pretty bad if the deaf patient is complaining about the noise. This goes on forever.

• I eat one last meal before they make me fast and the pitocin drip starts going.
• Hospital staff decide they don't want to deliver a baby in the middle of the night. They stop the pitocin drip and give me a sleeping pill instead.
• Wednesday morning Pitocin started again.
• I had elected for no epidural and natural delivery--so far my resolve is still there.
• About 2 in the afternoon, transition and real labor finally starts.
• (What happened after that was a blur.) All I can recall is that it wasn't as bad as the lady next door and a perfect baby girl was born just before 6 pm Wed night.
• A few people mumble something about concerns about our baby's hearing ability. (The ironic thing was we explained it was not genetic in our case, but still, they wanted to worry.) She passed her hearing test. No big deal...she's gonna learn sign no matter what because  her parents are deaf and need it anyway.
• Jaime proves himself a stellar support person by packing my overnight bag for Adrienne and me and brings it to me. (Mom was busy taking care of Huck and stocking up our fridge with food in between coming and going from the hospital.)
• Adrienne is 18 months old now and I wouldn't change a thing about her (well...except for her refusal to nap).
• Jaime and I absolutely love being her parents!

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(Coming Soon: Summary of first year)