Bowman West

Picture a Flower or Something

That's what the anaesthesia resident concluded was my only viable pain control option at 3:00 am on the day sweet Sarah Jane was born. Jerk. Big jerk.

My last post left you hanging out with Charlie, my mom, and me in a strawberry patch in Crozet, Virginia near Charlottesville. I was feeling bored that morning and just wanted to get Charlie out of the house. Strawberry shortcake sounded good so I combined those two needs and we headed for Chiles' Peach Orchard where they have pick-your-own strawberries. I didn't tell Andy until after our trip because I knew he wouldn't like the idea of me straying more than five miles from the hospital let alone picking strawberries in the heat. But I did. Sue me. I also ate a huge strawberry sundae. Again, contact your lawyer.

So we picked a few pounds of strawberries and headed home around 3:00 pm. We were all tired and hot so we decided to skip going downtown to eat and listen to music that evening as we had previously planned. I honestly don't remember what we did instead but I do remember my mom telling me at some point that I looked a lot different like the baby had dropped. I shrugged my shoulders and went on with my day.

That night I went to bed around 11:00 and Andy was already asleep. I was super uncomfortable as always so I read a few magazines. That's what I was doing around midnight when I felt something wet. Uh oh. So I hurried to the bathroom for confirmation. Definite water breakage. Not wanting to get the carpet wet, I stood at the bathroom door (just a few feet from the bed) and tried to wake Andy without yelling. He wouldn't wake up. I couldn't find anything to throw at him so went over and punched him in the arm.

Me: Wake up! My water broke!
Andy (very sleepily): Huh?
Me: My water broke!
Andy: Ok.
Me: Um...so you need to get up and we need to get to the hospital.

Just to recap, I'd been at 5cm & 75% for two weeks so my OB reminded me that if my water broke I needed to get to labor and delivery quickly. I wasn't just being dramatic.

So we both threw clothes on and Andy headed downstairs to put our bags in the car and let my mom know what was happening. Not a full minute later our phone rang. It was Melody, my sister, asking if my water really broke.

Me: Huh? How'd you know?
Mel: Mom just posted it on facebook.
Me to Andy: Please go tell my mom to take that off facebook!
Mel: So...what are you doing?
Me: We're leaving for the hospital.
Mel: So how are you feeling?
Me: I mean we're leaving right now so I really have to go.
Mel: Ok. Well, keep us posted.

I headed downstairs, hugged my mom, and headed to the car. Andy wouldn't let me drive. But I always drive. Ugh. My contractions weren't bad at that point. I was good to go, except that I had just given myself a Heparin shot (blood thinner -- another story for another time) at 11:00. That shot greatly impacted the next few hours and seriously jeopardized the life of one socially awkward anaesthesia resident.

(to be continued...)