Thomas Andrew Sweatman, Jr., "Drew," came into this world at 3:29 in the afternoon on Wednesday, April 27th, 2011! He weighed 7 lbs., 14 oz. and was 21 inches long. He had a head full of hair, long feet, and was beautiful, precious, and stole our hearts the moment he came out!
On Monday morning, around 4:30, I woke up with this horrible pain. I knew it wasn't contractions, because it wasn't coming and going and wasn't my whole abdomen, but good Lord above it hurt. I finally couldn't take it any longer and woke Tommy up. We called the nurse on call and again, knowing it wasn't contractions, waited until the office opened. When we got there, after an examination that extremely painful, Dr. Moore just told me that he thought the baby had dropped, and with 2nd and later children, it could hurt like that and happen all at once. That was the first I'd ever heard that, but I had no reason not to believe him. He said I wasn't dialated at all and would be very surprised if I went into labor that week. I would be 38 weeks in two days, on that Wednesday, and was scheduled for a c-section at 39 weeks - May 4th. That was good news for us because Tommy was leaving the next morning for DC for the rest of the week. My dad was staying with Addie and me though, to help out, and just in case I went into labor. Mom was coming in Wednesday morning.
I went to work for that afternoon and came home exhausted. I had so much that I had to finish up at school, so I just pushed through. We had friends over that night (see post below). Tommy left on Tuesday and I worked half a day, came home and rested. After Monday, I had decided that half days were all I could manage from then on out (except for Friday - I was going to tough it out and stay all day, finish what needed to be done, my long term sub was going to spend the day with me, and my sweet kids and their parents were having a party for me!) Dad and I got a few things set up for the baby that Tommy and I hadn't gotten to yet. Dad grilled us a London Broil that Tommy had left us marinating in the fridge. I took a nice long bath and went to bed. Dad left Greenville really early - like 6 AM - to go meet Mom in Lexington for a meeting. When I got up at 6:30 to go to work for another half a day, I thought I'd wet my pants leaning over to turn off the alarm clock. I was mad as fire! Went on downstairs to fix the coffee, and thought I did it again coming down the stairs. I remember praying to God that I not have this problem. Upon going to the bathroom the 2nd time, I realized it was not me wetting my pants! (I realize this is TMI, but I want to remember everything!) I called Tommy, who was ironing his shirt, and said, "I'm dead serious, I think my water just broke." He just said ok and to let him go so he could start changing flights and getting into DC to leave, after asking me how sure I was. I called my mom, and heard her alarm going off in the background, and told her, and she just simply said that she'd call Dad and tell him to turn around and that she'd be there shortly. Lastly, I called my cousin Alice, and told her that we wouldn't be having our sweet boys on the same day any longer, like we wanted and had planned for!
I was starving, and nauseated feeling, so I opened up a Coke and had some saltines. (Like a FOOL!) I went upstairs and turned Addie's lights off, hoping for her to sleep longer, then I gathered a few more things for the hospital and waited! Dad got there and was so nervous that I had to give him little tasks to keep him sane. Addie and I just relaxed on the couch and watched cartoons. I was afraid to do too much - I didn't want to push labor at all. I wasn't having many contractions and was thankful. Plus, I enjoyed a little cuddling with my sweet girl right before we became a family of four.
Mom got there and had gotten my Aunt Lisa on the phone to come up and take care of Addie until I had the baby, then she would bring her up to us. Mom and I headed on to the hospital and argued the whole way there. I swear she hit every single bump on I85 and acted like she had no idea where she was going. Ugh!
Once I got there, they told me that my water had in fact broken (duh, Good Lord, if that wasn't my water breaking something was bad wrong!), and did an exam to see how dialted I was. I wasn't even 2 cm (I walked around for almost two weeks with Addie dialated 2 cm) and I was thankful! I was also thankful that everyone knew I was having a c-section and that would hopefully be my last cervical check. I also had the same nurse in triage that I'd had with Addie. Didn't like her then, and didn't like her much better this time! This time though, at least it was obvious that my water had broken. With Addie she checked and checked and still didn't think it had broken. At this point it was around 9 AM and Tommy hadn't even gotten to the airport yet. DC traffic is horrendous at that time of day and Tommy was in the thick of it. Thankfully though, he works with some great people that from SC were able to change all of his flights for him. I learned in triage that Dr. Lafitte would be delivering Drew. I was in hopes it was one of my two favorites, Dr. McClenahan or Cook, both of which delivered Addie, but no luck. I was scheduled with Dr. Cook for the next Wednesday. In triage I also learned that my little snack of saltines and Coke would cost me 8 hours before having Drew. UGH! I was so mad, but it ended up taking that long for Tommy to get there anyway. Geez!
So, I was sent from triage up to the recovery room in labor and delivery, where I hung out all day. It was boring! There was at least a TV in triage! I brought my computer, but my contractions had picked up and I didn't want anything to do with it. The phone kept ringing and family kept coming in, so I was staying busy. Plus, I had great nurses that were so nice and friendly. Dr. Lafitte kept coming in keeping tabs on me and Drew, and seeing where Tommy was. He kept asking what time I had eaten and was obviously wanting to go ahead and deliver Drew, but anesthesia wouldn't have any part of that. Since I wanted Tommy there, I was thankful. But, Drew's heartrate kept dropping, just like Addie's did, and that did offer some concern. Not concern for Drew because I had full faith that they'd get him out, but concern that Tommy wasn't going to make it. Until the contractions kicked up a notch. Then I was miserable and wanted it over. Immediately! I didn't have that many contractions with Addie and was ticked that I had this beautifully scheduled c-section planned a week from then, where I was to walk into the hospital all clean and fresh and have a baby a few hours later with no pain. Not. At. All. Not even close! They finally came and gave me an epidural that only took on my right side. I was concerned about that and still had some pain, but it was far better than with no epidural, so I was thankful. They kept letting me know that it wouldn't be the case in the operating room, that this epidural was just to make me more comfortable.
Tommy got there about 2:00. He just missed his flight in Charlotte and had to rent a car. I feel bad for anyone in his path getting from there to here, and was thankful that Charlotte to Greenville is a straight shot. I'm also pretty sure that the car he rented is no longer in usable condition.
As soon as Tommy got to me, the ball got rolling. Dr. Lafitte saw him come in and I think he was as happy as I was. He had just come back to me to say that he was going to help deliver a set of twins next to me and then I was next. I was SO happy to see Tommy! He better know how much I love him to have waited that long! I will say that waiting to have Drew was so different. I was more relaxed knowing what would happen, even though it was my first c-section. Everything was more relaxed. No pushing, that was nice! But what was wierd was that I kept thinking about Addie! Here I was about to have a baby, and my mind was focused a lot on the one I already had - just like any other time I'm away from her! With her, my mind was only focused on having her!
Shortly after Tommy got there, he changed into scrubs, which we knew would happen, but was also good since he was wearing his work clothes and had been in nasty airports and planes. They wheeled me on back and told Tommy they'd be back to get him. Little did he or I know how long that'd be. I had several nurses in recovery, and one of them, Betty, was the one that came back with me. She was also the one in the room during my epidural. I liked her a lot, which was good since I was all laid up on her. My nurse anethesist was hilarious too and had a beautiful accent. He was from somewhere in Africa, I can't remember where at this point. I also had a student anesthesiologist who I really liked. They were all so very sweet and accomodating, and were just enjoyable to be around, which was nice since it was for about 10 hours!
As soon as I got back in the operating room, everyone got to work. The doctor and nurses started prepping my abdomen and the anesthesiology team starting giving me more meds. The doctor and nurses were all finished, and I still had complete feeling on my left side. They gave me more and more meds and finally just had to pull out my epidural and do another one. Luckily, I stayed a little numb, and again, the contractions were so bad that it really didn't hurt. I was scared to death that they couldn't get me numb, and asked over and over again. The anesthesiologist said, "worst case is that we'll just put you to sleep." I informed him that that wasn't an option - general anesthesia makes me very sick and Tommy wouldn't be able to be back there for it. Luckily, it finally took. I was still very nervous. I've had tons of surgeries, and the thought of being awake while they cut me open was almost more than I could take, all of a sudden! Dr. Lafitte was already starting by the time they went to get Tommy. (I did have the nurse go tell him what was going on since he was told it'd be about 15 minutes and it ended up being about 45.) Nobody got Tommy a mask, and they had to send him back out to get one. Then they offered him a chair and he refused it, insisting that he would not get sick. I guess he wanted to see everything, bleh.
They told me that I'd feel pressure and pulling and boy did I ever. I thought I moaned and groaned the whole time, but according to Tommy I didn't. It was a wierd, strange feeling. I heard Drew crying before he was completely out of me. I wasn't sure if that was him or not, but about the time I heard him, Tommy told me that his head was out. Then all of him was out and they were holding him up to show me! It took less than five minutes which blows me away! I felt extreme emotion come over me and had wonderful, happy tears of joy! My very first thought was, "I can't believe I have a baby boy!" Tommy stayed with me until they told him he could go over there with the baby, then he brought him back to me. I'm glad he was able to hold Drew before me, since I got to hold Addie first. However, it did almost kill me for that sweet baby to be right there and me not be able to hold him just yet!
As soon as I got back in the operating room, everyone got to work. The doctor and nurses started prepping my abdomen and the anesthesiology team starting giving me more meds. The doctor and nurses were all finished, and I still had complete feeling on my left side. They gave me more and more meds and finally just had to pull out my epidural and do another one. Luckily, I stayed a little numb, and again, the contractions were so bad that it really didn't hurt. I was scared to death that they couldn't get me numb, and asked over and over again. The anesthesiologist said, "worst case is that we'll just put you to sleep." I informed him that that wasn't an option - general anesthesia makes me very sick and Tommy wouldn't be able to be back there for it. Luckily, it finally took. I was still very nervous. I've had tons of surgeries, and the thought of being awake while they cut me open was almost more than I could take, all of a sudden! Dr. Lafitte was already starting by the time they went to get Tommy. (I did have the nurse go tell him what was going on since he was told it'd be about 15 minutes and it ended up being about 45.) Nobody got Tommy a mask, and they had to send him back out to get one. Then they offered him a chair and he refused it, insisting that he would not get sick. I guess he wanted to see everything, bleh.
They told me that I'd feel pressure and pulling and boy did I ever. I thought I moaned and groaned the whole time, but according to Tommy I didn't. It was a wierd, strange feeling. I heard Drew crying before he was completely out of me. I wasn't sure if that was him or not, but about the time I heard him, Tommy told me that his head was out. Then all of him was out and they were holding him up to show me! It took less than five minutes which blows me away! I felt extreme emotion come over me and had wonderful, happy tears of joy! My very first thought was, "I can't believe I have a baby boy!" Tommy stayed with me until they told him he could go over there with the baby, then he brought him back to me. I'm glad he was able to hold Drew before me, since I got to hold Addie first. However, it did almost kill me for that sweet baby to be right there and me not be able to hold him just yet!
Dr. Lafitte found a blood clot on my uterus, which is why he thinks I went into labor so quickly and early. (I know he was full term, but I don't think they really expect people to go into labor at 38 weeks.) I had Addie at just 38.5 weeks, so I really wasn't surprised. I just don't think my body can hold babies any longer! The blood clot did have me a little concerned, but it was fixed. I hear the words "blood clot" an immediately go into panic mode.
They were finally done with me and I was able to go back to recovery, sit up, and hold my baby boy. It was wonderful and I was completely in love.
I did feel really awful though, and again, they just kept pumping me full of drugs. I was uncomfortable and nauseated. I finally threw up a few times and felt a little better. I was absolutely exhausted.
After our quiet hour, Tommy went to get Addie. I felt awful and looked awful, and I really wish she never had to see me that way. I even barfed while she was in the room and she was very upset by it all; but, she did great and loved being there. I loved seeing her sweet face meet her baby brother for the first time. She was immediately in love and has been since that day. She thinks he is the greatest thing ever and I am so thankful.
It was a beautiful day and one that I'll never, ever forget! I am so thankful that my head was so clear and I am able to remember every detail of his sweet birth day!
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