Happy Halloween!!

12 years ago....

I was 28 weeks pregnant.  It was a Saturday.  Like every other Saturday before, for the past five years or so, I was working at the produce store.  As I was ringing up customers (yaaay cashier) and started to feel my stomach burning.  Burning was the only way to describe what I was feeling.  I brought it up to other workers/mothers and they all agreed - "Oh, it's just your skin stretching." - so I just brushed it off.  An hour or so later, it was becoming unbearable.  I call and get into the doctor right away.

I get to my doctor and she agreed with everyone else.  "It's your skin stretching, use some lotion."  I didn't understand how lotion would help the internal burning sensation I was experiencing but what did I know?  I was never pregnant before... 

I returned to work and as time went on the pain was increasing.  Not only was I feeling the burning sensation but this new pain was coming and going.  Semi regularly.  I thought maybe I should time them?  At first they were about 45 mins apart.  Sometimes longer, sometimes shorter.  The thought of me actually being in labor was so far beyond my scope of thinking.  I mean - it was too soon and really, the pain wasn't as bad as I envisioned labor to be.

I left work in time to enjoy Trick - or - Treating!  I helped my grandma and grandpa hand out candy.  That year, we actually ran out of candy so I had to run to the store and grab some more.  During this whole time, the pain was continuing.  I would just readjust myself while handing out candy.  I never said a word to anyone about the pains.  (Although, in the days following my grandpa told me he could tell something was wrong)  Everyone else seemed to be really enjoying themselves.  My nephew had just been born that August so everyone was ooohing and ahhhing over the adorable pea pod costume.  

Trick - or - Treating was over around 8 and I finally decided to let everyone know something was not right.  We all agreed that we should head to the ER.  BUT, we also knew that Halloween combined with an ER would equal a long, miserable wait.  So we ordered pizza first.  All the while, the pains were constant and strong. 

But again, still nothing like what I thought labor would be like.

We finally go to the ER and after tests, examinations and hooking me up to monitors I was diagnosed with a UTI and sent on my way with a script for antibiotics.  I get home and fall asleep on the couch for what seemed like hours.  I wake up to go to the bathroom and the pains were more intense. 

A lot more intense.

I called "Stinky"  (what the Demon's father has since been nicknamed) and say "We have GOT to go back, something is wrong!"  He replies "Huh?  I just got home."   I had completely lost all track of time.  I don't know what the hell happened but I must have dozed off and the pain woke me up and I thought hours had passed.  It had been minutes!  He comes right away and we head back to the ER.  To my surprise, I am then yelled at by the nurses and physician because I did not fill the script right away and start the antibiotics.  Like it was somehow my fault that I was back and in more pain!?  That brought on the tears.   Jerks.

I am examined again, hooked up to more monitors, and finally a nurse merely touches my stomach and determines I'm in full blown labor.  The doctor examines me and immediately flips me head down and starts to panic.  I have no idea what is going on during this time, only that I am being told that they are not equipped to handle such an early delivery and that I am heading to Good Sam.  ASAP! or STAT!  Or whatever terms they use to convey NOW!

The ambulance ride to the other hospital was torture.  Head down, feet up, staring at the ceiling of a moving vehicle..with loud sirens = vomitrotious!   I get to Good Sam Hospital and immediately am started on all sorts of meds.  I was completely out of it.  They, right away, want to put an epidural in and start to try to numb me.  I was 100% OK with that idea.  After 2 failed attempts - the epidural finally took.

Ahhhh...much needed sleep....

(to be continued.)