Seeing that this is a blog about our family and our newest addition I figured it would be best to at least share with everyone the story of how she got her.
After a year of being married Mike and I decided that we wanted to start a family of our own. After two years of just seeing what would happen we became pregnant in July of 2007. We were both extremely excited and decided to tell our family right away. I had my first doctor's appointment at 10 weeks and she wanted to send me for an early ultrasound because she couldn't quite tell how far along I was, she thought that my uterus was tilted to the back. The doctor told us everything was fine, so we went ahead and scheduled the ultrasound and proceeded to let our friends know about our exciting news.
On October 1st, 2007 Mike and I went in for the ultrasound. I went in first alone and the tech just kind of chatted away, not really saying anything about the baby. Mike then came in while the tech went to get the doctor and he informed us that the baby's heart had stopped beating. We were both devastated. We had wanted this little baby so much and now we would never get to know if it was a boy or a girl or ever watch it grow up. I carried my first baby for two weeks, knowing that I would never get to see it. Reality didn't really sync in, I subconciously thought everything would be OK, even though I really knew it wouldn't.
On October 15th I was admitted into the hospital for an emergency DNC and my baby was finally taken from me. No proper goodbye was possible, which I think was the hardest part. I was in a fog for the next week, not sure as to what to do with myself. But, with the support of Mike I was able to pull through and even though to this day I still think about that little baby and wonder who it would look like and what it would be doing. It hurt even more seeing friends and family expanding their own families and knowing that ours would always be one short.
In May 2008 I found out I was pregnant with Isabelle, it was a bit nerve wracking, after what had happened last time. My pregnancy was pretty straight forward without any complications. I did not overly enjoy being pregnant, because I was constantly scared that something would happen, but I enjoyed knowing that at the end I would hopefully have a beautiful healthy baby to take care of. Also the extreme lack of sleep the last three months did not help with enjoying pregnancy.
My due date was February 2nd and that date came and went without a baby. My doctor decided that if she wasn't here by the 8th that I would be induced. We went to the hospital on February 7th (Saturday) so that I could be induced, but found out that I was already 3 cm dilated and 90% effaced, so they decided to wait until the morning when my doctor would be on call to induce me. We went in on Sunday morning at 9am and when Dr. Adam checked me I was still 3 cm, he then broke my water.
Mike and I sat around for the morning talking and laughing at one woman who was in labour and cursing and her husband who came out of the room with the most frantic looking face. Just after noon they decided to give me some pitocin, because I had only progressed to 4 cm. My Mom then arrived soon after to support Mike and I through the labour.
Shortly after receiving the pitocin the contractions really started to strengthen, I had been able to handle them quite comfortably. I decided to go in the tub which help to relieve some of the aches, but they were still very painful. On the way back to my room my contractions were just too much that I decided it was time for some fentanyl which was injected into my IV every 5-10 minutes. The pain subsided greatly when the meds works, but I didn't not enjoy the "high" associated with the drug, I felt so disorient. At this point my contractions were every 2 minutes (about 2pm). I decided that I would go with the epidural so that I could remain coherent during labour.
It took two hours to get the epidural, and then once it was working I was very comfortable, but it only lasted for about 30 minutes. By this point it was just after 6pm and I was still in a lot of pain and I also began to run a high fever of 40 degrees. They began pumping me full of antibiotics to be sure that I didn't have an infection and to protect the baby. By 8pm I was still on 4 cm, so Dr. Adam decided it was too dangerous to let me go any further on my own, due to the fever. I was then prepped for a c-section. Part of my was terrified, but I was also somewhat grateful that I wouldn't have to deliver naturally (as bizarre as that may sound). It was the strangest sensation to be cut open while you are wide awake.
At 9:11pm Isabelle Marie Palmer was born and was 9lbs 6oz. She ended up spending 2 days in the NICU because of my fever they wanted to be sure that she had not contracted anything while I was in labour. She was pumped full of antibiotics via an IV for just over 48 hours. All the tests came back negative. We ended up spending five days in the hospital, because it took so long for my milk to come in and because my blood levels were very low. Needless to say when it was time to come home, all three of us were more then ready.
It is hard to believe that such a little person can bring so much joy and love into your life. She has also brought Mike and I so much closer, which I know we are fortunate for, because some couples aren't as lucky. We think every now and then of adding more to our family, but I think for now we are going to enjoy Isabelle and get to know her better, and maybe at some point we will add another :) This post can't even begin to show all the feelings we had during this whole experience, but at least it I am able to share what happened :)
Amie
