Birthing Story....(Readers discretion is advised:))

So, people keep asking me about how everything went...well, I did my best to remember and record it. I'm sure I am off on a few things. Mom and JD probably remember it better than I.

Well, there I was using the bathroom around 11:30am. I thought I had finished when all of the sudden I felt a gush of liquid come out. At first I thought, well that was a weird extra pee...but then I thought again...what if, what if it was my water breaking? So, I put some tp in my underwear just in case. I went to my desk and grabbed my water bottle so I could go refill it. I headed for the kitchen when I noticed that my underwear felt wet. I headed for the bathroom and sure enough, I was leaking! There was a co-worker in the restroom and I asked her for a pad, she asked if I was ok...to which I replied...no, my water broke! She found me a pad and ran out of the bathroom. I headed for my desk to gather my things so I could leave. By the time I made it over there, my entire department was standing up so excited and congratulating me. A group gathered around my desk as I'm standing there with my pants soaked trying to grab my things. A member of the HR Department called my father-in-law and asked if he could give me a ride to the hospital. We headed out with everyone giving their good luck wishes. The lady that notified my father-in-law told him before I could even pick up the phone to call at my desk! She had found out from the lady who helped me in the restroom. Everyone knew before I could say anything! On our way to the hospital, I tried calling JD, Tina and Lindsay...no one would answer! I finally called my mom and gave her the great news...to which she just screamed in the phone with excitement. Early in the morning we had been emailing back and forth about these strange crampy feelings I was getting. Nothing too terrible, just different. Little did I know it was my body getting ready for this great experience. We arrived at he hospital, wet pants and all. I got checked in and then taken to my Labor room. We got a hold of Tina who said she'd keep trying to get Lindsay. We finally got a hold of Lindsay who hurried to drop the boys off with Tina so she could come stay with me. John eventually headed back to work and we all waited to hear from JD. Finally Lindsay got a hold of him and he was headed from his Surgery rotation in Richmond. JD arrived around 2pm. They had started me on pitocin because I was only dilated to 2cm and they wanted my body to kick into gear. The contractions were nice and steady about 4-5 mins apart and weren't any worse than period cramps. I got a call from Mom who booked tickets andwas on here way!!! I was so excited because I didn’t think she’d be able to make it! The best surprise ever! They decided to pull me off the pitocin because I was not dilating. They decided to wait until 6pm to apply some cream to my cervix to help soften it and hopefully get me to dilate more. Then they would do a second application at 9pm, followed by the pitocin at 4am.The contractions slowed down but became tenser. At 6pm I was still 2cm. So, no epidural for me. At 9 pm I was still 2cm. My contractions got worse, to the point that I was almost screaming and crying in pain. Between 9pm and 3 am they tried to give me two different kinds of pain killers throuhg my IV. Neither worked. They clouded my head a bit but did nothing for the immense pain. Mom made it to the hospital around midnight. I remember JD telling me she was here and all I could think of was I hoped she didn’t hear me yelling and crying because I didn’t want to scare her. I was so glad to see her and wanted to talk but was in too much pain to have too much of a conversation. Mom and JD took turns holding my hand, letting me push on them and rubbing me. I felt bad but was so grateful for the comfort they brought to me. Around 3am I was finally dilated to 4cm and was able to get the epidural. It was horrible, I could barely sit without gashing out in pain. JD tried to hold me so that they could insert the needle. They were finally able to. It started working! The pain started to go away! It felt amazing! But then, my blood pressure dropped and Darren’s heart rate dropped. I don't remember much of what happened, it was almost as if I had blacked out. Mom said the Anesthesiologisht was in my room for about 20mins. The next thing I remembered was them putting an oxygen mask on my face. They were able to get me and Darren under control. I was able to have the minimal amount of the medication…it was enough to make my legs numb and that was it. They came in every 15 mins to check to see if I dilated more and to let me get a quick shot of the medication for relief. It only helped for a minute or two, and then the pain was back. Around 4am they checked and I was dilated to 7 & 1/2 cm. Still in severe pain. JD and mom fell asleep and I tried so hard to suffer in silence. At 5am the pain had gotten much worse to where I wanted to start pushing. They came in and said I was 9cm! I was not allowed to start pushing until I was at 10cm. Knowing that you are that close and you are suffering with such sever pain, it felt like I was going to die. The pain is nothing like I have ever felt before and was so terrible there is no way to explain it. Around 5:30am I was at 9 & 1/2cm. At 6 am mom awoke and I asked her to get the nurse because I had felt his head move down and I was having contractions that were making me push and I couldn’t stop it. The nurse came in and check and sure enough he was there and I was ready to push. They made me wait until the doctor arrived. Dr Rearden came in around 6:10am and we began the process of pushing. It took 4 contractions, 3 pushes a piece. And he was finally out at 6:20am. The pushing was so hard, I remember telling them I couldn’t do it. I just wanted them to cut me open and take him out! My legs and arms were exhausted from all the contractions, I did not think I had it in me to push this child out. I felt them give me the episiotomy. I felt his head come out, I saw the top and just wanted to fall back and be done. With another push the rest of him came out. I heard a cry, pushed again as the placenta came out. Then I fell back and just cried in pain. I did make sure the doctor knew that I wanted JD to cut the cord. He did. They took the baby away to get him cleaned off. I felt the pain of the doctor sewing me up. They asked if I wanted to hold Darren and do skin to skin. They brought him over and laid him on my chest and I just laid there in shock. I didn’t know whether to cry or to kiss him or laugh. So, of course I cried when JD came over and kissed me and we looked at our brand new miracle. I held him for a few minutes and then had them take him away to clean him up. My body shook for a while with the chills after I gave birth. I was exhausted and never wanted to do it again! It was a long 19 hours and but only 15 stitches...and a really cute little man!

LABOR IS NOT A PRETTY THING...BUT I JUST HAD TO HAVE A PICTURE TO REMIND MYSELF!

HERE HE IS! NOT HAPPY TO BE OUT OF HIS WARM HOME...

NOTHING A WARM TOWEL COULDN'T FIX...

HAPPY FAMILY...

JOHN DARREN HOPKINS, 6LBS 9OUNCES, 18 INCHES LONG!

SUCH A BLESSING AND A MIRACLE!