History in the Making: Looking back at July 12,2012

My 26th birthday. July 12th, two thousand and twelve. This day will forever be the craziest, most painful, scariest, and most blessed day of my life.

After an emotionally straining day on the 11th, I woke up at 1:30am on the 12th with a bleed again. nurse came in at 2am to put me on the monitor. The found that I was having contractions, not too bad, but they gave me some pills to stop the contractions ( which I have had before, and had been successful in stoping the contractions)

About 5am my water broke.... contractions got worse.

They rushed me upstairs to labor and delivery.

They tried magnesium to stop the contractions... they just got closer together and stronger.

I remember them giving me some pain medication through my IV that helped for about 45 min.

Finally my doctor arrived and he checked me.

He confirmed that my water had broken and I was starting to dialate.

They then made the call to do the emergency c-section ( which it seemed everyone that was in the hospital knew I was going to end up there.

They gave me the epidural and started. I remember a LOT of talking. There was a Med student that had been following my case and she was in the surgery. They were testing her. I answered some of the questions in my head to try to keep my mind off of it...

Of course my lovely husband was standing up most of the time, watching them cut me open... I love him.... but he was a little to interested in my insides lol

I remember being able to see a tiny reflection in one of the overhead lamps, but I had to keep telling myself to look away... look away.... look away Kati.

Then I heard a cry. a loud cry. that must be my daughter. she is crying! they said that I probably wouldn't hear her cry because of her prematurity. but she is crying! she is ok! So we are done right? can I get up yet and go see my baby?

I remember laying there for what seemed like forever... Then I remember the recovery room. The time in between is lost. I remember wanting to rip off my nose off because it itched from the morphine.

My Mom, Mother in law, Mike and I ( and one of my favorite nurses Eileen) stayed in the recovery room for a long time. finally I was wheeled down to the NICU to see my baby girl.

I couldnt hold her and I couldnt see her face because of all the wires and tubes that were keeping her alive, but we got to touch her feet. her tiny little feet (which one of my friends pointed out, were smaller than the prints on the blanket)