The Story of Your Birth
I went back to sleep and woke up at 1:00AM and was coughing then throwing up blood. The nurse came in and after the 3rd time of getting sick, the doctor was called. He came in about 1:30AM and said that I was ready to push. They took my temperature and I was running a slight fever. The doctor placed an internal monitor inside and the babies heart rates were higher than what the outside monitors had been reading. At this point both babies heart rates were nearing 200. I began to push and at 2:00AM the doctor was called back in and I was whisked away to the Operating Room. We had Lynn come to video tape your birth, as we were allowed only one person in the Operating Room (they made and exception and let us bring Lynn). I was freezing at this point and still throwing up blood (not as much as before, but I was scared to death because no one really knew why). The epidural had completely numbed me and the muscles I needed to use to push were not in my immediate control. I had to pretend that I was constipated and envisioned sitting on the toilet in order to give the pushes that were needed. I pushed in counts of 10 three times, and repeated this 3 times before Cooper Riley entered this world at 2:35AM! The doctor had to use suction to help him out at the end and I tore due to his size and rapidness at coming out. I can’t describe the emotions of hearing him crying after he was delivered. I watched as he was being cleaned up and everyone kept telling me what a great job I had done. Daddy left my side for a moment to peek at Baby Cooper, they brought him over to me and I was able to kiss him and tell him Happy Birthday! Then it was back to work, Baby B was shifting and they wanted to keep him head down. Suction was used again but because he was much smaller he came out with only 2 sets of pushes. Elliott Jackson entered the world at 2:55AM! Elliott came out quite the screamer, with 0high pitched whaling!! Elliott’s legs were bent at the knees and up high like he had been smooshed inside of me the entire time, his legs were like a frogJ Cooper weighed 7 lbs .67 oz and Elliott weighed 6 lbs .27oz. They both were 19 inches in length. Cooper is our “big squirt” and Elliott was our “little squirt”. I was thrilled but also scared as my pulse, blood pressure and temperature continued to rise. They put you both together and the nurses and Lynn were oooooing and aweing because you reached over and held each others hands. We have pictures that Lynn took and video tape of your first moments of life. I was taken back to the recovery room, they wheeled my bed in with me holding you both. Daddy and Lynn followed behind the bed. I looked like death warmed over and my family and friends that were there were very concerned. I was woozy and could not get up to walk at all. They had to recath me because I refused to get up to go to the bathroom. I was still running a temperature and had to be monitored. I was a little scared because I was not feeling great (physically) but I was so thrilled that now I could hold you both! Grandma held Elliott and Memaw held Cooper, but soon they both had to give them to Mommy so you could begin breastfeeding. Then they took you off to the nursery for your first bath! Everyone left Mommy except for Lynn. She stayed with me and kept me company while everyone (Daddy, Grandma, Memaw and Papaw) went to the nursery. Soon after, Lynn and Grandma left to go home and get some rest. Memaw and Papaw stayed with us until I was moved to the maternity floor. By 6:00 AM I was “stabilizing” and I was transferred to the maternity floor. You both were in the nursery and would be brought to us around 8AM. You both were so tiny. Your legs were so skinny and long. Elliott had already started to scratch his face with his finger nails. You both looked so perfect. Memaw and Papaw left to go back to our house and check on the doggies. I was in the hospital room from hell. Outside my room a man was buffing the floor and outside my room there were men doing construction on scaffolding dumping gravel. There was no way to get sleep and at this point I was exhausted. On the other hand, daddy fell fast asleep and heard nothing!! Then the phone starts to ring, the doctor comes to check me, the pediatrician comes to talk to me, more vital signs, and I see my nurse one time…..I thought I was in some twisted tv show and thought there must be hidden cameras somewhere in this room. It was so loud and unbearable that I called the patient care representative. In the meantime my bed deflates and there is an alarm going off flashing at the end of the bed. My butt was sinking to the bottom. Mommy called her work and told them the news so that they could report your birth in their morning report. Daddy’s friends from the Detention Center came by to congratulate him around 10AM. Your Grandma volunteers at the hospital on Thursday and was pushing the candy cart that morning. She and her friend Barbara Perkins came in to see you. But you both had been taken back to the nursery and we were told you were going to be circumsized. Grandma and Barbara left to see if they could find you in the nursery. By the time they got to the nursery, however, you both were on your way back to be with mommy and daddy! Grandma and Barbara finally tracked you both down before they finished their day! Memaw and Papaw came back and brought mommy and daddy Chic-Fila. Your Grandmother Prescott and Great Aunt Kathy came to see you (your Step-Granddad Prescott had a doctors appointment near the hospital on the day you were born). You both were circumsized by Dr. Stephenson that afternoon. Needless to say, we were moved that afternoon to a rather nice room (much larger and I called it the penthouse) and the staff basically fell over themselves to help me from this point on. A good friend of the family Judy Dye came by to see you but you both were out getting circumsized at the time. Daddy brought mommy some flowers and balloon, Memaw and Papaw gave us a big fruit basket, Grandma gave you both a silver drinking cup to be engraved! We had a nice visit with her. Your Daddy went home that afternoon to check on our injured outdoor cat “Opie” (he had been in a fight the day we left for the hospital and was losing his left eye). We dressed you in your Choo Choo Preemie outfits and with your hats on you both looked similar to each other. Memaw and Papaw stayed until late that evening. Both of you stayed in the room with us and only went to the nursery when they had to monitor you. That night, you both woke up at the same time and Daddy had to help Mommy get you into position so you could nurse. I was able to get some sleep finally that night!