Emily's birth story (a cautionary tale), part 3

When we arrived back at Summit, we remembered well that the logical entrance was closed so we flew drove around to the ER.  I sat on a bench in the foyer, waterproof crib sheet under my butt, while Chas parked the car and found me a wheelchair.  He got me into it and we went through the doors -- literally not a soul in sight. Sod this (good use of British vernacular, eh??) - we thought - and Chas wheeled me at high speed across the hospital to the LDR entrance.  Of course their first response was something about coming through the ER again.  Uh we did.  Turns out they were doing construction in the ER so we would have had to gone in a bit further to actually see anyone.  Whatever.

I forgot to mention in part 2 that I had left my bed pillow in room 203 for the 'first admission'.  Chas called once we got home and was told they will store it for me.  Funnily enough, the room hadn't been touched, including my pillow, and I was back in the same place.  As I was contemplating how to get from the wheelchair to the bed w/out soaking their floor, I recall having to have a swab stuck up my nose for some test.  Just what I wanted at the time, but whatever.  I finally make it to the bed where they confirm my water had indeed broken (no shit) and I was about 3 cm dilated - I think.  Seriously this is all kind of hazy to me.  It was about 5:30 a.m. at this point.

Around 7, I was finally asked if I wanted drugs and my answer nearly was 'are you kidding me?  Of COURSE I want drugs!!'  But I think I managed to moan 'yes please.'  In came the nicest man in creation - some dude I started calling Dr Happy, because he made me happy by sticking a needle in my back and making it all go away.  About 30 minutes later, I think I started seeing unicorns and Tinkerbell-like fairies.  This was a MUCH different experience - I could handle this!!!  Oh and I was now 5 cm dilated.  Yee haw!!!

I never slept, but I did manage to kind of rest for the next few hours while I progressed.  I recall it was around this time that the nausea started kicking in, and I hurled a couple times throughout the late morning.  THIS IS WHY you should not eat whilst in labor, people.  I really, REALLY would liked to have been told this because I hate to throw up.  But alas!  The lovely monitor told everyone in the room when I was having contractions which was freaky - but in a good way.  Chas was in the room the whole time, as were my mom, Linda and Debbie.  The rest of the crew (my dad, Kristen and Jennifer) hung out in the lobby.

Around 11:30, I started to feel my contractions again on my left side, just down by my hip bone.  They called Dr Happy back and he dosed me up a little - and all was well.  Until about 12:30 - same thing except more intense.  Dr Happy was called - but Dr Happy did not arrive promptly.  I asked again and was told he was on an emergency call so it may be a while.  I appreciated the fact that I was NOT in an emergent situation, and surely didn't want to be one, but this hurt like buggery.  Every minute - pain like buggery.  It was not fun and I was seriously worn out and in PAIN.  I silently called Dr Happy a major jackhole.   :)

It was around 1 pm when the nurse checked me again, and 'happily' announced I was 10 cm and we could start pushing.  This was when I broke down.  If just the contractions hurt this much, how in the hell was I ever going to push a baby out without passing out from pain?  I mean I boo-hoo'd.  No one knew what to do for me or with me or what to tell me.  There was nothing anyone could tell me.  I just had to deal.  It was in the midst of my breakdown that the nurse came in to check me again.  I VERY happily realized at this point that I didn't feel a darn thing she just did.  The pain was ONLY in that place on my hip.  If I said this was a major relief to me, that would likely be the understatement of the decade.  I was SO so relieved, and now just wanted to focus on pushing the 'right' way and getting this child out.