I wrote this at midnight Saturday night but have only just managed to get round to posting. The stories developed a little further now, but I'll post that another time!
Hi All,
(WARNING!!!!! THIS IS ONE HELL OF A LONG POST.... EVEN FOR CATCH'S
STANDARDS!!!!!!!!!!)
thank you all so much for your messages and texts, we are truly
grateful and feel totally over whelmed at the love we feel from you all!
Well, the story goes a little something like this (bearing in mind my
heads all over the place so please bear with me).
Thurdsay evening, carried outloads of research regarding the lack of
waters surrounding Jnr, managed to find a midwife in
America who specializes in GBS (Group B Strep). E-mailed her and went
off to bed.
Awoke Friday morning to find she'd replied. She advised that,with our
history of losing fluids 5 weeks ago our risk of Jnr being infected had
risen quite alarmingly and we. of course, now feared the worst. Having
taken some advice from dear friends about my temper and the need to
have at least one Dr both fit, and willing, to treat us, I had decided
to call the hospital and demand to speak to the consultant, rather than
go down there and regret losing my rag (guess you can tell I'm not
known to suffer fools gladly by now?).
9.15am,
rang ANC and demanded to speak to consultant. Funnily enough she was
unavailable, however, when I began quoting the research and mentioned a
complaint it was suddenly possible for her to call us back.
9.30am,
Consultant called back and I began, very politely, to present her
with the findings of my research. I am pleased to say that, rather than
treat me with the disregard she'd previous shown, she actually seemed
concerned that they may have miss calculated the risk and advised she
would call back.
12.15pm,
Consultant called me back, she'd considered the risks factors of
section v's leaving us to labour naturally and recommended a section(I
was actually speachless as I listened to her). She recommended a swift
delivery and asked me to hold whilst she checked her schedule. Whilst I
was on hold I explained what she was recommending to Angie, who looked
a little alarmed! 8 minutes later she came back on the line "can you
get here for 1.45 this afternoon?"
Angie knew by the look on my face that it was soon, but when I
said "you're booked in for a 4pm section" she flipped! Uncontrollable
shaking and tears a-plenty, we were both just a little anxious. Funny,
all these months of excitement and expectation and we felt fear and
anxiety, not what we expected at all!
Arrived at the labour ward at 1.40pm, shown into a room and left alone,
more shaking, more tears. There was a knock at the door and a voice....
"hellooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, hello, hello, hello.... My
names Mary, I'm your midwife an I'll be lookin after ye right tru to
takin ye ta teator" I thought it was a joke at first, the most broad
Irish accent and the most bubbly, funny, calming woman I've ever met. I
gave her a quick " goo-an..... goo-an, goo-an, goo-an" father Ted style
and the atmosphere was broken, we started to relax a little (we had no
choice really.... she was bloody crazy!!).
She told us she had to get us ready for going to "teator" for 3pm,
asked us for our green medical notes.......... sh*t!!!!!! On the table
at home!!! Great start! Never mind, within 3 minutes Angie had an
antibiotic IV in her left hand a wrist band on her right wrist and an
Irish anethatist telling her just everything she never wanted to know
about the spinal!! Pills popped, consent signed, 3.10pm we walked the
short distance to the "teator" where I was sent off to change into my
George Clooney outfit.
3.30.
I'm sat outside the OR, Angie's in there already and I'm starting to
worry that something's not right. Why haven't they called me through
yet? Angie willnever cope wihtout me there if they want to put the
spinal in (she's terrible with needles on good days, never has blood
taken without me holding her hand).
3.45,
What's going on? My mouth's as dry as a desert rats **** and my hearts
jumping out of the ill fitting, drafty suit. Started pacing up and down
and my hands are sweating.
3.55,
A nurse just came out of the OR and rang someone to say "the section's
ready when you are" Wondered what was going through Angie's mind? How
is she coping? What the hell will be going through Jnr's mind in just a
few minutes?
4.05pm,
the surgeon just walked past me, smiled, and said "you ready?" with a
smile that said 'trust me'.... I've got to mate, I remember thinking to
myself, my whole life are in there on that table and you're looking
after them!
4.08pm
"come on in, they're ready to go" Good old Mary, churpy as ever, nearly
knocked her over running into the room.
Time sort of slowed down a little when I walked in, so much information
to take in, so little time, "sit here", "don't put your hands over this
hoop, it's sterile on the other side", "you can watch it all
there", "get your hands off that tube.... NOW!!!!" (can't help but
touch stuff me!) Angie looks bloody awful, pale as can be, there's a
tear in her eye and I feel mine well up too. She's shaking so bad, I
leant forward, held her hand and promised her she'll be ok (I hate
making promises I can't guarantee keeping but this is one she needed me
to make). "ready to meet our baby?" I asked.... she didn't have to
answer. Thought I'd sneak a peak over the hoop......
OH MY GOD!!!!!!
There's a huge HUGE hole in Angie and there's two legs sticking out of
it, not to mention 6 hands sticking into it! Think my jaw's just hit
something that goes beep..... someone's pulling on the legs but Jnr
aint moving..... a hand goes way way way down inside Angie's tummy
and..... f*ck me..... out comes Thomas James with the surgeon's finger
in his mouth......... f*ck me........ Angie.... f*ck me (quick glance
at the clock just as the surgeon says "delivered 4.10". See his
little 'bits' as they snip the cord and I turn to Angie and say "it's a
boy!!!!!" Angie looks like ****... didn;t realise I'd not looked at her
for the last 2 minutes and suddenly realise that wasn't quite such an
amazing moment for her, she smiles, and cries and asks "is he ok?" "can
I have him?" "where are they taking him?"....
The next few minutes I watched the surgeon literally yanking, pushing,
prodding.... absolutely surreal feeling, was like watching channel 154
but with so much atmoshpere. Jnr's being checked out by the
peadiatrician (spelling?) and I try to assure Angie that all's ok. He'd
cried on the way over to the ultra lamp thingy so that sounded great!
He was laid next to Angie's head for just 5 seconds for her to say Hi,
then all the sewingup started and I was taken over to Thomas, Angie was
just looking longingly at me and it absolutely broke my heart that she
couldn't hold him, couldn't touch him, she's waited so so long for this
and I have him in my arms but they won't let me take him to her. After
45 mintues I just couldn't wait any longer and I took Thomas to be with
his Mummy and laid him next to her head and we all cried together for
the first time. Angie was taken through to a recovery room and I pushed
Thomas along behind her. I was sent to change back into my clothes
whilst they sorted Angie out and returned, picked up Thomas and took
him straight over to Angie, unwrapped him and layed him on his Mummy
chest where he belonged. What an emotional moment, what a memory I'll
have forever!
Some time later we were taken to the ward, no visitors were to be allowed
as Thomas was a little under the weather with is breathing. I stayed
for about 4 hours before they kicked me out and I did the rounds with
the family, showing them piccies and video, got in at around 1am and spent a sleepless night going over
the day's events. We'd woken ready for an argument, and lay in seperate
beds as parents, surreal, absolutely surreal.
Phone went 7.50 this morning, it's Angie and she's upset! Thomas still
hasn't fed and they took him somewhere in the middle of the night as
his breathing deteriated, they might be taking him to scbu! Can I come
in now? Out of the house without so much as a look at the kettle and
straight to Adams for some premie clothes and to the ozzy. Walked into
the side room Angie and Thomas are in and Angie's stood up getting
dressed on her own and she looked absolutely fantastic. She tells me
he's taken some formula but still won't take to the breast and his
breathing has improved so they're leaving him to be monitored. She had
no sleep last night at all as just had an amazing buzz and couldn't
take her eyes off of our Son. She's had, wait for it..... 4
paracetamol!!!!!! That's it! and tells me to tell the nurses to stop
trying to get her to take morphine or she's gonna go nuts!
Had a stack of visitors through the day, including Bethanie, isaac and
Hope, the first to see their new brother. They were absolutely made
up with him and love him to pieces (my Mum took them home and has told
me that their mother was awful when they went home and told them not to
talk about Thomas, as soon as they walked throught the door! Poor
kids!). Anyway, before leaving tonight the peedy woman came round
again, they're now happy with his breathing but he's only eaten a third
of the amount he's supposed to eat today so they're gonna 'sort it out'
(?). I left with Angie feeling and looking great. 10 mins after got
home phone rang, it's Angie, in tears, all upset coz she's missing me,
she just wants to come home, where she belongs, withour baby all
together. The nurses are short staffed and really busy and have told
her they've no time to sort out the "game plan" to feed Thomas. I
calmed her down a little and she was gonna try and get him on the
breast a little. An hour later, she's on again, even more upset, can I
come and fetch her and Thomas? Persuaded her to have a lie down as
realised I haven't seen her in bed once since I arrived this morning!
10 mins later she called back, m/w has been in and she's had a good cry
about everything and feels loads better, she's expressed 20mls of milk
for Thomas and feels loads better for getting a cry out!
So that's where were at right now! It's 2 mins to midnight, I'm home
alone and know I ain't gonna sleep tonight but hey, 11 hours and I can
be with my Son and My beautiful Angie again, and, hopefully, I can
bring them both homw real soon!
Thank you so much for your love and support, you all mean the world to
Angie and I!
With love....
Catch
xxx
Hi All,
(WARNING!!!!! THIS IS ONE HELL OF A LONG POST.... EVEN FOR CATCH'S
STANDARDS!!!!!!!!!!)
thank you all so much for your messages and texts, we are truly
grateful and feel totally over whelmed at the love we feel from you all!
Well, the story goes a little something like this (bearing in mind my
heads all over the place so please bear with me).
Thurdsay evening, carried outloads of research regarding the lack of
waters surrounding Jnr, managed to find a midwife in
America who specializes in GBS (Group B Strep). E-mailed her and went
off to bed.
Awoke Friday morning to find she'd replied. She advised that,with our
history of losing fluids 5 weeks ago our risk of Jnr being infected had
risen quite alarmingly and we. of course, now feared the worst. Having
taken some advice from dear friends about my temper and the need to
have at least one Dr both fit, and willing, to treat us, I had decided
to call the hospital and demand to speak to the consultant, rather than
go down there and regret losing my rag (guess you can tell I'm not
known to suffer fools gladly by now?).
9.15am,
rang ANC and demanded to speak to consultant. Funnily enough she was
unavailable, however, when I began quoting the research and mentioned a
complaint it was suddenly possible for her to call us back.
9.30am,
Consultant called back and I began, very politely, to present her
with the findings of my research. I am pleased to say that, rather than
treat me with the disregard she'd previous shown, she actually seemed
concerned that they may have miss calculated the risk and advised she
would call back.
12.15pm,
Consultant called me back, she'd considered the risks factors of
section v's leaving us to labour naturally and recommended a section(I
was actually speachless as I listened to her). She recommended a swift
delivery and asked me to hold whilst she checked her schedule. Whilst I
was on hold I explained what she was recommending to Angie, who looked
a little alarmed! 8 minutes later she came back on the line "can you
get here for 1.45 this afternoon?"
Angie knew by the look on my face that it was soon, but when I
said "you're booked in for a 4pm section" she flipped! Uncontrollable
shaking and tears a-plenty, we were both just a little anxious. Funny,
all these months of excitement and expectation and we felt fear and
anxiety, not what we expected at all!
Arrived at the labour ward at 1.40pm, shown into a room and left alone,
more shaking, more tears. There was a knock at the door and a voice....
"hellooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, hello, hello, hello.... My
names Mary, I'm your midwife an I'll be lookin after ye right tru to
takin ye ta teator" I thought it was a joke at first, the most broad
Irish accent and the most bubbly, funny, calming woman I've ever met. I
gave her a quick " goo-an..... goo-an, goo-an, goo-an" father Ted style
and the atmosphere was broken, we started to relax a little (we had no
choice really.... she was bloody crazy!!).
She told us she had to get us ready for going to "teator" for 3pm,
asked us for our green medical notes.......... sh*t!!!!!! On the table
at home!!! Great start! Never mind, within 3 minutes Angie had an
antibiotic IV in her left hand a wrist band on her right wrist and an
Irish anethatist telling her just everything she never wanted to know
about the spinal!! Pills popped, consent signed, 3.10pm we walked the
short distance to the "teator" where I was sent off to change into my
George Clooney outfit.
3.30.
I'm sat outside the OR, Angie's in there already and I'm starting to
worry that something's not right. Why haven't they called me through
yet? Angie willnever cope wihtout me there if they want to put the
spinal in (she's terrible with needles on good days, never has blood
taken without me holding her hand).
3.45,
What's going on? My mouth's as dry as a desert rats **** and my hearts
jumping out of the ill fitting, drafty suit. Started pacing up and down
and my hands are sweating.
3.55,
A nurse just came out of the OR and rang someone to say "the section's
ready when you are" Wondered what was going through Angie's mind? How
is she coping? What the hell will be going through Jnr's mind in just a
few minutes?
4.05pm,
the surgeon just walked past me, smiled, and said "you ready?" with a
smile that said 'trust me'.... I've got to mate, I remember thinking to
myself, my whole life are in there on that table and you're looking
after them!
4.08pm
"come on in, they're ready to go" Good old Mary, churpy as ever, nearly
knocked her over running into the room.
Time sort of slowed down a little when I walked in, so much information
to take in, so little time, "sit here", "don't put your hands over this
hoop, it's sterile on the other side", "you can watch it all
there", "get your hands off that tube.... NOW!!!!" (can't help but
touch stuff me!) Angie looks bloody awful, pale as can be, there's a
tear in her eye and I feel mine well up too. She's shaking so bad, I
leant forward, held her hand and promised her she'll be ok (I hate
making promises I can't guarantee keeping but this is one she needed me
to make). "ready to meet our baby?" I asked.... she didn't have to
answer. Thought I'd sneak a peak over the hoop......
OH MY GOD!!!!!!
There's a huge HUGE hole in Angie and there's two legs sticking out of
it, not to mention 6 hands sticking into it! Think my jaw's just hit
something that goes beep..... someone's pulling on the legs but Jnr
aint moving..... a hand goes way way way down inside Angie's tummy
and..... f*ck me..... out comes Thomas James with the surgeon's finger
in his mouth......... f*ck me........ Angie.... f*ck me (quick glance
at the clock just as the surgeon says "delivered 4.10". See his
little 'bits' as they snip the cord and I turn to Angie and say "it's a
boy!!!!!" Angie looks like ****... didn;t realise I'd not looked at her
for the last 2 minutes and suddenly realise that wasn't quite such an
amazing moment for her, she smiles, and cries and asks "is he ok?" "can
I have him?" "where are they taking him?"....
The next few minutes I watched the surgeon literally yanking, pushing,
prodding.... absolutely surreal feeling, was like watching channel 154
but with so much atmoshpere. Jnr's being checked out by the
peadiatrician (spelling?) and I try to assure Angie that all's ok. He'd
cried on the way over to the ultra lamp thingy so that sounded great!
He was laid next to Angie's head for just 5 seconds for her to say Hi,
then all the sewingup started and I was taken over to Thomas, Angie was
just looking longingly at me and it absolutely broke my heart that she
couldn't hold him, couldn't touch him, she's waited so so long for this
and I have him in my arms but they won't let me take him to her. After
45 mintues I just couldn't wait any longer and I took Thomas to be with
his Mummy and laid him next to her head and we all cried together for
the first time. Angie was taken through to a recovery room and I pushed
Thomas along behind her. I was sent to change back into my clothes
whilst they sorted Angie out and returned, picked up Thomas and took
him straight over to Angie, unwrapped him and layed him on his Mummy
chest where he belonged. What an emotional moment, what a memory I'll
have forever!
Some time later we were taken to the ward, no visitors were to be allowed
as Thomas was a little under the weather with is breathing. I stayed
for about 4 hours before they kicked me out and I did the rounds with
the family, showing them piccies and video, got in at around 1am and spent a sleepless night going over
the day's events. We'd woken ready for an argument, and lay in seperate
beds as parents, surreal, absolutely surreal.
Phone went 7.50 this morning, it's Angie and she's upset! Thomas still
hasn't fed and they took him somewhere in the middle of the night as
his breathing deteriated, they might be taking him to scbu! Can I come
in now? Out of the house without so much as a look at the kettle and
straight to Adams for some premie clothes and to the ozzy. Walked into
the side room Angie and Thomas are in and Angie's stood up getting
dressed on her own and she looked absolutely fantastic. She tells me
he's taken some formula but still won't take to the breast and his
breathing has improved so they're leaving him to be monitored. She had
no sleep last night at all as just had an amazing buzz and couldn't
take her eyes off of our Son. She's had, wait for it..... 4
paracetamol!!!!!! That's it! and tells me to tell the nurses to stop
trying to get her to take morphine or she's gonna go nuts!
Had a stack of visitors through the day, including Bethanie, isaac and
Hope, the first to see their new brother. They were absolutely made
up with him and love him to pieces (my Mum took them home and has told
me that their mother was awful when they went home and told them not to
talk about Thomas, as soon as they walked throught the door! Poor
kids!). Anyway, before leaving tonight the peedy woman came round
again, they're now happy with his breathing but he's only eaten a third
of the amount he's supposed to eat today so they're gonna 'sort it out'
(?). I left with Angie feeling and looking great. 10 mins after got
home phone rang, it's Angie, in tears, all upset coz she's missing me,
she just wants to come home, where she belongs, withour baby all
together. The nurses are short staffed and really busy and have told
her they've no time to sort out the "game plan" to feed Thomas. I
calmed her down a little and she was gonna try and get him on the
breast a little. An hour later, she's on again, even more upset, can I
come and fetch her and Thomas? Persuaded her to have a lie down as
realised I haven't seen her in bed once since I arrived this morning!
10 mins later she called back, m/w has been in and she's had a good cry
about everything and feels loads better, she's expressed 20mls of milk
for Thomas and feels loads better for getting a cry out!
So that's where were at right now! It's 2 mins to midnight, I'm home
alone and know I ain't gonna sleep tonight but hey, 11 hours and I can
be with my Son and My beautiful Angie again, and, hopefully, I can
bring them both homw real soon!
Thank you so much for your love and support, you all mean the world to
Angie and I!
With love....
Catch
xxx
