Ty's Birth Story!

It's taken me a little longer than I thought but today I bring to you Ty's birth story!

This story actually starts about two weeks before Ty was actually born! This pregnancy has been the most up and down roller coaster ever and along with everything else that has happened during it Tyberious was very excited and anxious to get here and meet the world so he started trying to make his debut at 27 weeks! Luckily all the early times he tried to attempt this we were able to put a stop to his plans and have him bake a little longer!

But at the end of my 34th week it was getting harder and harder to stop those plans without more monitoring and continuous supervision. So the morning I woke Ron up and we headed up to the hospital because I was contracting hard and pretty much constant my doctor decided that the only way to keep Ty in and both of us safe and healthy was to admit me until I delivered. Even though I know how important and necessary is was to admit me and we agreed to it 100% it was still hard knowing that I could very possibly be there and away from Ron and Rondalynn for about three weeks before he was even born! 

When we got out of triage and into our room my OB came in and said he wanted to take Ty that night but was going to consult a high risk OB first and see what they thought. The high risk doctor came in about an hour later and honestly was beyond rude and gave off the feeling that he thought my OB, Ron, and I were crazy and making something out of nothing. He basically told us that if I was his patient he wouldn't take the baby no matter what else was going on until I was either 39 weeks or the baby started becoming distressed. When Ron asked/commented saying even if I started bleeding and the fact that I'm on blood thinners for a blood clot that happened earlier on in my pregnancy the high risk doctor just stood there speechless and didn't know what to say at first. Then he owned up and said he didn't know that was an issue with me and that he didn't read my chart and was only partly listening to what my OB had to say when he consulted him. This pretty much had Ron and I seeing red and my nurse who was in there at the time was not happy about it either. 

But since at that point my contracting was more under control and mild my OB decided not to take the baby that night but instead moved my c-section from February 2nd to January 28th. So I settled in for what was going to be the start of a waiting game.

Each day I contracted and finally after two days in a row of getting double shots to stop my labor my OB decided to move my c-section up even more from January 28th to January 23rd. I won't lie this worried me a bit seeing as boys don't always do the best when born before 37 or 38 weeks and this new date would put me having him at 36 weeks and 6 days. But I knew my OB would only do it that earlier or earlier if it was truly needed for both mine and Ty's sake!

The days went on and I had a countdown on my whiteboard in my room and all the nurses would come in and be all excited that we made it another day. By the way the staff was amazing and helped make it a little brighter and better being there!

Early in the morning on January 21st I got up to use the bathroom then two hours later at 6 am when I got up to pee again I noticed I was slightly bleeding. I was a little concerned at first but I knew I had an internal hemorrhoid that I had made grumpy earlier and from what it looked like to me that was what it was from. But I still called my nurse and she checked me and was pretty sure it was from my grumpy hemorrhoid but she still called my OB just to let him know. He was slightly concerned as well but told them just to watch me and Ty and we will see how the rest of the day goes and he would be over to see me on his lunch break like he normally was during the week. The nurse and I both admitted that we were glad it was that but something still didn't feel right. We just had that feeling like something was going to happen, but since the bleeding had stopped, Ty wasn't in any sort of distress, and my contractions hadn't increased in the amount but I was getting some stronger ones and I was having a lot of pressure down below that was really uncomfortable. But the nurse and I thought maybe the feeling was more of a fear of something happening that it was that something was going to happen.

I went about my morning, ate breakfast, did somethings on my computer, talked to Ron and Squeaky and then decided that I would get in the shower around 9:30 or 10 am. My nurse came in and helped me wrap up my PICC line so it wouldn't get wet and I got into the shower. I had, had a couple strong contractions before getting in the shower and had one really strong one while I was putting shampoo in my hair but I had been doing things like that for days now so I didn't think anything of it. I washed my hair and bent over slightly to pick up my wash cloth, body wash, and razor. As I did this I looked down and saw bright red water circling the drain, just like someone took the scene right out of the movie Psycho and had placed it in the shower with me! I looked at my legs after that and saw waterfalls of water and bright red blood running down both legs. I'll admit a cuss word or two came out of my mouth at this point. I was hoping  it was the hemorrhoid making one last protest so I put my hand in that area and realized that it wasn't and I was bleeding, bleeding. Again a cuss word or two escaped my mouth! I didn't bother rinsing off but grabbed a towel to cover myself and pulled the cord in the bathroom for the nurse since I wasn't about to try to get out of the shower with Helter Skelter going down my legs!

Within seconds the bathroom was filled with about five nurses with six or seven more in my room seeing if they needed help. The first nurse that came in right before my nurse for the day looked at me and said it's okay honey this is normal until I moved just right and she saw my tummy more. Her face went paper white as she looked at me and then my nurse and asked/stated you're still pregnant, she's still pregnant. Then she looked at me again and said no this isn't normal and apologized for assuming I had just had a baby. 

They helped me out of the tub, into a gown, back into bed, and hooked me up to the monitors. Ty wasn't in distress and was nice and active but I was contracting pretty much nonstop and they were hard and horrible contractions! Plus they were going through my lower back as well which just plain sucked! One nurse cleaned me up some and then my nurse checked me to make sure my water didn't break. Luckily it hadn't but I was definitely bleeding, dilated to a 4, fully effaced, and Ty was so low he was pass a +2! Once I was all settled and hooked up she went and called my OB who told her he was going to do the c-section that afternoon around 3 or 4 since I had eaten early and because Ty or myself wasn't in distress we could wait and have me NPO for a few hours. While she was gone I called Ron and told him what was going on and even though at that point the nurse hadn't come back yet to tell me my OB's game plan I was more than sure we would be having a baby that day. We made arrangements for Rondalynn and he loaded up and headed to the hospital.

After my nurse told me the game plan we started to get prepped with new labs being drawn, IV fluids being started, pre c-section meds being given, and making sure all the paperwork was signed and in order. My OR nurse and the anesthesiologist came in to introduce themselves and talk about things. Then we waited and waited and waited while I labored hard and constant!

These are the pictures that I took during this horrible and painful waiting game!

My last baby bump photo for this pregnancy complete with monitors and bruises from my blood thinning shots!

All dressed up with no where to go! I took this when we were told the first time that we would be going back soon.

So there we sat in my room. Ron did some work on his laptop and we both tried to watch some TV to help time go by faster and for me to help keep my mind off laboring, which didn't really work. I have to say that I'm glad I have a higher pain tolerance because some of the contractions got so bad I was in tears and for me to be driven to tears from pain you know it has to be pretty bad! Both Ron and I were more that sure that time had slowed to match the speed of a dead rock! Seconds were like minutes, minutes like hours, and hours like days!

Now at the hospital I delivery at they have two maternity OR's but unless there is an emergency while a c-section is going on or two emergencies at the same time they like to keep one open, cleaned, and ready to go just in case an emergency comes in or happens. So our first schedule time was at 3 pm but the c-section ahead of me had some complications and it took longer. Then the time became 4 pm but an emergency had come in so we were bumped back again. Then we were told it would be at 5:30 pm until a some twins started to not play by the rules and became an emergency and had to be taken back right away for a c-section. Since a c-section with twins takes longer to do especially if it's an emergency we were told at 6:30 pm that we should be going back at 7 pm. Then about two minutes later they came in and said it may be longer because they had a women over in the laboring area that could become an emergency and would have to go in front of us. At this point it was more comical then anything. Maybe not too much for me at that moment since I was laboring but looking back now it is. A little before 7 my day shift nurse and my OR nurse came in and said we were a go! They unhooked me and had me walk to the surgery cart/bed waiting outside my room and off we went to the OR! 

We went into the same OR that we had Rondalynn in which I thought was awesome but I'm goofy like that. They had Ron wait in the little waiting room across the hall as they took me inside to get prepped. The room was busy with people getting things opened, set up, and ready. My spinal was in within minutes of getting on the bed and I was laying down and getting my baby bump scrubbed down as the anesthesiologist started hooking me up to the monitors, hung meds so she could start them once the baby was out, and getting her emergency meds and things set up just in case she would need them. The Neonatologist and baby nurses came over to introduce themselves. The air in the room was thick with a busy feeling but everyone was joking and having fun. They had Ron come in and he stood by my head but was looking and recording with his Google glasses what was going on over the curtain since my OB gave him the okay to record it. 

Dr. DeSanto is know at the hospital for his fast c-sections and it's the truth! I felt more pressure and tugging then I remember with Rondalynn but he had started and was telling us that our son was almost here in what felt like minutes. Then at 7:44 pm with a huge relief of my squished organs moving down we heard one of the most beautiful things in the entire world! Our son's strong and glorious cry filled the room setting echos bouncing off the walls and in our ears. I was so worried that his lungs wouldn't be strong enough and that he would have to go to the NICU right away because he was early but that beautiful, loud cry proved me wrong! 

Tyberious "Ty" Jean-Luc Truex was born healthy and strong with a vibrant cry at 7:44 pm!

Ron went over to watch Ty get cleaned up and checked out and even cut the cord! It took a little longer to finish up my c-section and it was more uncomfortable this time but I barely noticed at the time because I was hearing and watching Ty getting checked out across the room. 

Everyone kept telling me how perfect and adorable he was and it just made me want to see and hold him even more! He weighed in at 6 lbs 4.2 oz, 17 inches long, and his head measured at 13 inches! They also kept saying what a good size he was for being three and a half weeks early!

Ron got to hold him by the me as they finished up and within a few more minutes they were done and we were both being wheeled to recovery where I finally got to hold my baby boy for the first time! He was precious and reminded me so much of Rondalynn! We were in love from the first second we heard his cries and holding him and seeing him just made us fall in love even more!

Below are some of my favorite pictures that Ron took during the c-section and shortly afterwards!

He's almost here! Yes if you are wondering that's my belly button and in all the pictures Ron took it started in it's normal spot then was moved over to the far left, then the far right, then up under my bust, and back to the middle! Proof that c-sections are not a simple thing!

I know this may be a little graphic but I love this picture! Our son's first moments in this world! And at least for the most part mommy's open tummy is covered up in this photo!

I don't know what they were talking about in this photo but it almost looks like they were taking bets on his weight!

The Stay Puff Marshmallow Man pouty face just like his older sister!

Finally after 36 weeks and 4 days and a c-section later I got to hold my baby boy for the first time! It was worth every second and everything we went to, to bring him here!

We didn't get back into our room after recovery until almost 11 pm so here is a very tired but happy daddy holding his baby boy!

Of course when we got to the room I had to do the mommy thing and count those cute fingers and toes!

When I first got to hold him and he heard my voice he opened his eyes and started looking for me. It made my heart swell!

He was so awake and alert for the first few hours after birth which wasn't too surprising since that was normally his busy time when I was pregnant!

It was a crazy adventure from the moment we found out I was pregnant but like I've said before I wouldn't trade a second of it and I would go through it all over again and even more for this precious soul that God has blessed us with!

I also want to thank everyone who did so much for me and my family during this pregnancy. I know your actions, thoughts, prayers, support, love, and so much more helped more than you know and allowed me to keep him baking as long as I was able to and to have him enter this world strong and healthy! I can never thank you all enough for everything!

There you have the birth story of our Tyberious Jean-Luc Truex and how we went from a family of three to a family of four!