Thank you for the good wishes everyone. I haven't decided yet what I want to be called, except that I think Clay's mother and I should have separate names. We will both be highly involved (living so near by) and it seems like that would be less likely to boggle little minds. But of course there is time to think about that; they won't be sitting up and asking to sit on Grandma's lap for a while yet.
Yesterday was quite a day. Megan went in for some routine tests, and because they didn't like some of her blood work they decided to induce. She told us not to hurry over because it was likely to take a long time, and they weren't even going to start the procedure just yet. About half an hour later we heard they were going to do a c-section. Of course I knew that sudden decision must mean some sort of serious problem. John, Miles, Daisy and I went tearing off to the hospital. Daisy got there first, but the rest of us arrived just afterward the operation was over. Poor Clay arrived late, too, because thinking there was plenty of time she sent him home to get some of her things (she was packed but hadn't brought anything with her since it was supposed to just be a non-stress test). He got the phone call and hurried back, but missed the birth, too.
They did let him in to see her and the babies, but not for very long. And it was hours before we could see her, because she was having so much pain and they wanted to get that under control first. Then, when we finally got to see her, it was a couple of hours before we could see the babies. The worst of it was that she hadn't seen them either and I felt badly for her about that. Because it was such an emergency (prolapsed chord as soon as they broke the water) they had to put her to sleep (they don't do that anymore with a routine caesarian), and by the time she woke up they had whisked the babies away (she had a brief blurry glimpse of Jack, but not even that with Ethan).
The doctors and nurses kept telling us that everything went well during the surgery and that the babies' heart rates were good throughout. But the reason for the delay bringing them to her room was because they had low blood pressure. (Maybe because of the anesthesia? I don't know.) They had to have transfusions. But eventually the nurses gave them their first baths and brought them in.
Naturally there was much anxiety for everyone up to that point. But I had the wonderful opportunity of seeing Megan's face the first time she saw her babies. Because they didn't have to go through the birth canal, they came out looking like minature human beings instead of vaguely humanoid extra-terrestrials. Cute doesn't begin to describe it.
We're going back the moment visiting hours start because Megan says she didn't sleep last night, is still having some pain, and wants moral support and help with the babies (I said ask the nurses to help until we're allowed to come, but she doesn't seem to want to do that). Clay was with her all night, but you can imagine how much sleep he was able to snatch while she almosts dozed and he was on one of those chairs that turn into torture-device-more-than-beds cots. So he needs to go home and get some sleep.
So much joy, but we're all pretty much wrung out. (You can probably guess that I was too keyed up to get much sleep either.)
So that was our exciting day.
Yesterday was quite a day. Megan went in for some routine tests, and because they didn't like some of her blood work they decided to induce. She told us not to hurry over because it was likely to take a long time, and they weren't even going to start the procedure just yet. About half an hour later we heard they were going to do a c-section. Of course I knew that sudden decision must mean some sort of serious problem. John, Miles, Daisy and I went tearing off to the hospital. Daisy got there first, but the rest of us arrived just afterward the operation was over. Poor Clay arrived late, too, because thinking there was plenty of time she sent him home to get some of her things (she was packed but hadn't brought anything with her since it was supposed to just be a non-stress test). He got the phone call and hurried back, but missed the birth, too.
They did let him in to see her and the babies, but not for very long. And it was hours before we could see her, because she was having so much pain and they wanted to get that under control first. Then, when we finally got to see her, it was a couple of hours before we could see the babies. The worst of it was that she hadn't seen them either and I felt badly for her about that. Because it was such an emergency (prolapsed chord as soon as they broke the water) they had to put her to sleep (they don't do that anymore with a routine caesarian), and by the time she woke up they had whisked the babies away (she had a brief blurry glimpse of Jack, but not even that with Ethan).
The doctors and nurses kept telling us that everything went well during the surgery and that the babies' heart rates were good throughout. But the reason for the delay bringing them to her room was because they had low blood pressure. (Maybe because of the anesthesia? I don't know.) They had to have transfusions. But eventually the nurses gave them their first baths and brought them in.
Naturally there was much anxiety for everyone up to that point. But I had the wonderful opportunity of seeing Megan's face the first time she saw her babies. Because they didn't have to go through the birth canal, they came out looking like minature human beings instead of vaguely humanoid extra-terrestrials. Cute doesn't begin to describe it.
We're going back the moment visiting hours start because Megan says she didn't sleep last night, is still having some pain, and wants moral support and help with the babies (I said ask the nurses to help until we're allowed to come, but she doesn't seem to want to do that). Clay was with her all night, but you can imagine how much sleep he was able to snatch while she almosts dozed and he was on one of those chairs that turn into torture-device-more-than-beds cots. So he needs to go home and get some sleep.
So much joy, but we're all pretty much wrung out. (You can probably guess that I was too keyed up to get much sleep either.)
So that was our exciting day.
