15 Years

Where does the time go?

Fifteen years ago I was at MRMC in Ocala, FL...hugely pregnant...and very disappointed that my contractions had petered out overnight. We were waiting on the doctor to come in and check me to send me home.

At 7:00 AM, 15 years ago, my water broke. I was standing next to the bed watching the TV...David was standing next to me...and I heard, more than felt, a huge splash. I couldn't see past my belly, but I told David I thought my water had just broken and he looked down and said, "I think you're right!" LOL He called the nurse and I headed to the bathroom. A friend had had a hard time delivering because she didn't empty her bladder, and I was determined that wouldn't happen to me.

As I was sitting on the toilet I had my first contraction...and I was PRAYING that I could just go down the toilet with the water it hurt so bad. When it was over I hobbled back to the bed and tried to lay on my stomach. Here comes another contraction...OUCH!!!! And there go my glasses...I threw them across the room!

The next 4 hours are kinda fuzzy. All I know is that those contractions hurt like nobody's business. I sent David on a wild goose chase to find an anesthesiologist so I could get an epidural. But it was the day after Thanksgiving...and there weren't any to be found...not as quick as *I* needed them, anyway. David would come in the room to tell me he couldn't find one...and I remember at one point grabbing him by the belt buckle and telling him to get in the car and drive til he found one! I'm pretty sure I sounded like the girl from The Exorcist at that point.

My father had driven us to the hospital and had sat in a chair quietly watching. One time when David left he came over and rubbed my arm and asked how I was doing. I very sweetly said I was just fine. David wasn't so lucky...he really got the evil twin treatment.

At some point they offered me Demerol and I accepted. They said it would take the edge off the pain. It may have affected someone else's pain...but it did nothing for mine. It allowed me to drift off to sleep in the 30 seconds between contractions. And there's nothing like being jolted awake by a labor contraction...let me tell you!

Finally the doctor said I was at 10 and asked if I wanted to push. Honestly...did he need to ask???? Three pushes later our first son, David Chandler Freed, was born. He was 7 lbs. 8 oz. and 20 in. long. He was beautiful (and still is). He looked very much like David's baby pictures. They cleaned him up and brought him to me, but I was too out of it from the Demerol to nurse him.

By the time I saw my beautiful boy again his eyes were brown. He took to nursing right away, which I was concerned about because I had had so much trouble with Kaelyn. He was so good that the nurses kept telling me not to let him nurse so long at a time or I would be HORRIBLY sore.

I only spent 24 hours in the hospital. I wanted to be home with my family. Chan-man (as Kaelyn called him) was an incredibly easy baby. By 10 weeks he was sleeping through the night...going to bed at 8...waking at 5 to nurse...then drifting back off to sleep until 8. He took wonderful naps and was a very happy baby.

Fifteen years later I am amazed at the young man Chandler has become. He is smart and talented and a joy to be around. I'm so very proud that he is my son!

Happy Birthday, Chandler! I love you!