The Epic Tale of Caleb Chappell (and yes, it is an epic)

So many people have been asking me about my birth story. I'm not quite sure how much detail you want me to go into...because it could get pretty graphic. For those of you who are faint of heart - be forewarned!

So the story begins on Tuesday, September 15. It was like any hectic work day. So hectic, in fact, that I once again started to contract consistently every 5 minutes. Since this happens pretty much every day I work, I didn't think a whole lot of it. Except that that entire weekend I had been contracting and it had been occasionally painful. So the decision was made that I should run down to triage and just get evaluated. One of the benefits of working in the women's center.

So they monitor me for about an hour, and see that my contractions are consistently 4-5 minutes apart. The nurse checked me, and I was 1.5-2cm dilated and I forget how effaced I was at that point. So they send me on my merry way, saying I wasn't "in labor" but that they'd be seeing me back real soon. OK?....

So Wednesday I go to see Dr. Shin for my weekly appoint. She says I'm 2cm and 70% effaced. She said I would be delivering any day now and to call when my contractions were strong and consistently every 5 minutes for an hour. Well, my contractions started every 5 minutes and were strong right after I left her office so Dave and I ran over to Burlington Coat Factory and picked up some essentials at the Baby Depot. I continued to contract all night, until about midnight and it all went away.

Then around 3am I had a continuous, intense pain (like a REALLY bad menstrual cramp) that wouldn't go away. It never let up, it never got worse. Never contracted. But I started texting Candice (my friend in L&D) and she said to give the Dr. a call and that they'd probably have me come in. Keep in mind that it has been raining for the past week and everyone and their cousin was at the hospital in labor. So I called and Dr. Robbins wanted me to come in. So I woke up my sister Lisa (who had been staying the night since Dave is currently working nights at the airport) and we drove to the hospital. As soon as I got in the car, I started contracting every 3-5minutes. And they hurt.

So I come in to triage and they check me and I'm indeed contracting every 3-5 minutes, but she checks me and says I'm "at best" 1.5cm and 60%. But they keep me for an ultrasound for the continuous pain I'm having. At this point Dave arrives from the airport and we go down for the ultrasound. Never really heard the results. But I'm assuming it was just LABOR.

So when I get back to triage Dr. Shin comes in and checks me and I'm 3cm and 80% effaced. So they decide to admit me. I was supposed to work that day, and the following day but that obviously wasn't happening (hooray!). So about an hour later I am checked into my own room and hooked up. The nurse then gave me some Nubain (LOVE me some Nubain!!!) so I could sleep. Really all it did was make me not care about ANYTHING. She then checks me an hour later and I'm at a 4. An hour later she checked me again and nothing had changed, so they started the dreaded Pitocin. That stuff is evil. However, with another dose of Nubain, I didn't much care. So I'm sleeping, Dave had left to get some lunch, when I feel this POP and a gush. Then SEVERE, incredibly intense pain. So bad I can't move an inch without wanting to scream. So I push the call button for the nurse...FIVE MINUTES later someone answers it. Then Dave comes back and goes out and gets the nurse.

At this point my bladder is as full as can be with all the fluids being pumped into me. The nurse comes in with Dr. Shin right behind her. They say they want to check me, but I'm sitting up at this point and if I even try to lay down I feel like I'm being ripped in half. So they decide that I can get my epidural before they check me. While waiting for the anesthesiologist, I somehow manuevered myself to the bathroom to pee - and manage to projectile vomit ALL OVER the bathroom. I'm sure I got Dave, too. And the nurse is trying to take off my gown and put on a new one while I'm having back-to-back contractions which is just pissing me off. So once there was a break in contractions I get back in bed. The anesthesiologist comes in, bless him, and gives me my epidural. He says it can take 30 minutes to get the full effect. That just made me want to cry. So they lean me back in bed, check me - and I'm 8cm and completely effaced. As the nurse is updating my status on the computer, I have the sudden urge to push. So she checks me again, and I'm complete. At this point Dr. Shin is in the room, gowning up. So far, the epidural is just giving me the shakes and my butt is just beginning to have a warm sensation. Great.

So the nurse has me do a practice push - and tells me to stop and wait for Dr. Shin. So Dr. Shin steps up, and after 4-5 sets of pushes, little Caleb is born. While I felt EVERYTHING. The epidural didn't even kick in when I was being stitched back together. I felt every needle stick. Then my bleeding wasn't decreasing so Dr. Shin had to manually remove some clots...which made me rip again. So she had to stitch me up AGAIN...while still only having a warm butt. Such fun!

Then finally I got to see my little man. Such a sweet boy! He was definitely worth it...but I'm still at the point where I think it won't be so bad to adopt.

I apologize if this doesn't read coherently. I've had to come back several days apart at a time to actually write this. And I'm sure I've already forgotten many details and things. Such is the life of a new mom!