The Birth Story, Part 4

After they sent me to recovery, I hung out in there for a little bit until Mike and Lauryn came back from getting the babies settled in NICU. At that point we sent a text to our family members to let them know that the babies were officially born and give them the names. Then we put out the word on facebook.

Once I made it through my required time in the recovery room, they took me to a post partum room. I remember the rest of the day being very foggy. The meds they put me on were doing a great job. I didn't feel pain. I was in and out and not really with it for very long at any given time. Later in the afternoon, the nurse helped me get out of bed and into a wheel chair and Lauryn took me to the NICU to see my babies up close for the first time. I remember looking at them with such awe. They were perfect tiny little babies. My heart was overwhelmed that they were here and mine. They were beautiful.

Sunday came and the great pain meds from Saturday had worn off. Now I had to rely on the ones the nurses brought and there were clearly times at the end of each 4-6 hours when I was hurting. I felt bloated and humongous.

The upside of the morning was a visit from my friend, Julie, who had been such a gigantic help during the bedrest time period. She brought her three girls and Lauryn watched them while Julie and I went to NICU to see the babies. The upside of the afternoon was a visit from our pastor and his family. We went to NICU and they let all of us in without a question. The rule is that you can only have 4 visitors per room at one time, but since we have three rooms, they let us all back. Later on I found out that they aren't supposed to let people in under the age of 12 unless it is a sibling. Thankfully whoever was working that day wasn't enforcing that rule.

The bummer of Sunday evening was that Lauryn left. She had been such a gigantic help to me from start to finish of her visit. She decoded the medical jargon for me, helped me get up and to the bathroom, wheeled me down to see my babies, took pictures and generally just made hospital life easier to deal with. I will forever be grateful that she gave up her vacation time to come be a part of this major life event.

On Sunday night, one of the doctors came by to check on me and told me that from there on I had to walk to NICU because I needed to get up and get walking. No more wheelchair. I remember that first walk about killing me. NICU is NOT close to where I was. I had to go down one long hallway, turn the corner and go down another long hallway, check into NICU and scrub down, then go to the farthest back hallway in NICU to get to my babies. Yeah, I thought I would die, but it was worth it to see them again.

On Monday, my super sweet friend (who happens to be my pastor's wife) came and gave up her day to sit with me so that I didn't have to sit there alone. We had a great time catching up on all that we had missed during my weeks of bedrest. Then after she left, I had a few quick moments for a power nap before a visit from another friend, Erica. Of course, each visit brought another trip down to NICU, but I was getting in the walking that the doctors wanted. I just wasn't enjoying the pain levels.

Tuesday brought visits from Mrs. Valdivia (one of my volleyball parents) and Mr. and Mrs. Blalock (my assistant volleyball coach and his lovely wife who has been a huge help with Jonathan at games - he loves her). Mrs. Anderson (another volleyball/basketball parent) stopped by as well. It was a great day for company.

On Wednesday they discharged me (they had actually let me stay an extra day since I had babies in the NICU and I was happy for another day to stay close to them). My sister, Barb, came from over in Kissimmee to see the babies and help with Jonathan and get me out and settled at home. We went over to NICU to deliver some milk and say goodbye to the babies. I wasn't prepared for how hard it was going to be to be discharged without them. As we walked back to the room, I found myself (and Barb was too) crying a little.

We finally got all the paperwork and everything in order and they wheeled me down. While I was waiting for Barb to come back with her van, a work contact of Mike's who had triplets the week before was released. As I watched them go past and the nurses push their babies out in the little portable cribs, though I was happy for them, the waterworks started again for me. By the time I got in the van, I was all out crying. I just HATED leaving my babies there. I knew they were in the best care. I knew that I couldn't give them what they needed at home, but I wanted my babies with me.

Barb got me home, got me settled and stayed overnight with us. Then the next day she took me to the hospital to see the babies and then to the airport to pick up my sister, Danelle, who came for a week to help me. She came at the perfect time. I needed help still. She spent the week helping with food, helping with Jonathan (including making some giant progress in potty training), helping with moving everything in the house so that we could get the nursery set up, helping with washing all the baby swing, jumper and bouncy seat covers and getting them put back on, as well as countless other things (like driving me all over the place). Barb also came back for a day where she and Danelle could work together. It was great to spend time together and get stuff done even though I couldn't do anything.

And so, that finished my first week outside the hospital. I will work to catch you up next on our time so far in NICU. At this point, tomorrow will be 3 weeks since the babies came into the world. We are blessed beyond measure.