IT WAS TIME

May 8, 2014   IT WAS TIME

. At my January 7^th visit, the test to determine Andrew’s lung maturity measured a level consistent with lung viability and the decision was made to induce labor the next day. My sister Bridget had come to stay with me to help with Marnie and Lou, so she was there the next morning when we awoke to a beautiful snowstorm that had blanketed the area. John did not trust our car or the local road crews to make the trip downtown. We live less than a block from the local train so off we went, not really thinking how well the sidewalks might be cleared once we got downtown. They were awful. The staircase at 30^th Street Station was not shoveled. John had to go ahead of me clearing one step at a time with his boot as we shuffled up two flights of steps and the four blocks to HUP.

Once I told people that I would be induced, women friends began to predict a painful labor—so I guess I prepared myself. Arriving at the hospital at six am, we were immediately admitted into a labor room. My memory is of a wonderful young nurse who bonded with John and me immediately. She, like me was one of nine children so we had great resonance. She prepared me for the coming induction by starting an IV and taking my vital signs the first of many times. She also said the contractions could be very strong. She was right, almost immediately after the Pitocin drip began I experienced very strong and long contractions—but interestingly, no pain or discomfort. The attending medical and nursing staff was surprised at how much pain free progress I was making. For my part, I was able to participate in conversations and felt very present to all that was going on. John and my nurse went to lunch around noon. Almost as soon as they left, one of the perinatologists, from the practice that was attending me, ruptured my bulging amniotic membranes. This was a practice of five physicians, and even though I saw and liked them all, my favorite was a Scotsman. He had been recruited from the University of Edinburgh and had only been in this country for several months. Nicely for me he was on call that day. After he broke my amniotic sac, the pain was excruciating and very quickly, I received an epidural anesthetic. I had determined after my last pregnancy that I would not wait to have an epidural as I had for Eileen or Marnie. I received immediate relief and things started to move fast.

A Chaplin—I believe Roman Catholic, visited and said he would be back after the birth, adding, “I don’t do the delivery room”. This took me back to my own catholic education where we were taught that a baby had to be baptized immediately if they were at risk for dying. How odd that this did not seem important to the Chaplin. We had long ago moved on from Catholic dogma and yet I was surprised at the priest’s nonchalance. 

More tomorrow