Thankful For Lawyers

The fight is FINALLY over...My lawyer called and said that the other side relinquished all their money so we didn't have to have mediation today. That's wonderful though it's still not enough to cover shoulder surgery. What our lawyer suggested it to invest the money else where and to wait until Obama's health care comes through and get it taken care of then. Right now I can't get health care because I have "preexisting conditions" although they weren't my fault and were from car accidents I can't get covered because of them. It's frustrating but what can you do. I'm glad I can live with it though.

January 18-19, 2009

I'm having some major back pain (I wonder if it's back labor). We will see. It would be great to not go another 2 weeks before being induced. I can pray! We went out to dinner with some friends last night ( the 17th) and came back to their house to hang out. I fell asleep on their couch for an hour and it was wonderful. I didn't even realize I had really fallen asleep. That's pregnancy for you!I started having back pain/labor there at their house. I turned myself around on their couch to get through the pain and then I turned back around till the next pain came.
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I didn't sleep well. My back was killing me. I found myself getting up to go to the bathroom all the time just to have something to do. DH had his presidency meeting in the morning at 7am. I stayed in bed for awhile until DD got up and needed my help. I was tempted to tell DH that I thought I was starting labor while he was in his meeting but thought I better wait. After his meeting was over I told him that I didn't think I would be going to church that day and he might not be either.

We gave DD a bath and I told him to keep the water in the tub so I could take a soak and hopefully help my back. I got online to see what people said about back labor and if it counted for regular contractions. I was wondering if I needed to start timing them. The two sites I found said they do count. We called up the Labor and Delivery advice to see what they said too. I didn't want to go in and be sent back home. They said that the back labor had to be in combination with a front contraction to count. I was having about 5 back labor contractions to 1 front labor contractions. I stayed in the tub for awhile but eventually got out and laid on the couch. Nothing I did would make it feel better.

DD all ready for church

Our electricity went out at around 10:30am. I finally told DH that I didn't think any progress was happening and that maybe they could go to church. He got DD dressed back up and they made it for the the last 20 minutes of sacrament. DD went to nursery and got 5-10 minutes of screaming in before the lights went out at church too. These winds are CRAZY (50-60 mph). They were sent home since the septic system runs on electricity. I think that's crazy since the church building is meant to be used in a time of emergency. I hope this helps them become more prepared so the building will be more functional in a true crisis.

DD's PB & J face

I was surprised to see DH and DD back so soon but it was nice to be able to feed DD and put her down for her nap and her normal time. After she got up from her nap DH and I were trying to figure out what to make for dinner. Everything I was thinking of required the stove, microwave, or opening the fridge which we were trying not to do. DH called up his parents to see if they had electricity and they did so we went to their house for dinner. I laid on the couch there and had DH timing my contractions they just weren't close enough yet. I had a heat pack on my back which was heavenly. We had breakfast for dinner. I ate a TON! There was french toast, bacon, biscuits and gravy, and fruit with hot chocolate to drink. It was so yummy!

After I finished eating I laid again on the couch. I had DH time a few more contractions before he headed downstairs to check on the scores of some b-ball games online since they weren't getting recorded since our electricity was out. DH's parents took over and started timing some for me. They were getting so close together that I called DH back upstairs to call the advise nurse to see how long they needed to be this close together before heading in. He got them on the phone and they started asking me questions and then I had a contraction and couldn't talk so I handed the phone over the DH. The nurse asked him how many or "those" contractions has she had. He said 8 in the last 40 minutes and the last three were within 5 minutes and the last one was 4 minutes. She said to come in immediately. So we all got in the car and went home to see if the electricity was on for DD to be watched there but it was still off so we gathered the few things we forgot to get earlier and took DD over to our friend's house for them to watch her. I stayed in the car while DH unloaded all her stuff and bed for them. Then we were off the the hospital. My contractions were 4 minutes apart at this point which was a little scary since I was suppose to be in there when they were 8-10 minutes apart to be monitored due to my C-section from before. There's always that risk of a uterine rupture they wanted to keep there eye on.

When we walked in to Labor and Delivery at 7:30pm they took me into a triage room to get checked. My mid-wife was working that night and was just about to go out for a little break but stayed to check me first and then went. I was at a 4, 100% effaced, and at -1 station. They said I wasn't going anywhere and quickly moved me to a labor room. DH went to call our parents and my friend who were all coming for the birth. I got all strapped up and monitored while they started asking me all the routine questions and I got a talk from the anesthesiologist. Everyone started to arrive at that point. My back labor was still killing me so my lovely nurse, Shannon, got the big tub ready for me to soak in. It was great! DH and I went to that room and I stayed there for about an hour. My mid-wife came in to chat with us and after 30 minutes she said that I had 5 contractions but only 2 were bad enough to get me to move. She wanted me to have more of those so she said I needed to get out and walk. I so didn't want to move from that nice warm water but knew she was right.

I got out and started walking all over the halls. DH walked with me first and then my friend joined us. My mom came along for another session of walking too. She was mean though and made me keep going (all for the cause though...not really mean). I noticed while walking around they would have two pieces of art work hung by each other that were the similar. I don't know why but that just bugged me. We stopped in the hall and I bounced on the balls they have there to help with labor. It was fun. It really was a great night to be in labor because I think there was only one other person in labor that night too. We were forbidden to say the word "SLOW" because that would jinx the night and they were all loving the peace and quiet. After walking for a long time I got checked again and I was only at a 5! My mid-wife asked if I was disappointed and in deed I was. After that it was speed walking time!

Me and my wonderful friend who was there to support me.

Speed Walking!

After awhile my nurse had to go on her lunch break. I was given this other nurse, Deb who was fine but she was just in my space too much! I couldn't stand it. For example I was walking in the hall again and I asked to get back in the tub (it needs to be filled up again) and she said fine but is walking in pace with us and stopping every contraction I have instead of going and filling up the tub so by the time I got there it would almost be ready. I just felt like she was havering over me too much especially since I had my friend and DH walking with me. My monitors for the babies heart wouldn't work in the tub the second time. Normally they wouldn't worry about it but since my c-section they had to have constant monitoring so I had to get out of the tub. I wasn't very happy about that but what can you do.

I was so happy when Shannon came back. I could feel my whole body relax. She recommended me getting in the shower to see if that would help. After laboring on the side of the bed for a while I took her up on the offer. It was so nice to have the hot water bet on my back. She brought a chair in for me to sit on and a blanket on the seat. I was great. I was sit and slide back and forth to move the water around on my back and would even stand up and turn around to lean over the chair to get through the contractions. The contractions themselves weren't bad at all. It was the back labor that was killing me. After about 20 minutes DH had my friend come in and sit with me so he could try to get a little nap in. It was about 3 or 4 am at this point. I stayed in the shower til after 5am when I finally got out to be checked. I told my friend that I had better be further than a 7 and thankfully I was at an 8 though in the back of my head I was hoping to be a 9. At one point I asked my mom if a natural birth was worth it. I was dying with the back labor. I couldn't use the hypnobirthing stuff I learned with it because it really was PAIN and not just pressure like the contractions were. I helped a little here and there. She said it was so I decided at that point that I could do it.

My mid-wife talked to me and said she could break my water but that would speed things up but everything was come full force. I didn't want that. I could barely deal with what I was being dosed out to me at that point. Not much later though my water broke. It was completely different than when it broke with DD. This time it was like a fire hydrant that exploded instead of a faucet being turned off and on. It was crazy. Things started kicking up so much then. I had called out to my mom for help and she came over to me and held me. It was the best feeling in the world. DH (my hero) was rubbing my back for me and dealing with my demands of higher/lower and softer/harder. It changed with every contraction. He hates massaging too but did it for over an hour for me. Bless his soul! My friend held one of my hands and my mid-wife held the other. My mom was a great birth coach and got me to lower my tones and focus my energy down to the baby and not just out with what a scream would have produced. It was amazing when I didn't think I could do it that I could. It was the hardest thing I have ever done! I switched positions 4 times while trying to push the baby out. I was on my hands and knees, to my side, back to hands and knees, and finally on my back.

At the end the babies heart beat was dropping and his oxygen level was low. My mid-wife had to put a monitor on his head because they weren't getting his heart beat on the monitor. It was getting so low she called the doctor that was also working into the room. I was so focused on what I had to do and I had my eyes shut that I could just sense the stress in the room and heard people all around me. (I later found out from my mid-wife that the doctor took her out of the room and told her she had 5 minutes to get the baby out or he was going to vacuum him out...which he would have cut me to get the vacuum on too). She came in and told me I needed to push the baby out. I could hear her sense of urgency in her voice. She said she was going to cut me to help get the head out. At that point I was grateful because everyone kept saying the head was right there but it just wasn't coming out. I remember saying at one point is it ever going to come out. I didn't want and episiotomy but I wanted to be finished.

I flipped over to my back. She cut me and only a few pushes later the head was out. I pushed once more and out came the baby at 7:23am on January 19, 2009 (Martin Luther King Jr. Day)! I was soaked through with sweat. They placed the baby on my chest and dried him off. Then they took all the stuff off of us and covered us with blankets. I was so hot the whole evening but after delivering I was freezing. I hurt really bad from being torn apart. One of the baby's arms was stuck behind him so he ripped me when I pushed him out. My mid-wife was asking me to wait so she could flip it around but I didn't hear her and just pushed him out.

All covered up from being cold. See Shannon in the background on the computer. She's amazing!

Our newborn baby boy!

Minutes after birth

This time I was able to see them bathe, clothe, and take all the measurements of the baby. With DD I missed all that since I was still in surgery. It was wonderful to be able to feed him right away too and not be completely drugged up not knowing what was happening. Even though it had only been about 5 months since I last breastfeed DD I had no idea what I was doing. The new nurse that was on duty that was helping me said I was treating him like an older child but I needed to help him. I told her I had no idea what to do so she helped me. Thankfully it finally came back to me after a few tries at it.

His first bath

His first foot print

Checking his vitals and reflexes

weight- 9 lbs 2.7 oz
height- 20.75 in.
head- 14.25 in.
chest- 14.25 in. Our sweet Boy

Snug as a Bug

After I finished eating my breakfast I was wheeled upstairs to the recovery room. It was nice to get put in a familiar location. We had the same rooms as we did with DD. It actually felt like we were just there not long ago though it had been 19 months. The hospital had new recovery rooms opening but they wouldn't be opened until Wednesday and that was the day we were heading home. I guess our next baby will get that room.

Once in our room. DH and I both took naps since we really hadn't slept at all. I had found myself nodding off in the shower in between contractions. Other than that we were both exhausted. DH's hands hurt so bad from all the massaging and I was totally worn out, for obvious reasons. We had a couple hours before visitors were coming so we were taking advantage of that time. DH's sister's family were the first to come and visit. Just like with DD they were throwing around possible names for us to name him. DH and I still hadn't had time to talk it over since we slept the only time we had together alone. It was interesting to hear the kids suggestions (most of which came from movies or games).

Getting loves from his cousin and Aunt

DH got a call from his dad while we were visiting and went to stand behind the curtain over by the door in the room. I wasn't paying any attention since I figured he was trying to hear better without all of us talking. DH's parents had taken our car back home with them (leaving their car with us) so we wouldn't need to switch DD's car seat around for them to bring her to visit us. They were on their way to the hospital with DD when these teenagers lost control of their car (it had bald tires) and thankfully with a quick reaction and a blessing no other cars were coming my father-in-law moved over into the oncoming traffics lane to avoid a head-on collision with them. They hit the back passenger door and back panel which we found out later they realigned the drivers side of the trunk too. We found this all out when DH's Dad calls and tells DH that he has some unfortunate news but everyone is okay. I was visiting with DH's sister and her family who were there and my BIL says, "DD was in an accident." I looked at him and then over at DH who was behind the curtain by the door and started to listen to the conversation. I asked DH, "is that our car?" and he leaned his head around and nodded yes. I couldn't believe it! We have the worse luck in the world. DD being only 19 months old has now been in 3 car accidents! That's just CRAZY!!! So that afternoon DH had to deal with the car insurance company and then get us a rental car (van). It wasn't the way we wanted to spend our day together bonding as a family

When DD got to the hospital she was so excited to see Daddy and Mommy. She sat with me on my bed and ate my crackers I had for taking with my pills. Due to the car accident she hadn't had anything to eat for lunch or a snack and it was now past 2pm. They were so lucky to have a good Samaritan bring them all to the hospital (a friend from church, Sister Kelson, happened to be driving by and saw them on the side of the road and stopped to see if they needed help and brought them to us). DD looked at her brother but didn't seem to care too much until Grandpa picked him up to hold him. then she went over to Grandpa and demanded to be picked up (her first sign of jealousy). According to Grandma, Grandpa had been spoiling her rotten and carrying her all over the place. She then wanted to look at the baby and and pointed to him. Grandpa and DH went to get the rental car (actually a van) and Grandma stayed to watch the kids and I took a nap. DD then started to give her brother tons of kisses. This picture was the best one I was able to take from my bed zoomed in. It was third or fourth kiss she had given him. It was so sweet to see and just the beginning of the wonderful relationship they will have with each other.

That night DH got really sick once he got back from picking up the rental. I think it was in combination of staying up all night and the added stress of dealing with the insurance companies. Once my parents arrived that evening after taking naps at home I sent DH home to get some real sleep and my mom spent the first night with me at the hospital. My Dad drove him home and brought him back the next day when he picked up my mom. I'm so glad my mom sacrificed a good night sleep to help me out and stay with me.

We had the best night nurse that night too! She found little blue socks to put on the babies feet and she figured out my medicine schedule so that I would constantly have some pain med in my system. None of the other nurses figured that out but I was grateful to her for that and stocking my fridge with two ice packs at a time so I would always have one to use. She was wonderful.

May 20, 2008

Finally the day has arrived that I have my appointment with Dr. Puziss at 1. I have waited almost two months to meet with him about my shoulder injury from accident number 3. I am hoping that he will be able to get Allied Insurance to open PIP again for me so that I will be able to get my should fixed. The appointment took forever till 3:30 and DH had to leave with DD and walk her all around the grounds of the building. In the end I found out that the IME chiropractor said it didn't happen in this accident because there were signs of calcification which means the injury is old but Puziss said that it was taken 5 months later so there would be calcification. He went through my entire medical book (with some pages even upside down and out of order) and tried to see if there was any previous injury to my shoulder which he couldn't find any so his conclusion is that it did occur from this accident. He recommends that I see another Orthopedic Specialist whom I trust, get a cortisone shot, and have at least 2 months of therapy. I really hope Allied will accept it and allow me to get better. I really hate not being able to get my shoulder fixed and having lived with the pain and restrictions already since August!

On the way home DH ordered Thai food for us for dinner and surprisingly the traffic was great since we had to come from the West side to the East side of town. It was nice knowing I didn't need to figure out something to eat in the heat. I really hate turning on the oven or cooking on the stove when it's so hot.

I did some laundry too and what I have been telling everyone that our washer was so tiny that it would only barely hold 3-4 towels...well, I tested my theory out. I washed our new towels and it only holds 3 towels and I smashed in the hand towel too. I had to do 4 loads of laundry that I normally would have gotten finished in only 2 with a normal washer and dryer! Crazy. I have to completely change my mind set on when to wash clothes and to do it sooner so I'm not doing a load all day long.

That night we went to watch American Idol and DH discovered he had forgotten to set up American Idol to record on a timer so we didn't have it to record. I was able to do a search on line and found all the clips of the songs and a few things they showed on the show. It was great. We then were able to vote. I really think David A. out sang David Cook though I think Cook will be better in the long run as the "Idol" while Archuleta will make some fantastic records. I guess we will see tomorrow night what America has decided.