Before and After

It is really weird to be online, peruse this blog and Facebook, and reread things that I wrote just 5 days ago.  What a lifetime ago that was!  The last post, the one where I describe the lowpoint in the hospital, is especially funny to me now, knowing what I know.  I'd like to share the story of the last few days because I know many are curious, and I suppose I will want to remember some of the details some day, but I think it is important to point out that this part of the story is merely a blip.  A new life began 5 days ago, and that story, well, that's the page turner.


I checked into the hospital on June 23rd after some bleeding.  Bill and I weren't terribly concerned because the bleeding was very light and we've done this before.  I was 32 weeks 5 days pregnant and the docs really wanted to observe me.  I spent Wednesday night in the hospital and was shocked when they recommended I stay another night.  Friday morning the docs had all but discharged me.  Bill was on his way to the hospital, I was hanging out waiting when they put the fetal monitor on for one last check before discharge.  I started bleeding as she was hooking it up.  The plan changed and we learned I'd now be in the hospital at least a week for observation.  Strict bedrest (bathroom breaks only) was also prescribed, so Bill and I settled in for the wait.

Docs weren't kidding about strict.  I was not allowed to shower, not allowed to leave the room, even in a wheelchair.  Shower restrictions lifted Saturday and docs said Monday that I could take a wheelchair ride as long as I didn't leave the unit I was staying in.  Monday afternoon Bill stepped outside to get the wheelchair and I had another small bleed.  At this point I'd had 3 bleeds and we realized I would be in the hospital until the baby arrived.  They also decided to deliver her via cesarean at 37 weeks, which meant the wait was three weeks.  Wednesday morning they delivered the news and late Wednesday night, early Thursday morning was when I had my small breakdown.



And 20 minutes after I posted that post, I started bleeding again.  2 AM, I went down to Labor and Delivery for monitoring.  It was explained to me that the bleeding was definitely from the placenta previa and after 4 bleeds, the gambling was getting too risky.  Every time I bled I was at a greater risk of bleeding again and a greater risk for the next bleed being a huge blood loss that could jeopardize our health.  Their plan was to deliver the baby that same day.  For some reason I didn't panic.  Didn't get upset.  I just waited for a reasonable hour to call Bill and tell him to get Teddy ready for Summer Camp with our dear friends.  When he arrived, we calmly discussed the plan and chose the baby's name.  We'd been tossing two names around but I needed the name chosen and agreed upon before we went into surgery.  We also met with pediatricians to discuss the plan for the baby's arrival and the likely scenario she would be in after delivery.

At about 3:15 they started prepping me for surgery.  My epidural was placed and as they were moving me into a lying down position on the gurney, I had a pretty significant bleed.  Things moved pretty quick after that.



Camille Faith Burel was born on July 1, at 3:44 PM.  Bill and I heard a cry and he checked over the barrier to see her.  She was taken into the adjoining room to be assessed for what she needed.  My procedure was finished and on my way down to the cardiac ICU for recovery, they swung my bed by Camille so I could see her.

In the 3 minutes I got to see her, I could already tell that this child is a knock out.  Gorgeous black hair, perfect features.  I said goodnight and headed off for my stay in the ICU.  Camille was taken to the NICU.  The assessment of her breathing determined that she would need a C-Pap machine, which is the same machine sleep apnea patients use.  Daddy spent most of his time with her so he could tell me exactly what was going on with her.


Camille was given three enormous jobs before she is allowed to come home with us.  The first is to breathe on her own which Camille checked off her list overnight  When Bill arrived early Friday morning, Camille was off the C-Pap machine and had skipped the oxygen up the nose step entirely.  Her next job is to maintain her body temperature.  Camille needs to get a little fat on her body before she is able to work on this step.  The last step is the one she is working on now.  Camille must be able to eat her full, prescribed meal consistently.  She started eating 5 mLs on Sunday and has worked up to 25 mLs today.  In order to go home, she must consistently finish 35 mLs at every meal without help of the gavage, which is basically a feeding tube.


I stayed in the cardiac ICU for 3 nights -  little longer than we anticipated.  My heart did exactly it's job recovering from surgery and is showing no negative affects of pregnancy nor delivery.  I did lose quite a bit of blood in the surgery which has made recovery a slow process.  On Friday, Camille's second day of life, they were ready to get me out of ICU.  I turned on as much charm as possible when you haven't showered in 3 days and just gave birth and my legitimate tears bought me a visit to Camille...and another night in the ICU when I fainted.  That poor nurse!  A spike in heart rate Saturday morning earned me another night in ICU and I was finally able to leave Sunday morning.

Several times a day, when things are quiet, I stop suddenly and think, "What happened?"  I loved being pregnant and sometimes I look down at my belly and for a moment that lasts only a heartbeat, I wistfully remember and miss being pregnant.  Almost immediately though I get a picture in my mind of Camille and my heart leaps and screams, "She's here!  She's here!"  And she is perfect.  And how she got here is just one page in her story.  Stay tuned for that, because it will be the best story you ever read.