Chapter One: Labor and Delivery

I want so badly to remember all of the details of our journey into parenthood but I have learned over the past few days that blogging takes the back seat to things such as nighttime feedings, changing diapers, and cuddling on the couch with lil' bit...

In an effort to document and remember, here is the short of it...

Oh the stories we live to tell.

We checked into Northside at 3pm on Thursday April 29 for scheduled induction. Fresh glow, 14 "go bags", a sack full of McDonalds (yay for pre-delivery Happy Meals), and a world of unknown before us.

We snuggled into our room in Labor and Delivery and anxiously awaited induction drugs. Daddy played with all of the medical equipment and decided that this photo should be called "Gift from God".
I went into labor spontaneously at around 4:30pm. Little Coop was running the show and he wanted us to know it! I labored for 23 hours. And a glorious 23 hours it was! Wowsers. Contractions kicked up good and having no mommy-of-the-year-awards to win, I rang the bell for the anesthesia gods to come and take it all away.

Enter disaster. Absolute disaster.

Fat and ugly anesthesiologist (I can say this and you'll see why shortly) came in talking to his wife on his cell phone about who was picking the kids up from Karate. With cell phone cocked on one shoulder he juggled his epidural supplies with his free hand, shoved the clip board in my face to sign for release, and told me to "hunch over".

Enter epidural attempt #1. Failed. Enter epidural attempt #2. Failed. Fat and ugly anesthesiologist says "Hm, keeps slipping out and going into the vein. Let me try again. This time I will numb you first."

Tears start to fall and I decide "never mind, I will just pass on the whole epidural experience". I refocus and decide the 3rd time's the charm and "hunch" back over into Chris' lap. Tears, tears, tears. "It's in" he announced. Fabulous, moving on.

From 8-2pm life was SUPER. We chatted with family, Dr. Sermons came by and ate all of my snacks, and we rocked right along to 9cm.

At 9cm ALL sensation came back. I don't mean a little bit of sensation, I mean holy goodness mercy me.

Dr. Sermons checks me and decides we aren't going to make it to 10cm and that it's time to section me. He calls anesthesia back in to re-do the epidural (fabulous, 4th time's a charm??). I roll over, they bolus me once, and I tell the anesthesiologist (not fat and ugly guy, different guy at this point) that something feels wrong. He boluses me again.

I wish all memory ceased at this point, but unfortunately, it did not. My next passing thought was of the most excruciating pain and panic I have ever felt. Apparently the epidural was placed in the blood stream instead of the spinal cord. As a result, I began seizing. And I seized for 20 minutes. My speechless husband says that the only thing to compare it to was some sort of exorcism. I screamed non stop and got trapped in some place between consciousness and unconsciousness. At one point I looked at Dr. Sermons and told him I was going to heaven. I have NEVER experienced such pain and torture. I screamed all sorts of silly things that I will never ever ever live down, gasped for air, and braced myself to die. Here I was about to fulfill my dream of becoming a mommy and all of a sudden I have to force the words "save my sweet Cooper". My last screaming comment was "you're going to intubate me, aren't you"??

In went the tube, out went mommy, and the next thing I knew......the absolute most defining moment of my life. A blessing so big I couldn't even comprehend it. A love so deep and so pure, a life so tiny and new, absolutely indescribable.

As with most things in life, you could say things didn't go as planned. As with ALL things in life, you can say that God is sovereign and that he answers prayers and wraps his arms around us when we need it most.

Cooper Wyatt Davis~4.30.2010 3:12 pm

8 lbs 11 ounces 21 inches

"I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made." Psalm 139:14