Really: If us men had the babies we'd be whimpering for YEARS LOL. And we'd have our tubes tied after the FIRST one... Chuck
----- Original Message ----- From: "Larry Johnson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, January 13, 2006 8:54 AM Subject: Re: [VFB] Defining courage... Certainly a story of courage and endurance. She deserves the Medal of Honor, or the Purple Heart, or something even more appropriate. We express our congratulations and empathy to all of you. Please keep us posted. Continued best wishes. Larry Johnson >>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] 1/12/2006 3:47 PM >>> Not at all fly-tying related, but I still feel like sharing why Teresa is a different person in my eyes today: We came to the hospital at Tuesday morning to "start her up", since waiting longer could be a risk due to her back injury. Well, after applying the gel her contractions started but didn't have the effect we hoped for. So another dose was applied and the contractions got worse and worse. "Finally!!! Now it's time!!"... but noupp. Not that time either. So that was one day in agony for almost nothing. She had opened a little bit, not much, but it was enough to go for the next step, breaking the water "manually"... which we did the following morning. After that was done, she got another dose of gel... and then another... and when they decided that she was ready, they put in a drip to boost the contractions. And 'boost' was sure the right word for it. This time was totally different and after a few hours, she finally decided to have that epidural after all, because she couldn't stand both the labor pains and her injury pains (back, hip, leg). He said it would take 15-20 minutes until it had any effect and we were all watching the clock. But after 45 minutes it was clear that even that failed. She got a bonus dose... that didn't make a difference either. After another couple of hours they decided to try again. That took a little bit, but not where it was intended. It only reduced some of the back pain. She had to rely on just the laughing gas, which eventually stopped working properly and didn't give her more than about 20-30% of what it was supposed to. She screamed and cried and screamed and cried... and the wimp sitting beside (who was going to be a comforting support) broke down several times and cried even worse. She actually comforted me between the contractions. Then came also PANIC and added to her pain. They kept telling her that the contractions were strong and good... but they still kept telling her NOT to push and she never understood why. They tried every trick they had to get the baby lower down, with no progress what so ever. Eventually there was only one option left... a cesarean. No point in continue, the baby wouldn't move. Time for the next failure: The injection that was going to stop the contractions didn't work at all. So with full contractions, she was supposed to sit absolutely still while the doctor was giving her the spinal infusion. He failed four times and had to call for another doctor. He succeeded and it took her out from the throat down... and FINALLY her two days of torture were over. But at least she could be awake and see the baby from the start and hear her first cries. Defining 'courage': Due to both her back injury and her size, a cesarean was actually planned from the start (before she was even pregnant). But even though the doctors also thought that was the best idea, eventually she changed her mind and still wanted to try the natural way. At ANY point during these days of both labor pains and pains from her injury, failing procedures and failing anesthestics she could have said stop and taken the cesarean. But the word was never even mentioned... until the doctor said it and that it was the only thing left. If she isn't a girl worth admiring, then I can't see who is. /Nick -----Ursprungligt meddelande----- Från: Niclas Runarsson [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Skickat: den 12 januari 2006 17:33 Till: '[email protected]' Ämne: Quick report... Nick and daddy Jester are back on the list. Emelie Elisabeth, 3695 grams (8 pounds 4 ounces, I think) has entered the outside world. It was not an enjoyable experience and they will both stay at the hospital for a while, but she seems fine so far. I've just come home and am in a rush to get the fly-tying things in the boxes for the class, starting in an hour. I'll be back later with a little more. /Nick
