Two weeks

    Today Zoey is two weeks old. Looking back, it seems like forever ago that she was kicking and wiggling inside me. What a crazy two weeks it has been. First, let me share her delivery story. Thursday (the 12th) night I had contractions coming and going all night. In fact, Jeff and I even went for a walk at 2 in the morning to help things along, but as soon as we got home and back in bed, they stopped & I fell asleep. The next morning, they started up again but weren't very consistent or strong. So my mom and I planned to spend the afternoon shopping and walking around. Right before we left, she talked me into taking the stupid "castor oil shake" that supposedly induces labor. I was hesitant, but desperate, so I guzzled down the nasty concoction.
    We headed over to JoAnn's Fabric and an hour later, I was in the employee bathroom upchucking the stupid shake. I think all the vomiting put me back into labor. I do not believe it was the dumb shake. I started contracting about every 7 minutes or so. After JoAnn's, we went up to a boutique at the Davis County Fairgrounds in Farmington. It was A LOT of walking and about a couple hours later, the contractions were down to 5 minutes apart and getting more and more uncomfortable. My mom was getting excited thinking this was it. I didn't want to get my hopes up, so I just kept walking. We got home around 6pm. I called the doctor, my mother-in-law, and sister-in-law to see if we should start heading up to the hospital. All of them said to go, so after a quick meal (I hate that they don't let you eat when in labor!) Jeff and I packed up and went. Jeff was hoping she'd come before midnight so she'd be born on Friday the 13th. I was just hoping I was far enough along that they wouldn't send me home! We got up to LDS Hospital about 7:30pm. My contractions were now 3 minutes apart, but I was only dilated to a 3. They decided to keep me there anyway, and to start up some pitocin to make the contractions stronger and more effective. I got the epidural as soon as I could, then Jeff and I watched ER episodes on his computer as we waited for my body to further itself along.
    At about 11:15pm, the doctor finally came back to check me. I was a 10 and ready to push! The nurse was helping someone else at the moment so we had to wait for her. The other nurses came in and prepped the room and the doctor and then we waited for the main nurse. My doctor wasn't on that weekend, so unfortunately, the on-call doctor had to deliver me. I was a bit bummed about that, but he was okay. At 11:50pm I started pushing. My contractions were so long I was able to get two good pushes out of each one. Zoey was definitely ready to come into this world! After 8 minutes of pushing, she made it here just in time for Friday the 13th! She came out, and refused to cry or open her eyes, but she pinked up quickly just the same. I couldn't believe how big she was, or that she was here already! My parents got there just 5 minutes later and were able to hold her. Jeff's parents came a little later and stayed until they brought me to my room. Needless to say, it was a long night as we were adjusting and getting Zoey acclimated. We came home on Sunday, and Daisy was super excited to see her baby sister. She absolutely loves her! Every day, Daisy thanks me for bringing her baby sister home. It's so cute! She is a big help, almost too much. Jeff & I just can't believe we have two adorable little girls and are now a family of four. Craziness!
   That first week home went fairly smoothly. Zoey is a real mellow baby and hardly cries. She eats pretty well, and my recovery had been much easier than it was with Daisy. Then Sunday came. I have to warn you, it gets pretty graphic, so if you don't like blood, stop reading.
    Sunday night, we were watching the Jazz game when I felt a gush in my pants. I went to the bathroom and noticed I had just passed a good-sized clot. The blood that followed would not stop. I couldn't leave the porcelain throne, and when I tried, I filled 4 pads in less than an hour. I knew something was wrong, even though my mom and the on-call doctor down-played the whole thing. I finally told Jeff that this wasn't normal and that we were going to the Emergency Room. I decided just to go to Lakeview since it was closer and I was bleeding so bad, and hoping it really wasn't a big deal. Lakeview ER, of course, took their time getting me back there, but when they did, they couldn't believe how much I was bleeding. The doctor tried cleaning me up enough so he could see what was causing it, but he couldn't stay on top of the bleeding. After bleeding out for over 2 hours, they were finally able to get the sonographer there and wheeled me in for an ultrasound. She couldn't make anything out in the ultrasound because my uterus was so full of blood and clots.
    As she and Jeff were wheeling me back to the ER, I started feeling really weird and passed out. Jeff says my eyes were wide open and my pupils were hugely dilated. I remember everything going black, but I thought I had just closed my eyes. I still could hear everything going on around me, and Jeff just kept calling my name. They got me back to the ER, put my head down below my heart, and started pushing in IV's. As I came back around, I remember looking at the blood pressure monitor and seeing the most recent reading: 70/34. Holy cow, that's not good! So they started another IV in case I got to the point where I needed a blood transfusion. I've never had so many IV's! And they were some big needles! Finally, about 3:30am, the on-call OB came in. It was Dr. Ward, Courtney's OB! He said that I needed a D&C and that I needed it now. That was the only way to get the bleeding stopped. Since I've had one before, I was totally fine with it. At least I could keep my uterus! So by 4am, I was in the OR having my D&C. Jeff said it was quick and successful. By 5:30am, I was up in the Women's Ward trying to get some sleep. We were able to go home around 9 that morning. I came home and crashed. I'm so glad we live with my parents because they were able to take over watching the girls and we didn't have to worry. It's taken me a few days to regain my strength. I've been quite light-headed and weak for the past few days, but that can be expected, given the circumstances! Now, I'm feeling much better, and closer to my old self. Jeff and my parents have been so good to let me sleep-in and take it easy so I can recover. Poor Daisy probably feels so neglected. Jeff's also been good about trying to take her out and make her feel important. After two weeks like that, we are grateful everything turned out okay, and are ready to get back into the groove of things.
    I can't post without pictures, so I've added a few highlights from the past two weeks...

 

 

I think someone misses the warm weather.........