Mommy Knows Best!

When I was 8 years old, I had a appendectomy, my appendix had a small leak..that leaked for almost 2 1/2 months which caused gangrene that slowly started to shut down my entire body. I am DEATHLY allergic to penicillin and any derivatives of it. In the end I had 13 surgeries, a central line to my heart and lived in a hospital for over 4 months. I was sent home and had a nurse come in 3 times a day to give meds and dress my wound, for about 8 months. I made it through perfectly fine... When I was 17 I married my high school sweet heart, and we moved to our 1st duty station together (my husband is in the army.) Some months after moving in I found out that I was 9 weeks pregnant and my due date was set for April 30th..for some odd reason every time I was asked when I was due, the date April 18th stuck in my head. Anyways..When I became 28 weeks I was put on bed and pelvic rest because my cervix was softening.. I stayed in bed as much as I could but my husband is in a training unit, so he is on rotation ( gone in a field training people who are soon to be deployed) for 2-3 weeks at a time, so I did what I could. When April 1st came I start having "braxton hicks" I was checked every week but no progress. Then April 11th comes around the braxton hicks start to get worse, I go to a doctor appointment and was told I was 3 cm dilated but not enough to be admitted in to the hospital just yet. Well I call my mom who lives about 5 hrs away and she packs her and my 3 younger sisters up and came to stay with me until our child was born. For the next few days I am busy planning for our child to come. I try everything I know to do to "help" our little one come. By the 16th around 7pm I start feeling very weird and our baby would frantically kick or squirm. So I go to the er and was sent to have a ultrasound..I could clearly see the cord wrapped around my little ones neck, the nurses moved the monitor to help me stay calm, and the baby's heart beat would drop then resume to normal. So I get checked in and started on pitocin. The next morning (April 17th) they break my water..and give me a epidural (which because of all the surgeries when I was younger I was pretty much immune to the epidural, the only thing numb was from my knees to my toes! So I start to feel burning and the urge to push down below and when checked I was only 6cm. So I by then I knew it was going to be a long night. Luckily my husband played with my hair and I feel asleep, throughout the night nurses would come in and check on me. About 7am on the 18th I became VERY uncomfortable I would change sides every 10 minutes, my backed killed, I would get hot then cold, and my oxygen level as well as the baby's got very low. I still didn't do much more dilating I think I got to a 7cm,and everybody was at the hospital: husband my mom and dad cousin 3 sisters husbands mom dad grandmother brother sister in law sister and nephew as well as on the phone for ones who couldn't make it. Around 8pm I was checked and I had got a infection inside me because my water was broke to long, and I got a fever so I was going to be getting a c-section(which I was totally spooked by.) While my husband was getting ready, I was prepped. I was gave a shot in my back that was to numb me from my neck down. That didn't work either, I was gave the max dose and nothing! So I was informed my husband could not be in there and I would be put to sleep for the c-section. The last thing I remember I asked what time it was I was told 11:00pm and I went to sleep knowing I would have my baby on the 18 just like I said all along!!! When I was woken I was still recovering I would wake up and fall asleep but I could see my hubby's face smiling saying "Stay awake so you can see our baby BOY!" When fully recovered I was brought to see my baby boy! He was so perfect with the most hair that I've ever seen on a baby and it was RED!!! Before nursing him I smelled his sweet baby breathe..to of not of ever had anything to eat it was the sweetest smell...the smell of LIFE. Our baby Lyrik Ryan was 7lbs even 17 1/2 inches long born on April 18th at 11:31pm! Lyrik is 1 yr 4 months old and is the happiest baby in the world with the most beautiful smile! We have since then moved from our last duty station and currently at our new one, waiting on my husband to finish his 1st tour in Afghanistan!