The Long Story

So, for my own record and for anyone really dying to know, here's the more complete story. As with the birth of most babies, timing is everything. My due date was April 16, 2008. So, Grandma T was flying in from California to stay for one week. We had to plan so that she wouldn't go home without meeting her new grandbaby. (Wow! I had almost forgotten already that we didn't even know if we were having a boy or a girl. Good thing I didn't wait any longer to write this all down.)
Anyway, we decided she would come April 12-19 with Due Date right in the middle. When April 16 came and went, I was getting anxious. My doctor was willing to schedule an induction for April 17, but I just didn't really want to do it. So, we came to grips with the reality that Grandma might not get to meet our little Zeiklet #3. We went to bed Thursday night (4/17) pretty discouraged. And then...
I woke up to go potty around 1:40 and felt a contraction. Nothing new. But before falling back to sleep, I felt another, and then another. So, I decided to get my stuff all together in case it was real. I got in the tub to relax. I think that was my mistake. After about 10 minutes, I realized they were getting stronger and I needed to wake Tony. I woke him at 2:15 and he got dressed, then went downstairs to do his out-of-office message. He told my mom we were leaving and we took off. I was really uncomfortable on the drive to the hospital (read: in much pain). He dropped me at the ER door and I got the wheelchair in at 3:00.
Why is it that L&D nurses always seem to act like they are talking with an elderly patient complaining of hip pain? Seriously, do they have to ask, "So, do you think you're in labor?" But, I politely answer, "Yes." She has me dress in gown and pee in a cup. I don't remember ever having to do that before. Whatever! She finally checks me around 3:20 and says calmly, "Oh, it's a good thing you came when you did."
Me: So, how far along am I?
Nurse: Hmm, about a 5-6. Do you want an epidural?
Me: Yes, please!
N: Well, we probably should get your bloodwork and IV going then.
Me: OK, can we sense the urgency, now?
They get me to my room and have another nurse come do the bloodwork and IV. I think every IV I've gotten has involved spillage of blood. She leaves and it's just Tony & me in the room. I check the clock (it's a little after 3:30) and think, "OK, I just need to make it until 4:00 and then I'll have the epidural by then. I can do it." But the contractions are coming so strong and back to back. I tell Tony, "I can't do this." I don't think I told him that with either of the other deliveries. And Caleb came with no drugs, no epidural. This time, it just seemed so much more painful. I think now that it's because it was all happening so fast, so intense.
Oh, here's Tony's favorite part: I was squeezing his hand so hard, I cut him with my fingernails. (He actually showed me later that day and had the gall to complain...)
He asked me to squeeze the railing instead. That's about the same time I realized that in coping with the pain, I was actually tensing my body and even pushing. I told Tony, "I'm pushing, I'm pushing. I feel like I need to push." Since there was no one else in the room, he asked, "Should I go get the nurse?" Never wanting to be an inconvenience, I hesitated, but decided "Yes, I think so." He hurriedly brought her in and she said, "Ok, let's just check you." Almost immediately after that she scurried to the doorway and desperately called, "Help! Help!" I think, to no one in particular.
She came back and put her hand back to the delivery region (I think to try to make it stop), and my water burst, and I mean BURST, all over her. Oops, sorry! Oh, the pain was so intense and I kept thinking, "Push slowly so you don't tear." But I just couldn't! That baby needed to get out of my body. I realized the nurse was keeping that from happening with her hand and I told her (not so politely now) to move her hand. She told me that she was trying to keep me from tearing, which might be partially true, but I think she was trying to keep from delivering the baby herself. Well, too bad! One other nurse made it into the room before Luke made his appearance at 3:42 am. But my dear, sweet nurse was the "catcher." (Poor woman was drenched with amniotic fluid and sweat by the time she was done.)
As with Caleb, Tony got to be the one to announce the "It'sa moment." And again, we weren't really surprised. My boy pregnancies were so much the same!
My midwife showed up about 20 minutes after birth. The anesthesiologist was actually pretty quick - he showed up within a couple of minutes of birth, looked at me, and said, "Oh, sorry." No problem; I thought I was going to be in painful labor until about 4:00 when I would have an epidural, but I got it over with before that!
I couldn't have been more happy to finally meet Luke. It was just a bit more excitement-filled than planned. We then had to deal with my blood-pressure being too high for the next couple of days, but all is well now. Praise God for a healthy little boy!