Arrival of an Angel

After a week of excruciating emotional pain and promises to stay sober and be a better person it was time for Bob and I to try again. I was 8 months pregnant the day I went to pick him up. Bob wanted a hamburger and our car DIED as we were about to pull away from the drive-thru window. The RX-7 was long gone replaced by a more suitable family car, a Ford Taurus. It was by no means a new Taurus. And it's last leg was just about broken. We managed to crank it and went straight to Hallmark Toyota. I had to have something dependable for my baby. I got a Toyota Tercel and I barely fit behind the wheel! Luckily I was already well versed on driving a standard transmission and that little car would scoot!!

Bob's behavior had made a complete 180 degree turnaround. He was attentive, excited about the baby and seemed so happy to be home with me again. It looked as if things might work out. That day he went and bought groceries making sure to buy 2 containers of Breyer's Butter Pecan ice cream – my favorite! I would sit in from of the television with a big serving spoon and eat an entire container in one sitting. Yes, folks, I was a heifer!

At my next doctors visit I was given the news that I was now at 3 centimeters. I was told there would be no more work for me until after the baby was born. Bob got a new job quickly but he would take me to my mother's every morning for her to take care of me for the day. He picked me up each evening, made a delicious supper for us, then went two doors down to the YANA club for an AA meeting each night. It was so wonderful to be treated so well and to feel loved again.

At my first obstetrician appointment I was given a due date of May 21. That was on a Sunday. I woke up feeling great and decided I would go buy groceries to stock the kitchen for Bob in case the baby came in the next few days. The only problem I was having was really bad gas pains. I would walk down a grocery isle, feel a gas pain coming on, stop walking until the pain was over and then move on to the next isle. I guess it happened 4 or 5 times during the 45 minutes I was in there. Still, I had no clue.

After I got home and Bob was putting away the groceries these “gas pains” became more frequent. It finally dawned on me that I must be in labor and that my trip to the grocery was the nesting instinct. Duh! Timing revealed they were 6 minutes apart. We called the doctor who said to come to the hospital.

They were unable to give me an epidural because of my Spina Bifida so all I had was a little liquid Valium drip. It only helped me rest between contractions. I felt everything and it was not pleasant, no, not at all. They broke my water but after 12 hours of labor I still had not dilated past 6 centimeters. I was stuck. This was at midnight. They said they were going to prep me for a C-Section. FINALLY, at 2:00 AM they got me into the OR. I was given general anesthesia. The next thing I knew a nurse said “You have a beautiful, perfect baby boy!” Born at 2:36 AM, May 22, 1989, he was 7 lbs., 8 oz. and he was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen even without my contacts in.  Bob was standing there holding him. All I could see was cowlicks in the exact same places I have them, at the front right side and the crown of his head. Here came a pain shot and I was out again. And by the way, for the past 3 months I had been walking around checking behind me to make sure my baby had not dropped out on the floor then they end up having to do a C-Section! Does anyone else think that's hilarious?

I had only had 4 hours of sleep when there was a knock at my hospital room door and there stood a nurse holding this screeching thing that looked like a baby. She asked, “Do you want your baby?”. I said “No”. Turns out they had just circumcised him and that was what all the crying was about. But I had just been split from my navel to my nether regions, and neither my mom or Bob had made it to the hospital yet. What was I supposed to do with him? Jeez, lady!

We had previously no idea what sex the baby was because he was very private about his privates during the sonograms. We just wanted a healthy baby regardless of the sex. We had the name “Robin Elizabeth” picked out for a girl and since Bob was a junior our baby boy would be the III. We were going to call him Trey but upon closer inspection he was not a Trey. He was a Robert!

I was in the hospital for 5 days because of my ostomy and kidneys and the doctors just wanting to make sure I was fit to go home. On Thursday the doctor told me he would let me go home the next day. I couldn't wait to bring this new, beautiful, love of my life home. Love of my life is really an understatement. He had dark skin like Bob, gun-metal blue eyes shaped just like mine and had the sweetest little husky cry. He was my miracle baby.

On Friday morning my doctor said I spiked a 102 degree fever during the night and he wouldn't release me. By then my temp was down and you've never seen a woman beg to be released from a hospital like I did. He finally relented and agreed to release me.

We got the baby home and I was so sleepy we put him down and me down for a nap! Bob woke me up 4 hours later telling me the baby needed to eat. When he touched me to wake me up he knew something was wrong. He quickly got the thermometer out and my temperature was 104 degrees. My mom rushed over to keep Robert and thank goodness for the case of Similac the hospital sent us home with. Rob sped with flashers on getting me back to the hospital. Tests were run. Both kidneys were greatly infected. They started fever reduction and IV antibiotics.

Since this was the Friday of Memorial Day weekend I was looking at being in the hospital until at least Tuesday. I was missing Robert so bad and so were my breasts! Ever used an electric milking machine? Fun times! My breasts haven't been the same since!