....and all that jazZ

Friday, February 14, 2014

The story of your birth

Some stories are meant to be treasured and told over and over again. Your coming, Ponyo, is one of those. It is extra special because we had done this before and we knew what it was like. Or we thought we did. EDD came and went just like it did 3.5 years ago. This time we were going to wait a few days past week 41 before a scheduled induction to coax you out. The scheduled day was a carefully picked one. Doc thought we should wait and jokingly added that the Year of the Horse was what the Chinese would pick if they could. She was also available early the next week, and Monday was Mowgli's long day day at school so the logistics would work out perfectly ! It would also give us a much needed weekend to wrap things up at home and relax a bit.

Friday Jan 31st : I went to Mowgli's school's Chinese new year party that am. Played with the kids and came home and before I could nap, I had the 2 girls for dance practice for S Maasi's birthday surprise. As i was correcting and fine tuning their moves, I felt you kick asking me to stop. I stopped. Patti was getting worried that I was dancing away. Day turned to night and we all turned in for a good nights sleep.

Saturday Feb 1st  : I woke up with discomfort and some pain. I looked at the clock, It was 3:30 am. I readjusted my many pillows and fell back asleep only to wake up again, I looked at the clock and it was 3:35 am. This happened a few more times before I realized that the pain was recurring every 5 minutes. Wondering if this was a false alarm or real contractions, I called coolboy (on his phone) who was asleep upstairs. "Come down" I said. There was a pause and then "Why ???". Amused " Why do you think I would call you at this hour ? Just come!" I retorted.

An hour later, as the pain got stronger slowly and it became clear without a doubt that these were contractions indeed, i suggested we call the on call doctor Z. She said we should proceed to the hospital and get checked for if it was pre-labor or not. It was happening. I did not have a labor bag. "Whats it supposed to have?" asked coolboy. "I don't remember, just look it up online" i suggested. "Nothing that they wont give you at the hospital. You just need your ID" was what he looked up. He proceeded then back upstairs to shower etc and came back 20-30 minutes later looking clean, spruced up and with a bag. Yes, a bag. His work laptop bag. "Whats in it?" I asked. "Oh, my laptop, phone chargers, some reading that I can get done while we wait etc." he said. "Should I take my Ipad or a book?" I asked. "No, you can always just use your phone!". I looked at him with disbelief. "Should I change?" I had freshened up but was no where close to nicely dressed. He looked at me and said "yeah, I would, if I were you. You cant come like this" So I went up and got dressed in 5 minutes and came back down. We woke up Patti and asked her to tell Mowgli where we were gone and we left. It was 5:30 am

The hospital was newly renovated but we had not bothered with the tour since it was obvious that the entrance would not have changed. Wrong. We parked at the wrong entrance and had to walk around the block to get to what was the night time emergency entrance ! I was soon wheeled into a labor and delivery room. The contractions in the mean time had gotten a lot stronger but were now spaced 7 minutes apart. Shifts change at 7 am so they decided to wait so that doc Z could come see me and make a call on what was to be done.

8:30 am: I was about 4 cm and 90 % effaced. Since I was a week past due and scheduled for induction on Monday, they just decided to keep me and break my water instead since the contractions had only gotten way stronger even though they were spaced now nearly 8 min apart with a mini contraction at the 4 min mark.

10 am: My wonderful nurse Helene tells me - You don't have to be in such agony. I just want to let you know incase you want to take something. Coolboy thus far had been making light of my condition and trying to cheer me up by saying that I was going to make it through this without the epidural. In the meantime I had him look up if there was an alternative to epidural- sure enough there was and there were many hilarious stories about how it made them loopy. But after a few laughs, the pain was making me lose my sense of humor. I asked for the epidural. Sure said the nurse as she took off to call the anesthesiologist. Dr A. though was tied up with a "real" emergency as coolboy put it and "unable to tolerate pain" patients came lower on the priority list of course. A couple of hours of agony later, I was numbed out and finally fast asleep. That was around noon.

1 pm: Still only at 6cm, Helene informed me that Dr Z said I could start on pitocin if I wanted. I was hesitant. I told her I would like to wait, and definitely at least until Coolboy got back from lunch. ( he left the hospital premises to get something "proper" BTW). She told me that while I was asleep she had discussed it with coolboy and he had agreed that I should start on pitocin should things not progress. Sensing my discomfort she said she would just hook up the drip in a bit and put in 1 ml ( a negligible amount) and I could mull over if I wanted it or not. I reluctantly agreed.

3 pm: She announced that I was fully dilated and we could soon start practicing pushing. Though by this time, for some reason I was shivering. I kept asking for the room to be made warmer and Coolboy would peer over his laptop and ask me to calm down and not over react. "its psychological" he said. Already annoyed that he was working during my labor, i told Helene that I was really really freezing. She quickly checked my temperature and said that I was running a low grade fever but that it was nothing to worry about and she would check with Dr Z as well.

4:45 pm : Pushing was on in full swing. The fever had spiked to 101.5. I was using every ounce of whatever strength I had. The epidural had taken the edge off the pain but I could still feel every bit of the the rest of the pain and it was sheer hell. Helene went to grab the doctor to see if I needed antibiotics. Ponyo was stuck the pelvis unable to negotiate the turn and was facing up instead of down. In that brief break time, Coolboy left the bedside to go back to typing whatever it was that was so important on his laptop. Shut that damn thing down. I did not want to waste any energy screaming at him. Now this is the highlight. His response " Hold on. I just thought of something, If I don't write it down, I will forget it. Its really important." before he closed up his laptop.This my darling Ponyo was the response of the man you are going to grow up loving to bits and idolizing and measuring up every other man in the universe to, while your mother was in labor trying to get you out. No, i don't hold it against him at all. In hindsight, its funny. Its infuriating no doubt, but this is the man I love to no end. Stockholm Syndrome perhaps ! Or the euphoria that I am basking in right now, days after your birth.

5:30 pm. : With a lot of help from Helene, Dr Z and despite that ridiculous typing, encouragement from your father, Darling Ponyo you arrived. Though we have loved you from when you were just an idea, I have to say, it was love at first sight. It was a big Hurrah ! My pattis looked down from the skies and smiled. Your brother jumped with excitement. Your tathas and pattis showered blessings and wishes. Your aunts and uncles and friends from all over the world laughed and rejoiced. Welcome to our beautiful world Ponyo !! You have made our life more complete.

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Lara

Ponyo, set free by magic, became Lara or Lara Jumpy Squirrel as Akash calls her, on Feb 1st 2014.
Lara - the name picked by coolboy because in his words "it wowed me when I thought of her being called Lara" soon won over the name i had hoped would win - Aria. Lara - the Latin root referring to the guardian spirit, one who protects, was just what we wanted for our little girl.

Welcome home Lara ! You made our family complete. Two was company, Three was fun, Four is the joyride of our life. We love you.