Many of us were fortunate enough to celebrate Easter with our families and the meaning behind Easter - the celebration of Jesus rising from the dead. It was a day to reflect what Jesus did for us and how he has saved us.
How fitting for me to write about Jesus saving me.
In January 2011 nearly 11 months after our daughter, Olivia, was born Jason and I found out we were expecting baby #2. We were excited, scared and nervous. We just felt comfortable being parents after nearly a year, and in September we will have an 18 month old and a newborn. We knew we could do this.
My pregnancy was great other than feeling a little tired from chasing a toddler. My blood pressure was normal, my glucose test can back in normal range, my feet weren't swelling and I was gaining a "normal" amount of weight - more than I wanted but who really wants to gain weight? -
My first pregnancy ended in a cesarean section, but my doctor and I discussed about having a vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) and since there weren't any complications with my first pregnancy and delivery there wasn't any reason to schedule a c-section. So we planned to have a VBAC with baby #2.
On September 10 my water broke about 9:30 pm, and I started having contractions. Because my contractions stopped in the middle of the night and I couldn't feel the baby move any longer, we headed into the hospital.
We arrived to the hospital about 5:30 am and checked in. I was having contractions, but they were minimal. I walked to bring on the contractions and help the labor for what seemed like days. Around 3:00 in the afternoon I was only dilated to five centimeters, but I was making progress. While in labor, I learned that one of my friends had come into the hospital and had her baby on the 9th. Her delivery ended in major complications and scary situations (you can read about it here), but praise be to God everything ended well, and she and her son are doing well today. Ironically, we shared the same doctor and when the doctor came to check on me, she mentioned how she was still shaken up from my friends delivery.
Around 7:00 that evening, the doctor came in to check on me, and I hadn't dilated anymore. It was at that point that she thought it was best to move forward with a c-section since it was nearing 24 hours since my water broke. I agreed.
Everything went well in the operating room, so we thought, and Liam Colton was born at 8:29 pm on September 11. He was perfect! Our family of three became a family of four.
After delivery, I had some sharp pains in abdomen. I was having pain from the c-section, but I didn't remember this kind of pain after my first c-section. I mentioned this pain to the nurse, and she said it was just the anesthesia wearing off and pain from the c-section. Every delivery and c-section is different which will bring different pains, too.
Three days later, on September 14, I was released from the hospital. Liam was doing well and with the exception of a little pain, I was getting along well, too. We endured the rest of the weekend with a newborn, toddler and me still recovering from the c-section.
On Tuesday, September 17 everything changed. I woke up running a slight fever, had the chills and just didn't feel right. I called the doctor, and they asked me to visit their office to give me an assessment. There was a virus going around at that time,and the doctor thought I had a touch of the virus since everything else seemed fine. She told me if I wasn't feeling better by Friday to call back.
Friday came and I was still running a fever. Another visit to the doctor where they didn't find anything wrong. I was sent home, again.
Tuesday, September 24 came and still I was running a fever. I made another call to the doctor's office. My doctor was on vacation so I saw another doctor in the practice. She examined me and thought maybe I had a uterus infection, and I was put on antibiotics. I was hesitant to take them since I was nursing but knew it was best for my family and me.
Each day came and went. I was running a fever, had the chills and no energy. My mom came to stay with us the second week we were home, but we thought she should go back home since I was just fighting an infection. Each day she would call and check up on me. Each time I would tell her I was feeling better. I was hiding how terrible I was feeling. I was hoping the antibiotics would start working soon so I could feel "normal" again although I had a baby two weeks prior.
Friday, September 27 came and I still had a fever, chills, aches, and now the pain in my stomach was getting even worse. Every time I would try and sit up from laying down it felt like someone was stabbing me. Could they have left something inside me from the c-section? I was beginning to wonder. Again, I made a call to the OBGYN's office. At this point, I had puss oozing from my incision site, and it was red, hard and swollen. She called in another antibiotic for me. Sigh! Round two of antibiotics.
On Sunday, September 29, my family and I went to church. Although I wasn't feeling fell, I always pushed myself to play with the kids, clean the house, do laundry and other housework. I was really hoping my lack of energy was from taking care of a newborn.
My prayers in church took on a whole new meaning that day. I knelt down, thanked God as I always do and had a great conversation with Him. "I'm ready, God. I understand if this is my time to leave Earth, but please let me say goodbye to my family. Please keep my family safe and take care of them. I feel terrible and need you to carry me." It was then that I heard the Footprints poem. I knew it wasn't my time to go and God was carrying me. He was going to help me.
Part 2 will talk about the next week of being sick and ending up in the hospital with a short time to live.
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