Calla's Birth Story Part Four

I am sitting at this computer nearly 4 months after starting this post and finally feeling like I want to post it. Sorry for the delay.

My goal is to wrap this story up in this post! I am so ready to start posting monthly updates of our sweet little babe.

So around 2am I was calling the nurse begging for some Tums. I really thought I had some major heartburn. Within about thirty minutes, I knew it was not just some indigestion. I knew something was going on. I couldn't sit. I couldn't lay down.  I had to literally walk around. I would try sitting and laying in every and any position. When I would lay on my side, it felt like my body was going to blow up. It was the worst pressure and "full" feeling on my right side. I walked around and just cried. The nurse came in three times and finally went to get the doctor. She said she just KNEW something was not right.

I would throw up from the pain and then literally one time I thought my water broke. (It totally didn't.) FINALLY the doctor came in. I really couldn't tell you what happened after that. Somehow the next twelve hours were kinda a blur. I do remember these key points.

The beautiful doctor (no really she was like a tall super model) came in and told me my blood work and labs had dramatically changed. I wasn't having heartburn. My liver enzymes... something something something....

The only cure to the changes my body was making was to go ahead and induce.

You can still have a "natural" childbirth, but we are going to induce you. Starting now.

Brandon washed my feet because he said they were horrible from walking around all night. His exact words, "You would die if you knew how dirty they were." He knows me well.

Labor pains... yeah I never felt a single contraction. Well, I take that back. I felt them. I told Brandon I was having them but I loved them. (insane) I could feel the contraction, breathe through it, count, and focus, then it was gone. That horrible terrible kill me now pain in my side... It would not stop no matter what.

Doctors come in and check... I was 7 cm BUTTTTTT there was a sudden change in my last lab. Bam... I have no platelets. Can't give birth without platelets. Here comes a team of doctors. We are going to have to give you another IV, a few bags of platelets, and we need to do an emergency c-section. The tall super model doctor was replaced by an even taller man doctor that was literally 6'8. I asked him. He said once we had the platelets, then Baby Cain would be out within the next hour. They were all rushing in and out. I have never had so many doctors! I feel like somewhere in this day Coach called our parents. I feel like everyone dropped everything and ran... not too sure though. I was only worried about Baby C.

THOSE WORDS. This summer we participated in birthing classes. I wanted any kind of birth BUT an emergency c-section. The difference is that the husband can't go back with you. No skin to skin. You can't see your baby until you wake up. That was the birth that was going to occur. This summer we also made a plan that if this type of birth did occur, we didn't want anyone to see Baby Cain before us. We wanted to be the only ones that got to hold Baby Cain. Brandon promised. (He did an amazing job of holding back the sea of grandparents!)

A young and hyper doctor comes in to give me another IV. I remember him sitting on the floor to put in my IV while ten other doctors did something.

Brandon and I pray. I am sent back. I am asked a million questions. I remember talking to the tall doctor.  He can't find gloves big enough in the operating room. Everyone laughs about that. The nurse gives me a sour drink to drink... it was SO SO SO good! I was so thirsty! They gave me a mask... and then I counted to three... maybe I got to two.... and then I woke up in the recovery room to my husband's face.

We had the most beautiful baby girl. Her name is Callahan Ryan. She has brown hair. She is really tiny! Brandon took my phone down to the NICU to take videos and pictures of her. She really doesn't look tiny at all in the pictures. I say that to him and he says, ."She's really just perfect!"


It was Friday, August 14, 2015 around 7:15 when I woke up. Now I have to sit in this bed for 24 hours. They need me to have more mag, and to get my levels down. LONGEST  24 HOURS EVER! I can't eat. I am so so so sore. I do NOT take any pain medicine because it makes me super groggy and mag already makes you feel horrible.

Brandon puts on a pink polo. At this time our family is here but doesn't know the gender. When they walk in and see Brandon's shirt everyone is very surprised! (Everyone in the family thought we were going to have a boy!) Penny had a video on her phone of this whole episode. I watched it once when we got home and cried. I looked like I was about to die. I felt really terrible and looked it! It just breaks my heart because I guess this situation was really serious. I think I was told it was petty serious, I just didn't care. I really only cared about seeing the tiny baby that was all mine. Once the family knew that Baby Cain was indeed Calla, I called my closest friends. I remember calling Ginger and then hearing myself speak and thinking... "I sound terrible!"

That evening the hyper IV doctor comes in. He notices that my hand is swelling. It was actually pretty bad. He orders an ultrasound on my arm to rule our a blood clot. For the record, ultrasounds on your arm are not nearly as fun as ultrasound to see your precious baby. However, they are just as expensive! There was not a blood clot, the IV was just not that great. They finally took it out. I still have one in my other arm.

I was officially diagnosed with THIS. The symptoms I had were spot on exactly the same. It was literally textbook.

This was my first ever surgery. It was very painful and the nurses say that when they are emergency surgeries the main goal is get the baby out and make sure mama is safe. There really wasn't time to sit and think about the pain or feel sorry that absolutely nothing went like I ever planned. BUT... it didn't matter one bit! We have the most perfect baby girl that is beautiful and healthy! Now... the countdown begins. I am ready to go down to the NICU! Oh, and there is lots of pink to be purchased!

Now that it has been almost 9 months since the birth of our sweet baby I have had plenty of time to reflect on things that needed to change in my life. First, family. My relationship with family is most important. Second, friends. I pray daily that I am a friend to everyone. I pray that I am there for anyone and everyone that needs me. Brandon and I have been blessed with the most amazing adult friends. Daymond and Chasity dropped everything. (Literally I called them three times over the span of Calla's birth and no questions asked they were there to help.) No words can express the love we have for that friendship.

Dear Calla,
On the night you were born you changed our lives forever. You were so tiny and so sweet.You are the definition of perfection.  On the very night you were born your daddy was the only one to see you and touch you. You did have so many visitors though! Pippy, D, Mimi, Aunt Doni, Auntie Beth, Uncle Mr. Ray and Auntie Mrs. Ray are the ones that were waiting patiently to see you! For real they had to wait. I wouldn't let them meet you until I got to hold you in my arms!


Now there it is. The final story of Calla's birth. It wasn't picture perfect. However, we were prepared. I urge couples to make a plan in case of an emergency. I knew that I didn't have to worry about a single thing because Brandon and I had already discussed all the "what -ifs". I would love to say that everything was great from this moment on but there were many bumps. None of it matters at all. Calla Girls is a happy healthy baby! Being so in love doesn't even begin to cover it!