Surely NOT?!?!

I had already had the thought a few days/weeks before Campbell was born that it sure would be pretty ridiculous if Campbell (at 38 weeks) had to go to the NICU…WELL GUESS WHAT?!?!  Since I had a C-Section, Campbell’s lungs didn’t have the chance to squeeze out all of the fluid.  So when he was born, he had fluid on his lungs…Campbell was having trouble breathing, breathing fast, and making grunting sounds.  They took him to the NICU to start him on antibiotics and iv fluids.  My sweet, FULL TERM baby had more wires and tubes coming out of him than our preemie Trigger had. 

LOOK AT ALL THAT HAIR…and  it’s dark! The orangish looking tube is a feeding tube…that really bothered me. The other tube is the cannula (how he got the oxygen).

It’s probably a good thing that I was a little doped up on drugs and that first day is pretty fuzzy.  If I had been fully there, I would have been pretty upset.  I can’t really remember but either Michelle or Matt told me that Campbell had been taken to the NICU and I can remember not really being worried…maybe because we had been down this NICU road before OR maybe it was the drugs.  Who knows?!  A nurse practitioner came in to talk to us at some point and gave us an update on Campbell.  They had to test my placenta to see if there was an infection…we got that back the Monday after very and there wasn’t an infection.  They did numerous x-rays on him and it was determined that the fluid was because of the c-section and NOT because of immaturity of the lungs which is a VERY good thing.  She told me that Michelle would help me get up and let me go into the NICU to see him later that evening.  I was so relieved because it had been several hours and i had only gotten a brief (few seconds) glance at my baby and had not gotten to touch him at all.  Then, the pediatrician (Dr. McCormick) came in Thursday afternoon.  She told me that I could go in to see him as soon as Michelle said I was ready…my parents, matt’s parents, and Matt had all been in to see him…it was KILLING me that I was stuck in that hospital bed and my baby was across the hall.  The doctor also told me that I did not need to hold him because he was getting agitated easily and that wasn’t good for his lungs.  I was very disappointed.

When it was time for me to go visit, Michelle came and got me in the wheelchair…NOT EASY. And let me just say that they usually do NOT let c-section patients out of the bed for 24 hours so I was very thankful that I got to get out of the bed early. 

Here is a picture of me touching Campbell for the first time.

When we got over to the NICU, Lisa (our sweet NICU nurse) told me that she was going to let me hold him…YAY!!!!!  I was sooo excited! 

My brother (Seth) and my sister in law (Vanna) and Liz were there (outside the window) while I was holding Campbell.  Seth and Vanna are expecting their first (a boy) in October.

At some point on Thursday, Trigger was visiting and got to open his I’m sorry I’m turning your world upside down big brother gift from Campbell…I had fun buying things for Trigger: rubber boots, his own set of keys (blank keys), matchbox cars/trucks, doodle pad/crayon holder, paint with water books,

And as soon as he saw his boots, he started pulling off his tennis shoes as fast as he could!

  And just some cute pictures of Trigger.

Playing with his new cars/trucks. 

 

Liz made the comment that about 70% of the pictures taken during “Campbell’s delivery” were of TRIGGER…so true.  He’s already trying to steal the show.  I’m not surprised though! I still have more pictures to blog from our hospital stay.  My time seems to be a little more slim these days…haha!  And the time I do have, I have been too tired.  Hopefully, I can get the other ones posted soon! :)

Waiting, Waiting, Waiting…

We had most of our family there to welcome Campbell into the world.

As I said in the post yesterday, after Campbell was out of me, they took him to the recovery room.  Matt, of course, followed Campbell and stayed with him.  While they were in recovery, Matt sent our family a picture of Campbell.  Seth had my camera in the waiting room so he got some shots of everyone checking their phones and seeing the picture.

  Proud (even though the face isn’t showing it) BIG BROTHER!!!!

And giving him a kiss!

And, here are some more pictures of Campbell from after birth.  Sorry if they are gross to you…it’s for my memories though!

His weight…

Matt got to hold him for the first time in recovery.

Usually the baby gets to stay in the recovery room but Campbell had some fluid on his lungs so they had to take him back to the nursery.  Matt got to wheel him past our family. They got to get their first glimpse at him.

 

Trigger did not really like that his daddy had that hat on his head. :)

Shortly after Campbell arrived in the nursery, they decided that his breathing had not gotten any better so they wheeled him down into the NICU.  And, I will talk more about that later.

Here is Liz talking to Dr. Mac…she said she has no idea what they were talking about.  I guess I was in the recovery room at this time.

And, I still have lots more pictures and lots more to share….but this will be the stopping point for now! :)

Campbell Clayton Woodard

Our precious baby boy, Campbell Clayton Woodard,

(this picture is the one that Matt sent to all of our family from the recovery room before they got to see him in person)

arrived on

June 3, 2010 at 8:22 AM (by C-Section)

6 lbs. 11 oz.

18.75 inches

Now I will back up and tell the whole story.  Sorry if this is long but I have to have this typed up for my memories.  And, since it will be so long, I may have to break it up into several different posts.

I had talked to Dr. Harper late Monday afternoon. He was scheduled to be off work all week so I didn’t have a planned doctor’s appt.  but we had scheduled my section for Thursday.  He called to tell me that he had to travel up to visit his son last minute and would not be back in time for the section on Thursday.  I had two options.  1. Let Dr. McWhorter deliver on Thursday.  2. Wait until Monday and Dr. Harper could deliver.  After much debate and a few tears from me, we decided we could not wait until Monday.  I LOVE Dr. Harper and it was killing me that he would not deliver Campbell.  However, I love my children more and couldn’t live with myself if we waited and something happened.  Dr. Harper thought it was a wise decision but told me that “it was emotionally hard for him too” to be missing out on this delivery.  He worked so hard to get both of our boys to delivery and then didn’t get to enjoy the actual delivery! :( Then, when we got off the phone he told me that he loved me.  I’m telling right here and now that there isn’t a doctor that is more caring and compassionate. 

So, I was BUSY on Tuesday and Wednesday getting things finished for the arrival of our baby.  This time was different because I was so worried and emotional about Trigger.  I wanted to make sure he stayed on his schedule as much as possible.  I also was worried about being away from him for so long.  He had never spent the night away from home.  (BTW, I will have to post later our pictures from our weekend before Campbells arrival…we tried to make it very special for Trigger even though he had no idea.)  Anyway, you should have seen the three page typed list of things that I left for Liz/Mrs. Marcia to help them “care” for Trigger…and I wanted to make sure he had on the correct outfits for his visits to the hospital so I came up with this…

I had bought a ton of these buckets for Trigger’s party favors last year and never used them until now.  I put his pjs, outfit, shoes, socks, vitamins, etc. in them for each day that we would be in the hospital.  I thought it was a great idea….a little anal but still very organized!

Wednesday:  Liz spent the entire day with me (and Trigger).  It was my birthday and I had a million things to do so it was nice to have some company.  We cleaned up the house, finished packing, had lunch at sundown with my dad and matt, dr. appt with McWhorter, pre-op blood work, and SOOOOO much more.

Wednesday night: I ate a small supper (mainly because I didn’t have time to sit for long) of Cocoa Pebbles.  Then, Matt and loaded up the car with cameras, pillows, and all the other junk.  We both gave Trigger a bath.   I was an emotional wreck that night because I was so worried about my little boy (Trigger).  We took some pictures of the three of us…yes, I look AWFUL.  AND, YES, Trigger is naked because he was about to take a bath BUT we had to have one picture of the three of us.

After his bath, I put on his pjs, read him his favorite books (crying while reading) and ROCKED, ROCKED, and ROCKED my sweet little boy!!!  He stroked my hair while I rocked him.  He hasn’t let me rock him that long in a very long time.  Then, I put him down for bed and lost it.  Trying to figure out at what point I thought it was necessary to totally turn his world upside down.  BUT, I pulled it together, got a bath, and went to bed at a decent time. 

Thursday:  We woke up at 4 AM.  I had to shower and put on makeup and get everything packed up QUIETLY so that we didn’t disturb our sleeping prince.  HA!  We arrived at the hospital at 5:30.  Here’s proof.

I went into the ER to get my arm band.  Then, we headed upstairs to OB.  We were sent into the room right by the nurses station.  I got on the beautiful hospital gown and then got my IV (oh my…it HURT).  They hooked me up to the monitors to listen to the baby.  Here’s a picture of me in my gown and one of the monitor.  Check out that excellent bp…or at least the bottom number was GREAT!

Matt’s mom came to our house that morning to get Trigger up and bring him to the hospital.  We had decided that we wouldn’t see him before we went back because I didn’t want to be emotional and didn’t want him to be upset.  However, I changed my mind when he got there and just had to see him!

He was a little unsure of what was going on…do you see that concerned look. And here is our last picture as a family of THREE! :)

And, at some point during all of this, THE BEST NURSE (and my good friend), Michelle came in…with her camera in hand…and I am pretty sure that she got a picture of me when she came in the door that could be used for blackmail.

Then, it was time for me to be wheeled to the OR.  Matt was placed in the recovery room.  I got my spinal which was sooooo not fun.  Felt like she was taking a stick and digging around in my back.  OH how I’m glad that is over.  Then, I got nauseated from it…also NOT fun.  After two injections of Zofran, I started to feel better but then the nerves kicked in because I was so scared that the spinal wasn’t going to work and I was going to feel them cutting me.  NONE of which happened.  Everyone was so nice and dealt with my craziness!  I’m sure Michelle had warned them…haha!  After the doctors took their position, Matt was called in and they got started.  Here’s me with all my wires, drapes, oxygen, etc.

Our precious Campbell was born at 8:22 AM.

This is me seeing my baby for the first time.  I was just sooo relieved and so thankful that Campbell was here safe and sound. 

  I’m going to stop here because Trigger is about to be here in just a minute and this is a good stopping point.  I only have probably 400 more pictures…but don’t worry, I won’t post them all.  I will try to work on another post this evening after Trigger goes down for the night!