Cameron | All About Kimberly

It’s funny how you remember some things, but others slip your mind. Not that they aren’t equally as important, but they just don’t stick. When I think about where I was nine years ago today, I remember lots of details, but I bet that if everyone involved was to tell what they remembered, I would find that I had forgotten a lot.

Nine years ago today, I was at Nacogdoches Memorial Hospital, but let’s backup to where I was 9 years ago yesterday first to make this story more complete. (Picture to right: Me 9 years ago today)

Nine years ago YESTERDAY, I was at East Texas Physicians Care for an appointment with my wonderful doctor, Olin K. Fearing, and spirits weren’t the best. You see it was August 9th, and I was 9+ months pregnant. Yep, “that baby” should have been out of me by July 26, but no she was stubborn and not only not here, but offering no signs that she would soon be ready to make her appearance in this world. Now, I can’t complain too much. I had an easy pregnancy. Only one glitch the entire way – I was allergic to my child apparently and itched 24/7. Even being 9+ months pregnant wasn’t so bad physically. The problem was I was still in college, and it would be starting back in 2 weeks and one day, and as my dad informed Dr. Fearing, I would NOT be missing a semester of school (theory: If you ever miss one, it’s easy to take off the next one too….and then not finish) so it was time to deliver this baby. Dr. Fearing agreed, and in fact maybe was as eager as us? Because he said we would induce FIRST THING IN THE MORNING! Ok…this may be normal procedure (I still don’t know), but for me it seemed very sudden. I would have thought this would have taken a little more planning, but nevertheless, August 10th at the break of dawn I was to report into Nacogdoches Memorial and give birth to my precious baby girl (and I was sure hoping she would be a girl since her room was all pink and full of angels).

After leaving the doctor’s office, we (my dad and I – he went to every doctor’s appointment with me) immediately began making phone calls and plans. You see August 10, 2000 was the first day of school for most schools across the state of Texas and almost every “major” person in my life is affiliated with a school! CRAP! Dad was my birthing partner and also taught high school English so he had to make arrangements for a sub to start the year with his students and have work and such prepared for a few days in case there were any complications. Luckily August 10th was a Thursday so there would only be two days of class before a weekend. My mom lived 6 hours away and taught junior high math. Dad (being our experienced medical professional – he was a nurse before he was a teacher) assured Mom that I was young, this was my first child…she had plenty of time! She would go to class the next morning, say “Hello! I’ll be your teacher this year!” and ”Bye now! I’m going to see the birth of my first grandchild” all in the same breath, and then head our way.

Early in the morning of the 10th…maybe it was still technically the night of the 9th..I’m not sure as I didn’t get out of bed, but on that night between the 9th and the 10th, I actually think I started feeling a touch of labor pains. They were really spread out, but I would wake up every so often in pain. I thought, “I guess since she knows we’re going to bring her into the world today anyways, she’s going to do it on her own.” (For the record that stubborn streak and I’ll do it my way attitude still exists in that young child) Dad arrived in the wee hours of the morning, and we made our drive to the hospital. The only real thing I remember about that drive is him joking that this planned thing was no fun because he couldn’t drive really fast like he could if I was in active labor and he just had to get me to the hospital. I joked and told him to drive fast anyways.

We arrived, checked in, and they started the medication to induce labor. I really don’t remember much about this part to be honest, but it wasn’t long until I was in PAIN!! Yep, I don’t know if that medicine is that good or if it was the combination that I was sorta already in labor but I was having contractions and having them on a regular basis QUICK! It looked like I would be holding that baby in my arms before long. (Oh, and Dad was freaking because he was now thinking that maybe Mom should have come on up last night because she might not be here in time for the birth of that grandchild.) The contractions continued at record speed, I was dilating and moving right along. Things were looking good that I’d have a relatively easy delivery and maybe a speedy one too. But then things stopped. I was still having contractions, I was dilated, but there was no baby in my arms. WHAT THE HELL WAS THIS?!?

It looked like Mom would make it after all. Another dear friend of mine, who is also like a second mother, also teaches junior high math. She went to school that day, but couldn’t stand it, and finally left and arrived during this point that things were starting to get frustrating. You see (forgive my lack of correct medical terminology) as I understand it, when a normal baby is delivered, in order to do so, the bones in their head kind of push together to allow for delivery. However, since I was so far along, this little joy of mine couldn’t allow that to happen. Her bones had already fused together and there would be no contracting to make it through the delivery. While this has taken you what 30 seconds to read about this frustrating moment, it was acutally a pretty long process of determining and accepting, and then moving on to the decision that I would have to have a C-Section.

I wasn’t happy. I didn’t want to have a C-Section Dammit! I’ve been in labor for hours. What was the point of all of this if they were just going to cut me open anyways?! But Daddy was my expert, he was the one I had put all trust in, and this C-Section needed to happen. FINE!

Up until this point, I had only had minor pain medication, but now I had to have an epideral (sp?) – another thing I had hoped to avoid. I had read about this process (thank you Internet) and the pain involved, the risk…I just didn’t think it was worth it, but now there would be no choice. FINE!

I don’t know if it was the medication or just my flat out exhaustion – it was now evening, but moments after that shot, I really think I lost touch with reality. How do I know that? I have very few memories for the next period. Daddy was there with me, but the truth is even though he was standing right next to me in sight, I didn’t recognize or know that he was there. I mean I knew he was there because I knew he wouldn’t leave me, but I didn’t realize that he was RIGHT THERE IN MY FACE! Yep, those most of been some good drugs. Honestly, I remember very little about that operating room. I didn’t realize that another doctor actually did the surgery, I didn’t realize my dad was right there, I coudn’t tell you anything about the conversation going on in that room, and I barely remember seeing my baby for the first time. I really only remember the moment at the END (at 6:49 p.m.) when they were showing me my beautiful baby girl that I also recognized Dad right there. (That’s my first view of my baby right there on the right)

My next memory is in a recovery room? Maybe? Really I remember laying on this rolling hospital bed feeling like crap! I mean maybe the worst I had ever felt, and man was I nausous (yea, I can’t spell). I remember being sick because all I really remember clearly about these moments (was it 5 minutes or an hour – I don’t know) was this crazy nurse who informed me I COULD NOT THROW UP!! Not I shouldn’t. Not please try not to, but I COULDN’T! Did that idiot really think I had any control over the matter. Now in hindsight, maybe it wasn’t as I saw it, but this is the story of my perception of that day, and I thought that woman had lost her ever loving mind! As it turns out though, I didn’t throw up.

And then I was to my room with my baby girl – Cameron Lynn. She was beautiful and alert. She wasn’t all red and squishy like other babies I had seen and she was wide awake and ready to visit us (I’m told this is because she was past due and born through a CSection), and she was all mine! Ok, so I’ve had to share her with lots of other people that love her too over the last 9 years, but I still think of her as “my baby” nine years later.

Happy Birthdday Cameron! I love you!

Some More Pics From That Day (and the next couple)

Amber_01
Cameron and her Aunt Amber!