Kc and I got to the hospital early Wednesday morning. I was already contracting on my own and 3 cm dilated. Our Dr. broke my water at 8:00 a.m. and started some pitocin to get my contractions a bit stronger. Boy were they strong! I gave in at around 10:00 a.m. and had an epidural. By 1:30 p.m. I was 10 cm dilated and began to push. Needless to say, after over three hours of pushing (with several breaks in between) the Dr. had to use a vacuum to help pull Noah out. He was born at 5:59 p.m. He was 8 pounds 4 ounces and 20 inches long.
My first reaction was one of utter disbelief. Noah was finally here! I looked down at my beautiful son and thanked God for our miracle. The first sign that something was not right was Noah's lack of crying. Very quickly he was surrounded by two nurses, a pediatrician and a NICU doctor. Everyone kept telling us that his color was good and he was breathing on his own - he just couldn't cry. He was wrapped up like a little burrito and his Daddy brought him to me. I was finally holding my son. What an amazing feeling. I felt a blanket of love wrap around the three of us.
About an hour later, our pediatrician came in to check on Noah (after his first bath which he DID NOT like). He did a very thorough exam and expalined to us that there were several things he was concerned about. Noah's trachea is very narrow (that explains his inability to cry) and he was having difficulty breathing. He also has an imperforate anus. Noah's right eye was fused shut and the pediatrician was unable to determine if there was an eyeball under the skin. He recommended that we transfer Noah to Valley Children's Hospital as soon as possible.
At 2:00 a.m., Noah had his first car ride - and what a ride it was. He was transported to Children's Hospital in an ambulance. Some day we will tell him stories of when he rode in an ambulance and he will be disappointed that he was too young to remember. Kc followed Noah to the hospital while I stayed in recovery. Noah was immediately seen by several physicians at Children's Hopsital. What a blessing to have such an amazing facility only a few miles away!
After an incredibly long night, Kc came back to the recovery room and filled me in on what was going on. My Dr. discharged me at around 10:00 a.m. so that we could both head over to Children's Hospital. We were met there by both sets of grandparents and our pastors and friends. We were able to pray before we went into the NICU to spend time with our son.
Noah is undergoing his first surgery tonight - a colostomy. He will have a colostomy bag attached to his abdomen for several months which will allow him to have bowel movements. After coming home for a nap and some dinner, Kc and I will head back to Children's Hospital this evening to see Noah and get more information from the doctors who saw him today.
Kc, Noah and I are on a journey together. We are learning to walk along this path that God has planned for us, trusting in His infinite love and wisdom. Thank you all, once again, for your kind words and prayers. We couldn't do this without you.
As soon as Kc (who has slept a total of 5 hours in the past three days) wakes up from his nap, we'll post some photos of Noah. Please keep us in your prayers as we spend the next several weeks traveling back and forth to Children's Hospital.
Noah's Grandma and Grandpa Jackson blessed us with his crib and his Nana and Papa Smith purchased the changing table. The small rocking chair in the corner was my great grandmother's nursing rocker.
