The way it all began ~
Madeline Donelle Rowe came into our lives quite unexpectedly. On the 15th of August 2008 I was lying in bed and felt a "fluttering" in my tummy that I realized wasn't gas! I took a pregnancy test, and sure enough, I got the BFP (Big Fat Positive)! I knew I had to be at least 16 weeks along to feel movement, and wondered ~ How the Hell did I miss this?? It turns out my BCPs were not strong enough to withstand our combined fertility, and being that I was still taking them, I missed the classic signs of pregnancy, AND a negative test 3 months prior. On August 22nd we had our first Midwifery appointment and an ultrasound. She was a healthy girl of almost 20 weeks gestation. My due date was 1/10/09. Holy crap did we have work to do!
The story continues ~
We got hectic busy getting things ready for Maddie. Thank God for Matt, or we would have brought her home naked to sleep in a drawer! In my 24th week, my BP started to climb. I had mild Pre-Eclampsia with Dakota, so they watched me closely. I had to take meds, which kept the pressures under control until week 31. I noticed increased ankle swelling on the 10th and put myself on "butt rest" the next day. I also had puffy eyes, but figured that was because I had to get up to pee every hour. When I went to my routine midwife appointment on Wednesday 11/12, all Hell broke loose. My BP was up to 180/110 despite a high dose of Labetalol and "butt rest". I was shipped off to my Perinatologist, all the way across town. But they didn't want me driving, so I had to call Matt to come and get me. We saw the doctor, and my BP was now 190/120 and I had 4+ proteinuria. He told me I'd have to be admitted to the hospital on strict bedrest until the baby was born. I was in such denial I had missed the classic signs of worsening Pre-E and honestly thought that I would be in hospital for up to 2 months. Yeah, no! I was told the goal was to keep me pregnant one more week, but I'd likely have her by the end of the week. Things calmed down a little after they put me on a Magnesium Sulfate drip (Holy Crap that shit is EVIL!). They also gave me steroids to mature Maddie's lungs. On Friday 11/14, more chaos ensued. About mid-afternoon, my BP started rising again. They pumped me full of 2 different IV meds to lower it, to no avail. By the time Matt and Koti got there at 5, I was spiking in the neighborhood of 200/120, had 5+ proteinuria, and my liver tests were abnormal. The doctor came in and informed us that we would be having the baby NOW! I was checked, and lil miss sassy, who had been head down all day, was now breach. So a mad scramble began to get me prepped for an emerency C-Section. I had the surgeon explaining the procedure, the anesthesiologist explaining the spinal, the phlebotomist drawing my blood and the NICU nurse explaining what would happen with Maddie after she was born ~ all while I'm peeing on the bedpan! My nurse was laughing at my ability to do that with chaos brewing around me! Hey, when ya gotta go, ya gotta go!! All went well with the C/S, and Madeline was born at 7:52pm on 11/14, weighing 3# 15oz and 17 1/4" long. We didn't get to see her before they rushed her to the NICU, because she took a big ol' gulp of meconium laced fluid on her way out.
The NICU experience ~
Madeline spent 38 long days in the NICU. She was on CPAP for less than 24 hours and did not need assistance after that. She was tube fed for 35 of the 38 days, and had TPN for the first week. She had a weak suck, and still does. Thank God she didn't have to come home with machines! She came home 12/21, just in time to spend Christmas with her family! She was 6# 5oz and 19" long on discharge. From a NICU perspective, she was a relatively old, healthy baby. But from my perspective, this was the most painful experience of my life. I had to leave the hospital without my baby. I couldn't drive for 2 weeks, so I took the bus to see her every day, 2 hours each way. Saying goodbye to my daughter every afternoon was like sticking hot pokers in my heart. At first, the nurses knew my daughter better than I did. They were quick to point out everything I did wrong, and I felt like an utter failure as a mom, and a stranger to my own daughter. I couldn't breastfeed her at first, and because of her weak suck she never really did catch on. I pumped every 3 hours around the clock so the nurses could give the milk to her through a feeding tube. There was a MRSA outbreak in the NICU the 2nd week we were there, so from then on there weren't even privacy curtains to use while you Kangaroo'd or breastfed. Nothing like having your ta ta's on display!
Finally Home! ~
Since coming home, Madeline has grown by leaps and bounds! As of 1/21 she weighs 8# 1oz and is 21" long. She loves to be held, especially by her sister. She has reached most of her 2 month milestones, despite her adjusted age being only 3 weeks. She is happy and healthy, and everything we could ever ask for! We are truly blessed to have her in our lives ~ Our Sweet Surprise!
The Humorous side ~
Hospital bill - 104K
Doctors' bill - 11K
RSV Vaccines - 9K
Being able to see this face everyday - Priceless!
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