The tumultuous entrance of Miss Evelynn Ann Part Four

Okay sorry this is taking so long, but in my defense, newborns are really hard to put down and make time to write on your blog.
So my epidural started working properly and they gave me a magic button, or a bolus that would give me a special extra shot of epidural if I needed it. I commanded people to push the button regularly and even had Seth figure out what the lock out time was until I could push it again. Especially when I could still feel the contractions on one side of my body.
I started to feel like I was ready to start pushing. I remember thinking that when people would tell me that I would NEVER be a person who wanted to feel like I needed to push. But it does happen. All of the sudden you feel like you just need to push, it's the strangest feeling.
So we call in the nurse and she says that as soon as the doctors are done down the hall they will come in and check me. Then she left because apparently the woman down the hall had a four headed baby or something because no one came back for a really long time. Later I found out that my nurse was doing a technique called "Laboring down" which meant instead of making me push for three hours, she just let the baby come down and make her way down herself. By the time everyone came back, they had my normal doctor, Dr. Carlson with them, who just happened to stop up on her way to a lecture to see how I was doing. She checked me and told them to call down and cancel her lecture because I was ready to go. They brought in the "stork nurse" which is the lady who takes Evelynn after she is born and cleans her up.
They took my epidural away, which prompted the response of "WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN GIVE YOU THE BUTTON?!?!?" and then Kim told me to trust her and I did. Then my mom grabbed one leg and Kim grabbed the other, Seth stayed up at my head like I ordered him too, and my dad stayed far away by the "french fry warmer" where they would take Evelynn and clean her up and he would take lots of pictures.
So I pushed. Really I thought it would be the worst part of the whole shebang, but actually, it felt like a relief. Like I knew the end was coming. All I had to do was hold my breath and push when they told me to. I tried to picture myself on a beach in Mexico and whenever the waves came crashing forward that's when I would push. I remember scoffing at the thought of suggested imagery when they were trying to teach it in Childbirth Class, but honestly, it helped. I just closed my eyes and pushed as hard as I could. After about an hour of pushing, she was out. I didn't have any tearing or anything. It was actually pretty smoothing sailing. The nurses and Dr. Carlson joked because she kicked all the way out and she hiccuped. The nurses and Dr. Carlson said that they had never seen a baby hiccup out of the womb before. Then they told me to stop pushing. I was so relieved. When she came out she gave a tiny little cry, I didn't look at her because well, ew. Seth cut the cord and was horribly scarred for life. Apparently everything I had been trying to avoid he saw in full force when he went down to cut the cord.
I remember Kim telling me we need a lot of good strong cries. That was a good sign. Evie mostly wimpered. Dr. Carlson told the stork nurse there was mechonium which is baby poop. I remember thinking, where are her cries. Next thing I know, they are telling Seth that they are taking Evie into the side room to do more suction because she is "floppy". During the tour we took, they told us that they only take babies out of your room and into the side room if something is wrong. The nurses and Dr. kept telling me it was fine she must have just inhaled some of the mechonium when she was hiccuping on her way out. I knew they were lying. Dr. Carlson delivered my placenta which I didn't feel at all, but it made the sickest noise EVER when it hit the basin. My mom went to see Evelynn in the side room because I started freaking out about it. Seth was already in there. Kim and Dr. Carlson cleaned me up and then basically the worst four days of my life started.
They came out with Seth and my Mom and told me that they had to take Evie up to the NICU immediately. They were going to try and wheel her out so I could see her because I couldn't see her, but they couldn't get the incubator out of the door. My Dad and Seth went with her to the NICU and my Mom stayed with me. I didn't even get to see her, and I wouldn't see her for another six hours. Because I was still on the magnesium drip for my high blood pressure and I still had the epidural in I couldn't go anywhere. I would actually have the magnesium in for 24 hours. I basically spent the next couple hours crying and trying to get information on Evelynn.
They took her down to the NICU and put her on something called a CPAP because she wasn't breathing well. They were concerned that she inhaled baby poop into her lungs so she was also getting lots of tests and a full course of antibiotics done. By the time they got my epidural out and got me wheeled down to her she looked pretty pathetic. At this point I was just glad to see her, all I had seen was the couple of pictures my Dad took before they took her away. The NICU was very far away from my room and I had to have someone and a nurse wheel me down there because of all the stuff I was hooked up to. I'd like to tell you about the pain and all the aftermath stuff, but I really can't because I don't remember any of it. All I remember is worrying and crying about the fact that my little girl, the one I suffered thru pregnancy for, suffered thru infertility for, was told I wasn't going to have, was in the NICU and I couldn't hold her.
So that pretty much sucked. On top of that, we had all these people and all these family members and visitors who showed up to see her and me and all I wanted to do was be with my family and Seth and get thru this horrible NICU bullshit.
So my next post will be all about our NICU experience which, for what a horrible position we were in, the people at the UNMC NICU are AMAZING. I can't sing their praises enough.
Here are some pictures of Evelynn:


In what Seth called "the french fry warmer" after she was born

Getting cleaned up and trying to get her to breath better.

Getting weighed before headed to the NICU

In the NICU, this is after they took the CPAP off, it was this scary thing that covered her face and went up her nose. No one took pictures of that, that was sad.

In her incubator

More incubator shots

Visiting in my sweet ride, see all the stuff I'm hooked up to, I'm also faking this smile hard core. My brother Jesse is behind me. He pushed me back and forth to the NICU about a dozen times over the next couple days. What a good brother.

Seth learning how to change a diaper in the incubator. Preemie diapers, she is still in those.

Seth taking Evelynn's temp. That is Amy our favorite NICU nurse, she taught us so much and reassured us so much. We LOVE HER!
Love (that I have such a great family),
Carrie

The tumultuous entrance of Miss Evelynn Ann Part Three

When we first got to the hospital and were getting all set up, they did a little parade of people who would be helping us out during labor. One of them was this amazon woman who was just an impressive presence. I in my little nervous haze asked her if she was good at her job (seriously I asked everyone this who was going to poke me with something that night). She replied with a snippy, "I'm the chief resident". I should sidebar here that I resisted the urge to compare these people with Grey's Anatomy. I almost said "Oh like Bailey?" but I didn't because she was scary and a little pissed off now. I'm pretty sure another reason that I waited on the epidural was that I was seriously hoping there would be a shift change and the scary amazon woman would not be giving me my epidural. Silly me. That woman was amazing. And according to my friend that works in the hospital, she is the best.
The epidural started when I sat up cross legged on the bed and they raised the bed about to the ceiling. The epidural giver was tall remember. She was in a much better mood when she came to me. She hide her scary tray of needles behind the curtain and I never saw them. The only needle that hurts is the numbing one, and it didn't hurt any worse than the IV (in fact the IV one was worse). After that I didn't feel much, but I was still feeling contractions. We would have to stop the procedure and wait for them to be over. Seth was super good about putting my focus on him and helping me breath thru the contractions.
When we were done, (it took about 10 minutes) they had me lie flat on my back for a half hour. At least that was the plan. As soon as I laid done, the trouble started. Basically I almost died. My blood pressure bottomed out, I went pale and sweaty and shakey, and then I started vomiting. At least that is what they tell me. All I remember is thinking "I have to throw up and I'm laying flat on my back, how does this work?"
Eventually I got some speed (ephedrine shot) and perked back up.
Then I felt no more contractions, which was great. I could still feel my legs and move them around, it just felt like they were asleep. And I couldn't feel the contractions which was the most important.
Around seven my Dad showed back up (my Mom had spent the night with us) and all of the sudden I could feel the contractions on my right side. It was the weirdest feeling EVER. One side of my body could feel things and the other couldn't. I found out, because of the blood pressure mishap and almost dying earlier, they had me on the lowest setting of epidural. Also, feeling coming back in one side is a common thing that happens. They turned me on the side I couldn't feel and bumped up the dosage.

Alright, as usual, our little Bird is calling! The nurse is on her way too to check up on us. Greatest thing ever, thanks Sarpy County for the free service, one more reason I will never move out of you!

Love (trying to remember this story three weeks later),
Carrie

The tumultuous entrance of Miss Evelynn Ann Part Two

So let's see where was I? Oh yes, the drugs.
So here is a myth I learned in my labor process, you can get an epidural at any time, they usually start offering it when you get uncomfortable or when you are at about three centimeters. Unlike what I and what I assume most people think, the epidural never wears off. It's a continuous pump of medicine that they can turn up or down or even off. Which they eventually do when it's time to push. So in my head, I wanted to save the good stuff for the end because I thought that was when I would need it the most. Stupid me.
I took the fentynol. Which was MAGICAL. I went from zero to drunk in about two seconds. One second I'm in some unreal pain, the next I'm showing the nurses pictures of my cats on my cell phone and telling them stories about my awesome Bengals.
The fentynol lasted about an hour or two, I don't really remember. They kept telling me to rest and get some sleep. My Mom didn't need to be told twice:

I however was too amped up and excited to sleep, so mostly I just laid there and felt the drugs wear off.
Now I'm silly, instead of just calling the nurses to bring me more drugs or schedule my epidural, I just laid there and waited for their next check in of me, which were about two hours apart.
Again, when they came in, I took another round of fentynol, thinking the same effect would happen. In my head I was like, "Maybe I can just do this all on the fentynol!" The second hit of fentynol was nowhere close to the first.
Things got bad. At five I gave in and told them to call the epidural giver. And that's where I'll pick up next time because Birdie beckons me with her screams right now...
Here are some more pictures:





Love (to actually finish this story one day),
Carrie

The tumultuous entrance of Miss Evelynn Ann

I'm waiting for the Sarpy County lactation nurse specialist lady to come visit me and teach me how to breastfeed my baby, since, the one complaint I have about UNMC is their lactation department blows. Methodist hospital in Omaha has the best reputation, but I met the Sarpy County nurse when we went to get our H1N1 shots and she was super nice. Also she is free, which is a big deal when you aren't bringing in any income, but your kid is afraid of pooping and will only poop in the expensive diapers. (Much to her father's chagrin)
So I will type as long as I can and as long as she will let me and then I will try to come back and fill you in more on what we have missed since we have been apart.
So...here is the story of the tumultuous entrance of Miss Evelynn Ann:

Everyone remembers that Monday, March 1st, I slipped on a patch of ice walking into work (my first time at work in over a week) and landed flat on my stomach, right on top of Evelynn. I promptly had a complete meltdown and spent the next hour calling the nurses line, calling my husband and family, fighting off my work's call an ambulance policy, and then being rushed to the hospital by my awesome co-worker Mel. Seth met us at the door of the hospital with the world's biggest wheelchair and forced me to ride in it even though I could walk just fine and the giant butt wheelchair was super embarrassing. When I got to Labor and Delivery, I spent the next four hours being monitored at the hospital. While there, the nice nurse went ahead and got all my admittance questions and paperwork started for when I did actually deliver. I had a couple of mild contractions, nothing new. Med students came in and told me that because my blood pressure wouldn't go down, they were going to send someone in to take my blood and run some blood work on me. They sent in a big black lady who looked uber scary. I asked her if she was good at her job because I was afraid of needles and she shrugged her shoulders and said "I dunno" Seriously. That happened. I looked at Seth with giant eyes and he kissed my hand and told me to look at him. On the bright side, she was good at her job, but honestly, her response could have been more reassuring. We got the blood work back and it was decided that I would spend the next 24 hours peeing in a jug to see if my urine had protein in it. I went home and was put on bed rest until I was done peeing in a jug.
At first peeing in a jug seems like cake. They give you this thing called a "hat" that you put in the toilet and you just pour your pee into the hat when you are done. But it's not that fun. You have to keep your jug-o-pee in the refrigerator. It has to be cool at all times. Also you have to wash your hat out after every use. Pregnant ladies pee a lot. So in the middle of the night, I would have to trudge out to the kitchen, get my jug-o-pee and hat and go the bathroom, go back to the kitchen, wash the hat and put the jug away and then sanitize the sink. Also no one laid out the rules of the pee, like what do I do when I have to poop? I pee when I poop, but I really was not about to poop in the hat and strain the pee. No thanks. I skipped the pooping pee.
Two jug-o-pee's later, I called my brother and had him take me to UNMC to drop off my pee. Of course the lady who took my pee was the same lady from the blood draw the day before. She couldn't believe that I remembered her. I really wanted to tell her you don't tend to forget someone who scares the willies out of you.
They told me they would have the results to my doctor in 24 hours, which I've learned, usually means I will find out what's going on by my next appointment. Jesse and I decided to go get some Pepperjax. I ate the biggest burrito ever that day, the lady was super generous with my toppings. I was pretty excited and didn't even finish the whole thing. Jesse took me to pick up some prescriptions I had waiting and then dropped me off at home. I settled in on the couch when Seth called and asked me to call the doctor's office and make sure they sent in their part of the paperwork for his FMLA. I called the office but got the nurses line answering machine. I left a message. Around 3 o'clock I got a phone call from the office, assuming that it was the nurses calling me back, I answered. It was my doctor. I thought, this is weird, she's the one calling me for FMLA, she never calls me. Dr. Karen says "Alright sweetie, you ready to have a baby today?" I say "Um, no." Dr. Karen says, "Too bad! You have pre-eclampsia and it is dangerous for you to keep going so pack your bags and get in here so we can induce you!" I said okay and hung up the phone and started bawling. I called Seth, and he became headless and said he would be home soon. I called my Dad, my Mom, Pam, and Kathy. I then updated the world of facebook. I started packing up the car. I cleaned the house. I fed the cats and gave them lots of water. All while bawling hysterically. See I was scared. Everyone I talked to said if anything, avoid being induced because labor was 100 times worse if you were induced. So I was FREAKING OUT. Not only was I terrified of going into labor, I was heading into the worst kind of labor.
Seth showed up what seemed to be hours later and we headed to the hospital. We got there at about five o'clock. When we signed in the nurses station, the receptionist shouted over her shoulder, "SHE'S HERE!" and from the back of the nurses station a woman goes "FINALLY, JESUS I WAS WAITING FOREVER!" I instantly bristled. Around the corner comes a bright happy face. Her name was Kim. I would fall in love with Kim. Kim got my jokes, made me laugh and even wrote this on my information board after I made jokes about it:


We got all set up and I got all strapped in. My parents headed in. They didn't get there until about 7:30. They brought my brother. We all decided that we are unusually close for a family through all of this. My family stayed in the room while I was being checked, they hung around when I was breastfeeding (or at least trying to) but as weird as we thought everyone might think it is, it was actually really comforting.
Anyway so I got all strapped in. See here:

They put a medicine inside of me on my cervix, it was a little pill that I can't remember the name of to hopefully help soften it and thin it out and open it up. They did that three times I think. They also let me eat some delicious hospital food (no seriously, it was super good) and then they started a magnesium drip. Kim the awesome nurse put in my IV which I was terrified of, but she did such an awesome job. Once i got the magnesium drip, I wasn't allowed to get up anymore. My dad and brother went home, my Mom and Seth stayed. The nurses changed shifts, Kim said she would be back in the morning and I wasn't allowed to have the baby without her. Shannon and her nursing student came on. Shannon was equally awesome. Shannon gave me drugs. The contractions started happening around 11. At first, as you might imagine, they weren't bad at all. I was handling them. I was laughing through them. I was making hilarious jokes while Seth was being serious and trying to establish a repertoire of breathing.
But then it started to get painful. My whole body felt like it was a giant cramp. Breathing wasn't really helping. Shannon came in and was like, do you want some fentanyol? And I was like, hell yes. Actually she was like, do you want your epidural or the fentanyol? And I thought well no, I want the epidural to last thru the whole labor!!

Okay the nurse is here! More later!

Love (getting a chance to blog),
Carrie

Darling readers

I miss you.
If Evelynn ever got on a normal sleep schedule, I would write you mountains about motherhood.
So far this is all I can give you...





Love (to sleep normally again),
Carrie

Maternity Blog leave

So while my husband is on Paternity leave and I'm on Maternity leave, my husband actually still has to work from home, which means he's taken over the only computer worth using in the house. Today I handed him a baby with a bombed out diaper and then gave him a bottle so he is distracted long enough for me to come on and tell you in an ominous voice, I will be back. Until then please enjoy these photo's of my 9 day old girl...





Love (everything about her),
Carrie

Oh how we have all changed

Hi blog world! I'm still here but we are working really hard to get into a rhythm with the darling Miss Evelynn Ann. And it is tough. She has her days and nights mixed up and last night or I guess still right now, she refuses to sleep laying on her back, she will only sleep while laying on my chest. We meet with her awesome pediatrician today at 1:30.
Being in the NICU for a couple of days means we have to be extra careful with her!
I can't even begin to tell you how much she has changed my life. How much harder I love things now, her especially.
I really miss sleep though.
As soon as we get in a better pattern I promise that we will tell you her labor story and keep you up on everything you've missed.
Until then, here is a new picture of her!
Love (Lady Evelynn),
Carrie

Ladies and Gentleman

Miss Evelynn Ann Hellbusch, born March 3rd, 2010 at 10 am, meet the world:

She is in the NICU and it's a SUPER long story, but for now I need some sleep and rest! I just thought I'd show you our little bird!
Love (her more than I knew I could),
Carrie

Whitehead Files for District 14 Legislative Seat

For Immediate Release Contact: 402-616-0419

Whitehead Files for District 14

Legislative Seat

PAPILLION - Teresa Whitehead of Papillion announced her candidacy for Nebraska's District 14 Legislative seat today. Whitehead, a retired US Army Lieutenant Colonel, currently serves as an analyst at U.S. Strategic Command.

Whitehead, age 48, was born in Lincoln and raised in Palmyra, NE. She is a Distinguished Military Graduate from the University of Nebraska - Lincoln where she earned a Bachelor's of Science in Secondary Education. She received her Master's Degree in Human Services and Human Resource Education from Boston University.

Whitehead served as a military intelligence officer and was assigned to the Allied Command Europe Counterintelligence Group in Belgium. She deployed as the Deputy Commander of the U.S. National Intelligence Cell as part of the Stabilization Force in Bosnia.

Whitehead returned to her native Nebraska in 1999 to serve at USSTRATCOM , Offutt Air Force Base. Following this assignment, she headed the Army ROTC Department as the Professor of Military Science at Creighton University. She retired from the US Army in 2006.

Whitehead said she is running for the Nebraska Legislature because she wants to extend her national service to the state and local level.

"I believe my unique experience will allow me to effectively serve Legislative District 14," Whitehead said. "I look forward to providing leadership in the Legislature to help address the challenges facing the citizens of my home district and the State of Nebraska. "

Whitehead said she is excited to hear from District 14 citizens during this campaign and is eager to discuss the issues important to them. Whitehead said she is particularly interested in improving education, growing the economy, assisting small businesses, reducing property taxes and strengthening neighborhoods.

Whitehead is married to Bruce Whitehead, formerly of Syracuse, NE. Bruce owns and operates his own remodeling and repair business in Papillion. Teresa and Bruce have two grown children. Their daughter Carrie and son-in-law Seth live in Omaha, and their son Jesse is a student at Bellevue University.

Whitehead is an active member of St. Paul's United Methodist Church in Papillion.

That's my Momma!!

I have lots to tell you all about this and my fall I took today on a patch of ice and my trip to the hospital because I fell right on my stomach, and my possible preeclamsia, but for now I am peeing in a jug and resting. Maybe tomorrow.

Love (my Momma),

Carrie