Best of the alternatives

The 24hrs of July 4th-5th are hazy.  What started as a laid back holiday and mini picnic in the room obviously ended with quite a bang!  And the main thing is that Will is here, and doing well for being born at just 32 weeks.

I am also so thankful that all the planning for "worst case scenario" was in place but ultimately not needed.  It made for a crowded OR ~ Chris counted 23 people in the room at one point ~ but fortunately we could say "thanks but no thanks" to a number of them.  So of all the ways this delivery could have gone, other than early it really went the best way possible.  I was able to have just the spinal anesthesia instead of needing general and being completely out; it was important to me that I be emotionally and mentally present for everything going on.  They did do a larger vertical incision (instead of the common low horizontal one) at the request of the Gyn-Onc team; this was part of the "just in case" process that if I would have needed an emergency hysterectomy as well would have given the best/fastest access.

My blood pressure was low at baseline, so didn't have a lot of room to move but was being monitored closely.  I got terribly nauseous several times from the low pressures, medications and all the "sensations" of the procedure itself.  For not being able to feel pain, it was the most uncomfortable yet indescribable feeling.  They warn that you'll feel "pressure" or "tugging."  I'm not sure what I felt but it was something!  I was tempted to watch a few times since I could see everything reflected in one of the lights if I wanted to, but decided against that for the most part.  Although I may have watched more than Chris did ~ we haven't clarified that yet!

More importantly the placenta delivered as normally as could be expected.  The entire surgery of course had some urgency besides the bleeding from the previa, the rest of my placenta lay anterior so had to be cut through to get to Will.  This puts a time crunch on getting him out since his lifeline is cut just to get to him.  Although I have gotten pretty anemic no transfusions needed, just some good makeup tricks to put some color back in my complexion.  I'm still waiting for pathology results on the placenta but my OB said everything looked normal.  They were great about updating me over the curtain as things were happening.  I know that when things get too quiet it means there might be trouble, so the updates were reassuring.

Now it is on to recovery, which I am actively learning required more than I anticipated!