Living with a Preemie – Part 3
I was in a sort of disbelief. How could they want to take the baby when all the tests were coming back with rave reviews? One of the tests they did twice a week was an ultra sound that used some sort of doppler technology to monitor the blood flow in the umbilical cord. This being one of those days they notice the blood flow not going in and out as is normal. The blood was going in but not coming back out. This was one of the key flags that the doctors were looking for from the beginning. I told Sue I’d be on my way once I called my mom.
My mom was at work but got clearance to leave because of the situation. At least, I think she got clearance. “Mom, any chance of you getting out of work early?”, I asked. “Why?” she responded with a hint of panic. “They are going to take the baby in a few hours.”, was my reply. “Oh no! Is something wrong? Ok!”, she said with more hints of panic. I had to calm her down over the phone as the panic was starting to swell. “They are not going to take the baby for another 4 hours so we will get there in time. Just calm down and lets drive down.”, I said a bit surprised at my repose.
About a half hour after I hung up the phone and popped a Pepcid we were on our way down to the hospital. My main anxiety is traveling and I found that Pepcid keeps the nervous stomach acid from adding to my stress. It’s easier to deal with the mental games when you do not have to also contend with an upset stomach. The trip down to the hospital went by without a hitch and we were at the bed side in just under two hours. Sue was a complete trooper and did not show any panic or nervousness when we came in.
A nurse came in a few minutes after we arrived stating we will be going in in an hour and she will bring the necessary operating room garb for us. This is my third venture into the operating room to be with Sue while the baby was delivered and it was not any easier than the first. All three times I made it clear that I will not be seeing the baby extracted from Sue’s stomach unless they want to have the additional trouble of reviving a father who passed out on the floor. When our second was born I was able to see him very soon after he was removed and took a peek at what was going on on the other side of the curtain. It was a bit too messy for me to make heads or tails of anything so I was safe.
After some small talk and a quick prayer it was go time. We both slipped into our O.R. clothing, Sue was placed on a gurney and we began our journey down to the delivery rooms. There was a well used comfortable chair positioned outside of the main door to the operating rooms and I was told to sit there until they prepped Sue for the delivery. “We’ll be back in about twenty minutes.”, the one doctor exclaimed. So there I sat with my bluish green clothing and my thoughts. A lot of things went through my mind as nurses and doctors passed by busily looking at tomes of papers or their smartphones. One minute I was rehearsing what was going to happen in my mind, the next I was trying to get my mind off of what was going to happen. I think I was skating the fine line of insanity.
About a half hour later a nurse opened the main doors and told me it’s time to go in. I left my comfortable chair and began the walk passing a number of other operating rooms. We got to the door and I was ushered inside. There was a small stainless steel stool next to my wife on the “safe” side of a curtain that went up from her shoulders. Sue was laying there on the table with her arms straight out from both sides. There was an oxygen tube in her nose and little sensors placed on her arms and chest. She looked like her nerves were starting to get the best of her. When you see someone in that position and uncertainty in their eyes you know your job is to try to keep them from their own minds. That is a much more difficult job than you would think.
The Wizard's interests include programming web features in Flash and JQuery, spending time with my family, playing with gadgets and finding deals online.
