Lucas Kaimana

Do I look excited or nervous?

I took this just before leaving for the hospital.

Getting prepped for surgery. 

It was a bit strange knowing when Luke was going to be born weeks in advance.  Boy was it nice to be able to plan things out!  I had a set plan for 2 days, and back up plans for 4 in the event that we weren't home from the hospital yet.  Hello, I'm young and healthy and this was a planned c-section.  I was certain 2 days would be ample.  I have to say I have amazing friends that all wanted to help.  My kids weren't sad at all that I'd be gone for a few days.  They were excited for all the play dates and sleep overs.

Sunday night, I packed myself and the kiddos and had Jared paint my toe nails. (very important).  He did an awesome job by the way.  The kids left for school the next morning.  Jared mowed the lawn.  I cleaned my bathrooms and mopped by floors and cleaned some blinds.  Yeah, I was pretty much sweating by the time Jared arrived home to pick me up.  We said a prayer together before heading out the door to the hospital.

We arrived 2 hours before the surgery.  We calmly walked back to triage and I asked Jared if this is where I'd come for Jake.  Nothing looked at all familiar.  He walked me through Jake's birth - definitely a different experience this time around.  I'll actually remember the rooms I was in this time!

I met with my doctor, the resident, and my anesthesiologist.  We went over my x-rays from my back surgery and he was confident everything would be just fine.  Jared had actually asked that anesthesiologist to do my surgery.  He's known for being one of the best.  He changed the schedule and made that happen.  We joked around, got my I.V. started and then walked back to the O.R.

The doctors and I left Jared and I went into the O.R. to get my spinal and get prepped for surgery.  Uh, not fun to be prepped while being awake.  Jared personally knew most of the people in the O.R. all the way down to the scrub tech and I was stretched out on the tiny O.R. table with bright lights shining, naked as they washed me down and started my Foley catheter.  I know this is everyday work for them, but I was quite embarrassed.

The Anesthesiologist had me sit on the table to get my Spinal started.  As he was going in he asked me to tell him if I felt any twinges.  I told him I did in my left leg.  He adjusted until I thought it was gone.  Once I was on the table, they started pinching my belly.  It started to be less sharp on my left side but my right still had plenty of sensation.  Finally, the anesthesiologist told them to drape me and they brought Jared in to hold my hand.  They sliced me open and then started pulling Luke out - the problem was that I wasn't numb.  I started crying out and trying my hardest to not move - but I'm pretty sure I didn't do a very good job with that.  My doctor was pulling and pushing to get Luke out.  Luke was kicking and struggling, not wanting to come out and then the doctor and resident both basically got on top of me to push out the placenta.  I was freaking out!  The anesthesiologist quickly poured some propofol into my I.V. Luckily, it's a fast acting drug so that by the time they started sewing me up, I was out.  I don't know if it was a combination of the struggle and a bit of bad luck, but I ended up hemorrhaging as well - they estimated about a liter of blood was lost.  I finally came to in the recovery room where my in-laws, Miki, Jared, and doctors were waiting.  I started crying and don't think I stopped crying all day.  It was traumatic and scary. The anesthesiologist apologized and possible explanation were given. Really, I was just glad it was over.  The pain was short lived and I didn't want to think about it. I really wished my parents were there - my last surgery had been when I was 19 and had major back surgery.  I think all of those memories came flooding back with this experience.  Anyway, I was a wreck.  On top of that, with all the blood loss I was incredibly weak.  I couldn't even stand up that first day.  They were pumped me full of I.V. fluids to try to build me back up for the next couple of days and then started me on iron supplements.

Needless to say, I ended up staying in the hospital for 4 days instead of 2.

Look at those side burns!

Jake calls Luke "My baby"

Luke came out with a head full of dark hair (he even has side burns!) and is super calm.  He was my biggest baby, weighing in at 6 pounds 14 ounces and 19 inches long.  Marley was 5lbs 13 oz and Jake was 6 lbs. He was back up to his birth weight before we left the hospital and had already gained an ounce at his first doctor appointment the day we got out.  He's a good eater!

My nurses were so amazing and never made me feel bad that I couldn't change Luke's diaper or wrap him back up in his blanket.  They offered to take him into the nursery at night so I could get solid sleep and did everything they could to make sure I was well taken care of.  The room we were initially put in had a horrible cot for Jared to sleep on so the next day they moved us to a room with a nicer bed for Jared.  Thank you to good nurses.  They really make a big difference.

So glad that is over.  So thankful to have Luke here.  I'm in love with this little man.

 Dr. Mayer.  I love my doctor!

 The whole family - Family of 5!

Jake loved that daddy took a time off work. He's a true daddy's boy.