Abel Kenneth- 3 months old
My baby is three months old today! Abel is so much fun to have around, and I wake up each day so thankful for his precious life. So thankful as well, for the Lord's guidance and protection as I brought him into this world.
We moved him to his own room a few nights ago... not a choice I was too excited about, but I guess it's for the best! Reed has been using the computer more often, and will continue to do so, for his new job. I also had really wanted to get back to blogging. Unfortunately the computer set up right next to the crib, and typing wakes Abel up! We figured it would make more sense to move the crib into the nursery rather than the computer desk :)
I wanted to take the time to finally write down Abel's birth story. At the time, I was in so much pain and on some crazy medication, so I already don't remember all the details. But I'll do my best! Here's part one:
The beginning of the week before Abel was born, I began to feel strange, most noticeably I had a strange ache in my shoulder. I thought I might have caught a bug from one of the kids I babysat for, so I took off of work for a few days. I had a scheduled non stress test (I had these 2x a week in the last few months, to check the baby's wellbeing) on Tuesday, and the baby was fine. My blood pressure was elevated, but because my shoulder had started aching a lot, the doctor thought it was high because I was in pain. By Wednesday, I was nauseous, headache-y, and had this dull ache in my abdomen. It was our 3rd wedding anniversary, though, so I cooked an awesome dinner and told myself to enjoy it! After dinner, Reed and I went to church that night to teach in the kids program. After class was officially over, I slipped out of my room into Reed's class, trying to hide my tears. I felt like I was going to collapse from exhaustion and get sick-- and I just wanted to be home. I remember changing my Facebook status to something like, "It's terrible to have the stomach flu in the third trimester" and I remember thinking, "My morning sickness just quit a few weeks ago, and now I've got this yucky bug."
I don't think I slept well that night, and the pain in my abdomen was more pronounced when I woke up. The shoulder ache was still there, too. I had another scheduled non stress test on Thursday, and I told my doctor about my pain. The baby looked good, though my blood pressure was high again, my doctor again decided it was because of the pain. He said it sounded like I had the stomach flu, but before I left, he told me to come back if anything changed. By that evening I was glued to the couch, only getting up to throw up. The pain in my stomach had become so intense, I couldn't think straight. I remember sobbing when Reed left for work because I didn't want to be left alone. I'm pretty sure I was crying when he came home hours later. We didn't sleep that night.
Friday morning brought more pain. I kept forcing myself to take a hot shower, convincing myself that the heat would somehow help my throbbing shoulder and the knives in my abdomen. Reed even bought me icy-hot to rub on my shoulder, thinking it might be muscular. By that afternoon, Reed said we had to go to the emergency room and I begged to go to my OB instead. By this point, I was thinking I might not have the stomach flu, and wasn't surprised when the doc drew blood to 'check on something.' He said he would call with the results the next day, but to go straight to labor and delivery at the hospital if I felt any worse- my doc was the doctor on call that weekend. Again, we didn't sleep that night.
The next day (Saturday) around noon, Reed was getting ready to go to work when my phone rang. It was my doctor, calling with my results. "Your liver enzymes are high, meet me at the hospital now." I told Reed he wasn't going to work as I staggered into our room to find some presentable clothes. The awesome people he works with covered his shift- and many shifts after- and I am so thankful to them. I called my mom and my dear friend Abigail as we drove to the hospital, telling them the little I knew.
As we drove through Lynchburg, I remember confessing to Reed that I hoped they would knock me out when I got to the hospital, take the baby, and fix whatever was wrong with me. It hurt so much, I just wanted it to be over.
