Getting Emily Here

Finally we had the day scheduled.  We needed to be at the hospital at 5 am to begin the preparation for the c-section.  Knowing that I am a hard stick I told the nurse right away that they have trouble getting an IV in my veins.  Of course she tried twice anyway blowing my best vein.  She called the anesthesiologist and he proceeded to poke 4 times until he finally relented and I ended up with an IV in my wrist just below my thumb.  Off to the surgery room, where I was prepped to receive a spinal.  A new anesthesiologist who just started his shift begins the process.  After 55 minutes of trying to get the spinal block in place, with zings and zaps going down my legs the whole time they still could not get it placed even with the assistance with a second anesthesiologist, we decided that general was going to have to be used.  So out I went to sleep and out Emily came of my belly.  I missed a few of the first moments of her life, but she got here safe and sound.  Joe was there to take care of our baby girl and I soon woke up.  She was beautiful!  She had scores of 9 and I couldn't have been happier.  I felt great after too and had no issues with my blood pressure dropping low like I have had with the spinals.  They put me on a pain pump, and that was fantastic because I could push the button whenever I needed more medicine without having to call the nurse.   After recovering for an hour our boys and Grandma and Grandpa Fredericks were able to join us and get to meet Emily.  The nurses continued to come in frequently and after brothers and Grandma and Grandpa had left we became aware that I had lost more blood then normal and that is why they were coming in so often to check everything.  They saying how pale I looked and how pale my lips were and pushing the fluids.  Joe was fantastic and was a great Daddy and water boy, getting multiple cups of ice for me all day.  In fact Joe has always been great when our babies are born.  He always is on diaper duty the first few days, he works hard to keep me comfortable, I really don't know what I would do without him.  My sister Angie and her kids came to visit and to meet baby Emily as well.

Here are a few pictures of what I missed while I was sleeping, as well as a few more pictures of Emily.