They said, I'll know it when it's time. That I'll be able to distinguish the pain and know that labor is coming or has already started. That I'll know I have to be in the hospital soon. That the pain would be the most I'll experience.
Well, they are right.
Saturday, August 24, 2013:
I was in bed beside my husband when I feel some weird pain in my loins. The pain woke me up, but I thought it was a dream since after it, I fell asleep right away. But after
sometime, it will happen again... Pain, woke up, back to sleep. So when I saw in our terrace that it already morning, maybe around 5am, I just waited for the pain to come back. When it did, I thought
baka naiihi lang ako. I went to the bathroom and saw blood on my underwear, same as last time when I was at 2cm. I grab my phone and lay beside Phil again. I waited for the pain again and marked the time interval between each
pain. He woke up (not sure if he went to the bathroom) and ask me 'may
masakit sayo?' and I answered 'Wala, Ok
lang ako' (since I'm not sure what is happening). Dr. Joy told me that when I counted 6 contractions within an hour, I have to go back to the hospital already. But I don't know how a contraction actually feels. She said, I'll be able to tell. And I know, that the 'pains' are already contractions. After an hour, I counted 7 contractions with 8-15 minute interval. I quickly brewed his coffee and heated 2 Bibingkinitans for him (I should not eat or drink anything when I know I'll go to the hospital) then I took a shower. I prepared his medicines, then packed some more stuff to our hospital bag. I am ready to go, but I have to wake Phil up first.
I went to our bed, kissed him around his face like I always do and slowly blow on his ears. He asked me what time it is, I said 7:30 (but it was just 7:20 when I checked the clock after). He said '30 minutes pa.' So I told him
na, 'Kailangan
na ata nating bumalik sa hospital'. Then I told him,
masakit sa puson and that I've been counting intervals.
He had his breakfast and took a bath. While I was texting my OB telling her that I have contractions and asking her if I should go straight to the labor room or wait for her clinic to open at 9am. She said, since the interval is 8-15 minutes pa, I can still wait for her in the clinic so she'll be the one to check me. She said she'll just finish her lecture to her students.
At around 8:15am, we were outside her clinic already. I was still counting contractions. And when the pain struck, I was like '
pusang hindi mapakali'. I want to keep moving
on my seat to find a comfortable position, but nothing helps. Between contractions I was able to smile and joke with Phil. We took pictures too. Our last pictures as 'just the two of us' and last pictures of
baby in my tummy.
Doc Joy arrived at around 9:30, and she even joked that since I can still smile,
matagal pa
ako.
Esmie, her assistant, measured my blood pressure and weight. I weigh 178 pounds (I was at 169 pounds during our very first checkup last January). While my blood pressure was a bit high at 120/90 (My
bp is usually at 110/80).
They asked me to remove my pants and underwear for the IE (internal exam). Doc Joy said my cervical dilation is at 5cm and that I can be admitted already. She even told me that the head of my baby is lower now as compared to last week's position. She asked us what pain relief medication we prefer, and we chose Twilight over the painless Epidural. She gave me instructions and joked that I should kiss and hug Phil before I go in, because I won't be out until after the baby is born.
We went to the entrance of the labor room, we kissed and hugged and said I love you. Then I went in.
I gave the admitting form to the nurse, told them I'm at 5cm and was escorted to a room. They checked my contraction, counted the interval, took my blood pressure, and did an IE. Since I was interviewed by the OBs there already (when we had a false alarm) they did not interview me anymore, but the pediatric section doctor did some interview.
They gave me Fleet Enema as a suppository, and the nurse (not sure if she's a nurse) shaved my pubic hair (Huh! The contraction covered the embarrassment!). She asked me if I have a camera, I just told her to ask my husband.
I was transferred to the Labor room, where there is a belt-like apparatus (similar to the ones they use for BPS) that monitors the baby. They attached the Dextrose to my right arm. Then they asked me to drink 1.5 tablets of a certain medicine that has a sedative effect. Dr.
Pia, gave me a pin that I have to press every time the baby moves. There was a time that the baby fell asleep, so Dr.
Pia ring a bell and even played Katy Perry's 'Last Friday Night' to wake her up. Then, I fell asleep.
From there, everything was a blur. I'm not sure of the sequence of events. I am not aware of the time. But well, here are some episodes that I can remember...
- I woke up and just said repeatedly 'Ang sakit'. The pain from the contraction is much much more intense.
- I heard 2 male voices. One of them lifted me from the bed in the labor room to a stretcher. I opened my eyes and saw the delivery room. I can only remember that there is bed, big spotlights, an oxygen tank and some curtains. The guy lifted me to the small bed in the delivery room.
- I keep on saying 'masakit', and I heard Dr. Pia said 'Sandali na lang' or sometimes, 'Wait lang'.
- I heard someone asked where Dr. Kayaban (Joy) is. Someone answered, 'Kumakain pa.' It was again asked, and someone answered 'Nagbibihis na.'
- I remember trying to lie on my side.
- I told them, 'naiihi na ako'. They lifted me and put a cold thing (a bed pan?) under my hips. Nothing comes out. I said it again after a few minutes, they did nothing. I remember the long flow of water from me to the bed, 2 times. I guess that's my water breaking.
- I remember them holding my feet, I was a bit malikot due to pain.
- Someone attached an oxygen supply on my nose.
- I heard Dr. Joy said that I should wait for her to say push to do my first push.
- Dr. Joy said I should push as if 'natatae'.
- Someone injected something on my right arm.
- Dr. Joy said, 'RA, push'.
- Dr. Joy said, I can hold on my knees when I push (instead of some handle).
- I remember about 4 or 5 pushes.
- Dr. Joy told me to push without sound. I was making an 'eeeeeee' sound.
- I remember pushing without them telling me to push. And pushing without sound.
- I remember that push that finally delivered my baby. I know it was her. I felt so happy. Then I heard her cry. Then a few lighter pains and I know I delivered my placenta already. I remember them putting my baby on my chest. I opened my eyes, saw her, but for some weird reason, I cannot touch her, my arms are so heavy.
- I remember being carried in a stretcher again.
- I remember waking up, asked the nurse what time it is, she said 5 something.
- I keep on sleeping. And will wake up when someone checked my BP or put a pressure on my stomach.
- I remember someone putting pressure on my stomach and checking my BP.
- Someone removed something in my vaginal area (maybe a catheter), she instructed me to to take a deep breath.
- Someone removed something in my right arm and instructed me to take a deep breath.
- Someone is lying on another stretcher beside me. A female, and I wondered if she gave birth as well.
- Someone said, Dr. Joy will check with me first before they release me.
- A guy pushed the stretcher to a lobby, and I read the sign 'Recovery Room' from the door where we came from.
- Someone checked my VP. Dr. Pia called Dr. Joy and told her my BP was stable and that I am awake.
- I heard Phil's voice asking when I'll be released.
- They carted the stretcher to the door. I saw Phil and felt so happy, I really wanted to cry there and then. I want to kiss and hug him tight, but I was not able to. He kissed my head though. I saw Ada and ate Grace too!
Moments after I was
trasferred to our room (
nanay was there), a nurse asked if she could bring the baby to our room already, we said yes. We really really loved to see our angel.
(
link to my blog:
Hello Purple Raine Sale Zuniga!)
We stayed until Monday morning.
Kizy, Casey, Phil's parents and siblings, Kuya Leng, the Cariagas visited us. :)
And our total bill reached
Php 56,000.00.
