Go time!

Chris and I rush to the hospital and they check for amniotic fluid...it was positive.  So, I am admitted to BSA immediately and placed on magnesium (to hopefully stop the contractions, which are about 8 minutes apart by this time.)  Let me tell you about magnesium.....its great for the baby's brain and preventing brain bleeds after premature birth, and it can help slow down labor.  However, its horrible for Mom to endure the side effects of this medicine.  However, whatever I had to do to protect Slate, I would do.  So, we endure 24 hours of magnesium together and although I froze Mom and Chris out of my room, we all made it out alive.  Slate Fynn was about to make his debut.  It was only a matter of time and the NICU team began setting up shot in our delivery room.  Dr. Harvey, the Neonatologist, came in to deliver the "down low" on having a 28 weaker.  Amongst other things, he informed us that he and his team needed 2 hours with Slate after delivery.  He advised Chris that he would walk down to the NICU with the team after Slate was born, sign all the necessary consent forms and then be escorted back to our room.  We had to wait a llllooooonnnnggg 2 hours before we would get to see our baby again post partum.  NOT the idea we had in mind when we began this journey.  Here are a few photos before and after delivery.  Tough times and super hard to see again. However, I'm so grateful for my Mom capturing these moments so we can remember this miraculous time.

This is just before "go time."  It was our last picture as a kidless couple.

Praise the Lord for research and medicine.  This is Slate getting his dose of Surfactant.  Surfactant basically helps the underdeveloped lungs go from a "cardboard-like" state to a "spongy (normal)" condition.  This allows Slate to breathe much easier.  

Surfactant still going in

Intubated

Wrapped up in his plastic bag (helps keep him warm), intubated, and ready to go to the NICU. 

FIRST FAMILY of 3 PHOTO!

Excuse the half butt shot in this photo...it was the only family picture we got to take for the first four days of Slate's life.  

Off to the NICU!

Reality check and 2nd visit

Dr. Chastain requested I see him again on June 18th for another cervical check.  I had both doses of Celestone at this point so we were praying Slate's lungs were being developed quicker than normal thanks to the steroids.  Upon this exam, we were given more bad news.....my membranes were bulging.  This means, basically, my water was ready to break at any moment.  Dr. Chastain recommended hospital bed rest.  I refused.  First of all, I'm already a germaphobe.  Second of all, my husband had my feet above me head and had altered our couch and bed to accommodate this position in order to keep any and all pressure off of my cervix in hopes of keeping Slate in utero for as along as possible.  I was NOT going to sit in the hospital on bed rest, with increased risk of infection if I could prevent it.  So, I told Dr. Chastain I was go straight back home and continue the Trendenlenburg position until my head exploded from the blood rushing to it.  He consented and we went home.  Chris was a fabulous nurse.  He cooked, cleaned, picked up the house, and made sure I was comfortable.  My fabulous friends and family provided lunches, magazine, visits, and support.  I will never be able to repay them or will I forget what they did for us.  That night, I opted to sleep on the couch again.  I actually slept well that night, which was far different than my previous nights on bed rest.  I was worried sick about this precious baby in my tummy.  He had recently begun to have hiccups in utero and it was the most amazing feeling I've ever had.  The next morning, I woke up with the urge to go to the restroom.  Chris had slept in the chair beside me that night (for some weird reason).  So, I asked him if he was awake.  With no answer, I cautiously and slowly got up off the couch and realized that something wasn't right.  I cautiously and quickly ran to the restroom and screamed for Chris.  My water had broke.  Crap.  I initially thought it might be something else (those that have been pregnant know what I'm talking about......maybe I peed myself?)  I wish it would've been the latter.  I called Dr. Chastain from the restroom, told him the news, and he demanded I get to the hospital ASAP.  Reality is setting in.  We are about to have a baby...I'm barely 28 weeks.  Shit.

June 14, 2013

It was Friday.  I was off work, packed, and ready to head to OKC to spend the weekend with Mom, Dad, and Emily.  Emily was driving up from College Station for the weekend and we planned a weekend full of shopping and hanging out.  I had a doctors appointment with Dr. Chastain (my OB/Gyn) that morning and was headed out straight from there.  Chris didn't come to this appointment because it was a normal checkup and was in the middle of "busy season."  Being married to a farmer has taught me patience and understanding like no other.  He's the hardest worker I know, besides my own Dad.  Probably the biggest reason I love him.   So, upon my examination with Dr. Chastain, it was discovered that my cervix was open.  Disclaimer:  do not read the following few sentences if you are weirded out by medical stuff.  Dr. Chastain is a firm believed in doing cervical exams at each appointment to check your uterus and cervix. I will forever be grateful to this man for doing these exams.  It is NOT protocol to complete these at each and every appointment.  Praise GOD he did.  He saved Slate's life.  After the painful exam (which hadn't been painful in past appointments), he delivered the worst news of my life.  "Mandie, I have bad news....your cervix is open and you have to go straight to bed."  Wait, what????  I have had a phenomenal pregnancy thus far.  I haven't been sick, I'm healthy, I'm still doing the things I did prior to pregnancy.  How could this be?  I can't go to bed, I can't sit still for more than 5 minutes!!!!  I have a practice to take care of and patients and employees that depend on me.  I have a lawn to mow (its my therapy, don't judge).  I have a nursery to prepare for this baby.  You have lost your mind, Dr. Chastain!!!!  Well, that all came to an abrupt and complete stop.  He ordered me to COMPLETE  bed rest.  I was to go straight to the hospital for our first dose of Celestone (steroid shots for Slate's lungs) and then directly to bed.  He advised me he would check me again in 3 days.  Damn.  Damn.  Damn.  I was in disbelief.  I had to call my husband and tell him we were in trouble with our precious baby.  I had to tell my family I wouldn't be driving to OKC and that Slate was at a huge risk of being delivered too early.  I had to tell my work family that I would be MIA for an undisclosed amount of time and depend on them to take care of my patients.  Unbelievable.  So, I went to bed.  Ordered to drink LOTS of water, only get up to go to the restroom, take a BATH 1x/day, and put my feet above my head.  Awesome.  My sinuses will love this.  But, I did it.  Chris came home immediately after I called him with the news and we went straight to the hospital for our 1st of 2 steroid shots.  Mom and Emily hit the road and came quickly to help prepare me for the nursery and provide moral support.  My new life was on the couch, fearing for the unknown and livelihood of my unborn baby boy.

My 2 "sitters."  They made sure I didn't move from the couch.

Pregnancy cravings that Chris provided for me.  

To take our minds off things, I ordered the carseat and stroller while on bed rest.  Daddy assembling the new goods while I watched. 

Sweet Asher was serious about bed rest.  He laid on top of me for the entire week.

The pregnant life

After losing AJ, our family wasn't the same...it never will be. However, I dove into work and being pregnant. I tried to remain as healthy as possible with the stress that comes along with buying a practice and dealing with a traumatic event. I wasn't very good at documenting my pregnancy. I regret that. However, my memories of being pregnant were as follows. I HATED the smell of coffee (and anyone that knows me, knows I LOVE coffee.) Also, I despised the smell of eggs. Oh. My. Gosh. Those two things would send me into immediate dry heaves. My poor husband wasn't allowed to cook eggs or make coffee for a good 4 months. Sorry, honey! However, I was blessed to not have a whole lot of morning sickness. I had quite a bit of lower back pain and planters fasciitis. Working while prego wasn't terrible. I simply avoided nitrous oxide administration and radiographs. My precious friends, Lindley and Andrea were my saving grace when it came to "baby bump" photos. I took this picture in the bathroom at work due to their demand of a recent baby bump pic. Little did I know, it would be my last.

I was 26 weeks pregnant. Still crazy to think about.  How about that pink mask and bathroom selfie?? Ha!

January 2013

Happy New Year! Chris and I were both working and carrying on with our new "pregnant" life. We hadn't told anyone the news yet and we planned on keeping it that way until we were in the "safe zone." On January 15, our lives changed forever. My dear cousin, AJ, was taken from us far too soon. AJ was the closest thing I ever had to a brother. Lets just be honest, we gave each other hell as kids. We were both very ornery, strong-willed children and we loved to give each other a hard time. As we grew older and matured, AJ became one of my best friends. When I made the move back to Amarillo from Dallas, I called AJ and asked his advice. I always knew he would be honest with me and he had no problem telling me when I was being a fool. Ha! It was one of my favorite things about him...he was honest. He was real. He was FUN. He was an old soul. He loved his wife and family. He was a badass musician. He was serious about his career. He loved with all of his being. Through the loss of AJ, I had to pretend that all was well with me...my only regret is not telling him about our little miracle that was on the way. Two weeks before he left us, we had a "phone date." Both of us were being very wimpy and we wanted to get together and have a couple of drinks (non-alcoholic for me) and talk. However, it was FREEZING outside and sleeting and neither one of us wanted to leave our warm homes, so we had a memorable conversation over the phone, and I withheld our news because I wanted to tell him in person. Well, that never happened. So, here's my rant for this post....tell the ones you love how much you love them and do it often. One thing AJ and I always did was tell each other we loved them. Thank goodness for that. He is now soaring with the Angels and playing phenomenal music in Heaven. I can't wait to see him again. We were blessed enough for AJ to attend our wedding in OKC and also play at our Wedding Party back in Amarillo. This is the last picture I got to take with my precious cousin. Cheers, AJ!

December 2012

Chris and I had been married a mere 2.5 months...life was good. Really good. Little did we know, our life as we knew it was about to be rocked like no other........we were pregnant! Yep. I opted for a pregnancy test one morning before work and HOLY MOLY! It was positive. I carried the weight of this news ALL day....I didn't want to tell Chris our big news over the phone, so I ran to Walgreens on my lunch break and purchased a card that read, "Spit Happens." Haha...it was the perfect card for the perfect surprise. I also included a little note that said, "You are going to be a Daddy!" He got home that evening, and we had plans to go eat dinner out that night. I met him at the front door and we got in pickup. I presented the card and 3 of the tests I had taken and he was just as shocked as I was. I think he read the card 3 times before he figured it out. However, we were both elated and couldn't believe that the good Lord had blessed us so quickly with a new addition to our family. We celebrated our big news over a delicious steak and I don't think either one of us stopped smiling the entire time we ate.

Yay for a blog!

I finally did it! I created a blog (with LOTS of help), but its done! I'm super excited to document our last year and half and be able to recall the hardest, yet most rewarding year of our lives. So here goes! Welcome to my life! I hope you enjoy!