So, this weekend, my Son, Jimmy turned 25.
I have to stop there, because it "seems" like it has been about 8 years tops since that event. I still can picture the day in my minds eye (or as I like to call it, the main screen in my head).
Mom and me had walked all day in that hospital. Walked and walked and walked and walked. My Mom had come early in the day, because she could only get a ride then, so, she sat next to the bed, and created a mobile with stuffed animals, and plastic coat hangers, and fishing string. (I still have it, though, the fishing string finally broke a few years ago....But, it can be fixed.).
Finally the doctor's and the nurses decided to break her water, and give pitosin (probably spelled that wrong), because Sept 7th was baby day no matter what. Mom had suffered badly with gestational diabetes, and high blood pressure. By the docs best guess, that day was the end of the 40 weeks.
Then with the contractions really starting to hurt Mom, suddenly the link to Jimmy's heartbeat got quiet. after 3 minutes, it was declared that we were going to do a C-Section. I had to run to get my blue scrubs, hat, and booties on, and hustle to the operating room.
I arrived, and it is quiet. All I could hear was the monitor of Mom's heartbeat. By now, Mom has been given meds, and is mostly asleep.... As I walked in, the Doctor said "Dad's here, let's go". A nurse pushed me to a chair by Mom's head. there was a little curtain kind of shielding me from seeing anything, and I moved a little so I could see more.
Mom grabs me by the hand and says "Count his fingers, and his toes, make sure he's okay", then drifts off to sleep again. Looking up, I watch the nurse smear the iodine looking wash all over Mom's belly. Then, with no preamble the Doctor makes an incision. It seemed like it was 4 inches long. My thought? "That's too small to get a baby out." Then the doctor sees Jimmy moving in the uterus, and again with no preamble, opens the uterus. I saw a hand or a foot for a second, and then the doctor stuck his entire hand in her, and lifted Jim out.
It Was The Greatest Event Of My Life.
My Heart stopped. Or, it felt like it did.
I looked at him. he was purple. Like a welch grape. Little arms flailing about. Immediately, the nurses turn, and begin doing "the stuff" to the baby. There were suction sounds, and low murmering. Then, in the most surreal moment of the day, a long gasp, and then crying.
I realized that I had been holding my breath, and I gasped as well. Then I was like, wanting to jump up and down.....
I looked at the Doctor, and he was finishing up sewing the uterus (I missed all the yucky after birth stuff), and then started stapling the outside incision. I looked at Mom, and she was in and out of it. Then, she kind of grabbed my arm and said, "throw up", and so we got the bucket, and she did. The anesthesiologist said it was a side-effect of the gas. we wiped her face, and she drifted back asleep.
Then I got up, and walked over to where Jimmy was. One nurse was wiping him off, and the other was wrapping him, then put this stupid looking little hat on him. he was red/pink. He seemed calm. Then the nurse picks him up, while the other nurse put the band on my arm with his name on it, and showed me his band that matched.
I looked over, and realized the Mom was coming out of the fog, and so, walked to her, and showed her. For the first time in 9 months of carrying him, she finally got to see him. That is what is different about the perspective of having a baby. Mom's been there for the entire 9 months, and its not quite real to Dad until that moment you see them. She asked me if he was okay, and I said yes, 10 toes, 10 fingers, 2 ears, a nose, and 2 eyes..... She smiled and drifted off, and then nurse came to reclaim the baby, and hustle me out of the room.
I went out in the hall, forgetting that my parents, and her parents were all out there. I was just floating. I don't remember the questions, or much of anything. I was overwhelmed.
You were sick. Billy-Reubens were too high. Jaundice they called it. This was before the internet, so, I couldn't ask Mr Google what that was. Under the UV lights, with the little sunglasses. All day every day. Three days later, Mom is sent home, but, you were still there. You stayed an extra 2 days. Finally, we got to take you home. Mom was hurting so bad from surgery, and the worry, and everything else. The pediatrician told us to come see him next week (or 4 days from now), and so, we had that first weekend of no sleep, and worry, and no sleep. Mom's parents were great. They helped so much by allowing her to stay there that first week. My Mom and Dad were on the phone so much, just trying to stay in the loop.
You seemed lethargic, and you were not nursing very well. And Mom really wanted to nurse you.
Finally Monday came, and I took off work, and we loaded you into the baby seat, and off we went to he doctor. You had not slept the night before. We walked into the Doctor's office, and were immediately escorted into a room. The nurse came in, looked at you, and then left, soon the Doctor himself came in, and he said, you need to go to Texas Children's hospital. They are waiting for you. For the first time that day, I noticed how yellow your eyes were. The Jaundice was back.
I made 2 calls from the waiting room, telling the grandparents where we were going.
What followed was 2 weeks of sadness, and worry, and frustration. Turns out, you were allergic to Mom's milk. A condition that only affects about 3% of jaundice sufferers.....
Then, you came home, and as I often say, you never looked back. Other than ear infections, which it seemed you had all the time, you were a very healthy kid.
Now, 25 year later, look at you 6'2, 270. Smart as a whip, and living life.
As I pass into my 51st year, in just 2 months, let me give you a piece of old guy advice. Live Life, and enjoy the ride.
Namaste, My Friends.
See You On The Other Side. (I'll meet you just past the FAQ Hall. first 5 rounds on me.)