Monday night, the 14th about 11:45 I began to feel REAL contractions! We arrived at the hospital a little after 1:00 am and I sat in triage room for almost 2 hours while they monitored my contractions and Mylie's heart. Contractions were horribly painful! Finally they admitted me and asked if I wanted an epidural. Of course I said, "YES! As soon as possible!" It was wonderful once the epidural kicked in. I still had a little window of pain in my stomach, but it was bearable. However, the epidural stopped working and my pain was even worse! I was doing something I thought I would never do...crying uncontrollably, moaning, and groaning! I personally think the pain from contractions is worse than the pain from breaking a bone. So my anesthesiologist gave me a new epidural. After 30 more minutes of enduring the pain, I realized this epidural was not going to work either. When everyone was out of the room, Richie gave me a blessing. Then in came the anesthesiologist to give me a third epidural. Miraculously this one took effect immediately. I was incredibly grateful!
At 7:30 am Doctor Chen came in. I loved this doctor! He wasn't my doctor, but I liked him better than mine, and I felt so comfortable with him. He broke my water, then my nurse gave me some Pitocin to induce my labor (I wasn't dilating very well!)
By noon I was dilated to an 8, and my nurse didn't even check me again until 4:15 pm! Richie and my mom were not happy with her, but didn't show it. I was then dilated to a 10 and fully effaced, ready to push! I pushed and pushed for THREE hours. I was so thirsty and exhausted. During the three hours, my blood pressure went up, and Mylie's heart rate went from 160 and worked it's way up to almost 200 bpm. It was really scary. Finally Dr. Chen came back. He called for a double team of nurses from NICU for when Mylie would be born. He said, "Well looks like you've been pushing for just under 2 hours." Wrong! Either the nurse had confused the time or she lied to him to save her hiney because of Mylie's and my condition. Dr. Chen said I had 2 options: 1. Try the vacuum or 2. Get a c-section. I opted for choice one, and within 4 pushes and a 4th degree tear, Mylie finally entered our world! She was born Tuesday, July 15 at 7:34 pm. LONG day, but it was the most joyous feeling and honestly I felt this immediate and immense love for our little girl.
It was immediately discovered that Mylie's heart was wacky. Fast, slow, skipping beats, totally irregular. They let me hold her for a few seconds then rushed her off to NICU. Richie was able to go with them. Then they noticed between gasps and coughs that she was also having a problem with her respiratory system. When they reached NICU and the nurses were working on her, Richie slipped his finger in her little hand and she held on to it the whole time. Richie fought his tears really hard. The nurses told him he could talk to her--perhaps she would recognize his voice. But he couldn't do it because he knew he'd burst into tears and be very embarrassed. However he did feel a special connection with Mylie right away.
Later that day when Richie and I visited Mylie, he gave her a blessing. Soon enough her heartbeat was regular and her respiratory system seemed to be normal too. What a blessing! She was still on antibiotics in case she had some type of infection. Forty-eight hours after the culture, we discovered it was negative.
There was a good chance that Mylie was going to stay in the hospital and we'd have to go home without her. The Lord heard our prayers though. We had a very great desire to bring her home with us and were very worried that we wouldn't be able to. Late Friday afternoon, all three of us, as a family, FINALLY got to go home.
Through this rough experience, my faith was immensely strengthened. I am incredibly grateful for the priesthood and the power of prayer. I am grateful for the tender mercies of the Lord and his watchful care over us. I am so blessed to have a husband who is worthy, who holds the priesthood and can bless his family with it, and who loves so deeply and unconditionally.
Look how she's grown!
