12 years and two days ago...

I was sitting in the hospital bed which I had been occupying for the past two days. Ever since I had been transfered to this hospital with an NICU. Ever since receiving steroid shots to mature my babies lungs. Ever since being told that he would most likely have to come out within the next week. I had made it 5 days since being diagnosed with Pre-eclampsia which put me now at 32wks 3 days. I was hooked up to machines, hardly able to get out bed as they wanted me on my left-side as much as possible. We were all trying to keep my blood pressure down and my baby inside for every day possible.

My husband was a pillar during this time. By my side, day and night, hardly ever leaving unless it was to do something to cheer me up. I wanted a deli sandwhich for lunch and he'd go on a search to find the best one around. Every morning over to Peet's Coffe so I didn't have to drink the hospital swill. Picking up a new book or some other little thing to try and give me something to do while lying in bed all day. To this day, I don't know how I would have gotten through that time without him.

At 2:45p on this date 12 yrs ago, I was talking with my mom who had come to visit when the dr stopped by to check on me. I dutifully reported that I had had a brief spot of blurred vision but nothing that I hadn't experienced before ever being pregnant on occaison. The dr asked some other questions and then left again. I thought nothing of it as it was a fairly routine set of questions. That would change very quickly.

About 15min later the dr came back in again to inform me that the OR was being prepped and I would be delivering my baby via c/s within the hour. I just grabbed my moms hand and paled. My head was swimming with the news. All I could think of was would my baby be all right coming this early? I was wheeled downstairs to the pre-op room, my mom holding my hand the entire time. Mark was off getting scrubbed and gowned. My guess is I was wheeled into the OR around 3:20p or so. I was given a spinal and Mark was finally allowed in. I just grabbed his hand and I know that we both were saying the same prayer for Christopher's lungs to be functioning and for him to be okay.

At 3:51p we both heard the answer to our prayers in the form of a very loud and indignent wail coming from our tiny son. We looked at each with tears streaming down our faces in relief that our first prayer had been answered. The nurses quickly cleaned him and bundled him up. They brought him over so I could see his sweet face as that was all there was to be seen with all the blankets and such they had on him. Then they whisked him away to the NICU to put him through a battery of tests to see how all his organs were doing. When the dr finished with me, I was taken to the post-op room where my mom was waiting and Mark went to go check on Christopher.

Later that day I got the stats, I had given birth to a 2lb 11oz, 16½" baby. His lungs and other vitals all appeared to be in good shape but he was considered low-birthweight and had no fat on him. He would be in the hospital for at least another 6 weeks. He had to stay in the NICU and I was in no condition to go to him. Mark got his mother to bring her new camcorder in so he could take a video of Christopher for me to see. He was now alternating between staying with me and going down to see our son. He made it a point to be down there at every shift change to meet the nurses and drs who would be taking care of Christopher.

So on that day, 12 years ago, I gained my newest name and the one that I am most proud of....Mom. And on this day 12 years ago, I got to hold my sweet baby for the first time. He was so tiny and seemed so fragile but I could see that his spirit was strong. He was holding his head up and looking around. He was so curious about everything. I got to watch Mark change his first son's diaper for the first time. And I got to watch Christopher christen his daddy for the first time. LOL

Happy Birthday Christopher!!!! It has been an amazing journey with you and I'm so proud to have watched you go from that tiny baby to this handsome young man before me:
(taken this summer during our camping trip due to my camera having just died)

Thanks for letting me share and reminise about this remarkable day in my life.