Well I know this is sort of late but I wanted to get as much of my experience down as possible.  I want to remember everything that I went through and the only way to do that is to write it down.  I must warn the reader though.... this will be graphic.  If you don't want to read about one woman's labor and delivery then close the blog... read something else.

It all started on April 29, 2014 when I had a routine check up at my doctor's office.  I had high blood pressure and before I know it, I was told to go to triage at DHR.  I stayed for a little over 3 hours.  I was monitored, and given a really long sonogram to determine if everything was OK.  I got sent home, but was told to monitor my BP and take a 24 hour urine test to determine if the proteins in my urine were high.  I was scheduled for another office visit on Thursday of that week.  I actually went to school on Wednesday and had one of our last performances for the Hair show for our school.  The next day I went to my appointment and my BP was a little high but not high enough to be worried.  I turned in my urine that morning so I knew results wouldn't be in that day.  I was told that we were going to make "a Plan".  "The Plan" was that if the results from the urine test came back high that we would induce on Monday May 5th... if they were normal then we would keep our appointments of twice a week and keep monitoring.  I was told to call the next day for results.
I did... around 9 in the morning (because I know that's when the technicians get there) and I was told all were busy and that they would call me back.  I waited ....
and waited....
and waited....
finally I couldn't wait any longer and called again at 11:00 am.... Still they were busy and I was told that they had the note there and when they got time that they would call me.
So I waited more...
.....
....
The whole time I was trying to wash all of Jaycie's clothes so that she could have something to come home in if need be.  Let me tell you... it is crazy the amount of "tags" and fasteners baby clothes have.  In order to wash everything the little plastic fasteners had to come off.  That alone is frustrating... so you can just imagine what kind of state I was in when I finally called back at 2:30 in the afternoon.
I was told they were all busy yet again but this time ... I insisted that I speak to someone and that I would wait on the line until someone was free.
I waited around 10 minutes until a technician finally came to the phone.  She took all of 2 seconds to look at her computer and tell me that the results were not in yet and that they should be here by Monday.  Monday!  I started to freak out.... how could I go all weekend long and not know whether or not I was going to be induced that week.  I had to notify work.  I had to finish Jaycie's room.  Not to mention the 5 hour class that Mike and I had to take that Saturday on labor and delivery.  We got into a small argument and it ended with me insisting to speak to the doctor.  Well I waited another 45 minutes and when she got on the phone she promised that she would call me on Saturday to tell me results and our plan, and if the results were not in by then, then she would call Sunday as well.
....
Did I get any phone call?
nope... and I really didn't expect to get a phone call anyways... I knew she was just telling me that to shut me up, but it's OK... Mike and I did as much as we could (which included, buying and installing blinds, a fan, and anything else we needed to finish her room) and I went to school Monday morning and tried to do as much as possible in one morning to figure out what loose ties I had to make.

I went to the appointment on May 5th at 4:15 in the afternoon.  Just when I was going in to check my vitals the stupid nurse asks if the doctor called me on Saturday and that she was responsible for reminding her to call me.  Needless to say that made my BP rise and low and behold I was ordered to be induced that evening.  I called my parents and Mike drove me to DHR.  I was admitted pretty fast because we had pre-registered that Saturday at the class.  Soon I was laying in the bed that I unknowingly would spend the next 3 days in the most uncomfortable experience known to a woman.

Here is where it gets detailed and graphic.  So look away if you have a weak stomach.

No one tells women the details of labor.... Oh they think they do... we saw videos, we were coached.  The videos lie.  They paint a beautiful picture of different kinds of deliveries where women are walking and their husbands loving rub their back or coach their breathing.  The videos show different scenarios of medications and whatnot and in the end the families leave together to embark on their wonderful journey. 
No one tells you what can go wrong.  What happens if you're induced... what happens if your baby has to go into N.I.C.U.  .... well here it is
First they "check you"  to see if you are dilated at all.  Of course you're not because your body is not ready to have a baby, you're being induced.  Now "check you" means that a nurse shoves her fingers inside you and you feel pain like never before.  I have had sex before.. hell, that's kinda how I got in this position in the first place...but nothing is more painful than being "checked"....
Since you're no where near being dilated, the process is taking a pill that contains prostaglandins being cut in to four pieces and inserted your vagina in order to thin out your cervix.  This medication helps to "ripen" the cervix.  Small pills called Misoprostol are placed in the vagina every few hours... for the first hour you can't get out of bed... not even to pee.  So since I had to have an IV AND I was pregnant this complicated things a bit.  I would hold it until the moment I could get up and out of bed.  Every time they put in another pill I would be "checked", and then they would try to get up as high as they could to put in the stupid pill.  I did one round of this ... 4 pills, 2 different nurses, 1 whole day, and when they went to "check" I was still at 1 cm dilation.  Doctor said lets take a break, let you eat, and start again.  The entire time I was being monitored and vitals were taken so much that the blood pressure cuff was permanently attached to my arm.  2nd round of Misoprostol and still I think the highest I got to was 2 cm dilated.  It was then that the doctor decided to break my water.  This was around 2pm on Wednesday.... Remember that I was admitted and started the induction process on Monday.  Breaking my water really got the ball rolling.  They also used Pitocin: This drug mimics the hormone oxytocin, which signals your uterus to begin contracting. It can be used to get labor started or rev up sluggish contractions. I started to feel the contractions more.  I was having small contractions from the beginning but I couldn't feel them.  Now I really was feeling them.  I asked to have the epidural at 4 cm.  I wanted to try to wait until 5 or more because that was the advice I got from most people.  The nurse warned that it takes a while for the doctor that performs the epidurals to come.  So that's why I asked for it then, and sure enough the nurse was right, it took a while.  When he did come he couldn't get it the first time, so he had to go higher up my spine.  I'm still not sure it was correctly administered because I could still feel things that they would do down there, just not the contractions.  This was probably around 4 o'clock on Wednesday.  After the epidural I really couldn't get out of bed.  I had to have a catheter.  It still feels strange when I pee.  The contractions did their work and by the time I knew it, I was 8 cm dilated.  Around 7 we started the actual labor, meaning we were pushing, and constantly being checked.  By now I had already gone through 4 nurses and now we had a nurse named Felicidad.  I have to give her credit.  She is the one that got me through labor....  Even though I hate her...still....lol.  She tried all the techniques.  She had me holding towels, holding bars, grabbing my legs, rubbing my back, the whole works.  She was not afraid to get mad at me and at one point told me I couldn't cry...because if I cried then I couldn't push.  I still hear her in her Spanish accent telling me to "push, push, push, push".  It haunts my dreams...j/k.  Let me tell you that delivering a baby is nothing like the movies.  There is no doctor.  Not yet anyways.  They don't page the doctor till hours later.  It's just you and that nurse.  When she finally does page the doctor .. it becomes a show... with a stage ... complete with spot lighting.  Tons of people show up.  In my case, there were more complications.  I started to have blood in my urine.  I spiked a fever.  A baby is supposed to be born in an anterior  position.  If your baby is in a head-down position, with the back of her head slightly towards the front of your tummy (anterior position), your labor is likely to be shorter and easier. In an anterior position, your baby fits snugly into the curve of your pelvis.  Most babies get into this position by the end of pregnancy.  Of course mine didn't.  A posterior position is where your baby has her head down, but the back of her head is against your spine. By the time labor starts, about one baby in 10 is in this back-to-back or posterior position.  That's where mine was.  So because of that the doctor had to use the ventouse (vacuum extractor), that has a cup attached to a suction device, and a handle to pull on. The cup fits on top and towards the back of your baby's head, and a vacuum is created within the cup.  She also took her first bowel movement before she came out so the doctors were afraid of sepsis.  And to top it  she was born with her umbilical cord around her neck.  As soon as her head was out the doctor cut her cord.  Jaycie Marie Gutierrez was born at 11:44 pm on May 7th 2014.  She weighed 6 lbs 1 oz and she was 19 inches long.  After she was born, she was placed on my chest for a full 2 minutes and then she was swept away.  Afterwards, I had to be sewn up.  I was super thirsty too.  Felicidad got mad that I started to drink a powerade.  I was only allowed water and tea.  Jaycie was in the N.I.C.U. for 5 days.  I was there at almost every feeding.  She had to have a feeding tube inserted and was only having a bottle every 6 hours.  I couldn't drive, so I was dependent on having someone take me to the hospital to see her.  Oh yeah, that's another thing... that pretty little picture where a family goes home together didn't happen.  I went home baby less.  It was the saddest experience a mother could endure.  I wanted the perfect picture.  But life isn't perfect and my delivery certainly wasn't either.  I also spent mother's day visiting my daughter in N.I.C.U.  Then she came home.  Even though her labor and delivery was long and flawed ...she isn't ....she is perfect.  A beautiful princess...an angel sent from heaven...she is mine. 

Snoop

OK.... so first I have to admit I did something bad ... out of curiosity but still bad :(

Some background before I explain. 

I have drill team officer tryouts today.  I'm actually not allowed to be in the room during tryouts so I'm stuck here in my office.  My mom decided to charge her phone on my computer so it's here sitting in front of me. 

It rings with a text message and out of curiosity I guess the pass code and start to snoop.  Nothing bad just looking at the sent message first and then I start to scroll the rest of the messages.  I come across my dads messages.  I open them because I see it has my name in it.  It talks of going to dinner with Mike and I the previous night... but then I start to scroll up....and tears start welling up in my eyes.  I'm not too sure if its the hormones because I'm eight months pregnant now, but I read such beautiful messages to each other.  Things like "Love you baby!!!" and responses like "Rough day, I needed that!!!  Love you more!!!".  My parents have been married for 33 years now and the way they still treat each other is inspiring.  My picture on my phone for when they call is actually them holding hands when they thought no one was looking.  My one wish in life was that I would find a man that would treat me the way I saw the way my father treated my mother.  He loved her and still loves her more than I could possibly explain.  He never told her no when it came to generosity.  He showered her with praise on the way she would dress us (when we were little) and then again when she was constantly involved with our extracurricular activities (when we were older).  Yes they had some fights here and there but then again who doesn't?  I believe its healthy (when both parties respect one another)  to disagree and then to work to resolve the situation. 

If you know a little about me then you know that I waited until I was 31 to get married.  To some that might be normal but to many that is a bit long.  Well, like I said, I was waiting to find the perfect guy.  The guy that would treat me like a princess.  The guy that I would compare (in a good way) to my father.  I did.  I found him and he is a beautiful soul.  I believe we complete one another in many ways.  He is comical and I am serious.  He is patient, and I could use some of that.  He is always late.  I run five minutes ahead of schedule.  The list goes on and on but what I want now is for Jaycie to see the love.  I want my daughter to hold her standards high.  We all want what's best for our children.  I really believe that the path to make that happen is to set the example.  I know we love each other.  I know it in my heart.  We express love all the time.  I think deep down we will show Jaycie our love, but I would still like to make a conscious effort.

39 More Days To Go!!!

An Experience Like No Other

Silver Stars Showtime Nationals Competition 2014 

Silver Stars Bonding

Galveston, TX





This past weekend the JLHS Silver Stars competed at the Showtime Nationals Competition at Moody Gardens in Galveston, Texas.  It was a tough, long competition that lasted for 2 days.  We left Mission around 12:30 am....got to Galveston around 8 am started competing at 9 am and didn't finish until 10:00 pm.  We went to the hotel and slept very little because everyone had to be up and ready to compete again by 7:30 am.  We finished at 11:30 am, finally got to sit at a real table and eat, then walked it off for an hour at the "sea wall".  That part was actually fun...went back for a 2 hour awards show.  We ended up with four 1st place trophies:  2 from officers, 2 from team.  One 2nd place trophy from officers and one 3rd place trophy from team.  Overall we came in 2nd place in our division.  I think this was outstanding considering it was our first time at this competition and having so many teams in our division.  The stars were a little disappointed.  They asked to see scores and wanted to know how much they lost by.  Little do they know that the team that won has had years and years of experience along with a whole team of parents and family members who would go and set up props and backdrops.  This team had money and you could tell each one had outside training.  This team never stopped practicing.  They practiced in the halls, and it wasn't the director that was making them do it...it was the officer(s).  They called out the counts for the kids, they kept them in line, and they ended up winning.  Our girls looked tired and shaky.  They slept and ate (the wrong foods) all the time and were always sitting down ...even on deck.  To me those aren't signs of winners.  I told them repeatedly to get up, to practice, to stretch, but since they see the officers lounging, the team continued to follow. 

Anyways, our adventure was worth it.  I wanted the team to see what it was like being little fish in a big pond.  They have always been the top dogs for the past few years but that is because we have never been to a huge competition like this one.  It was always one day competitions.  Now they know if they want to compete they have to practice, and if they want to win... practice harder.

 

Now I can focus on the next few things in my life.  The tipsy canvas girls night out.  My baby shower, and the actual having a baby girl.  Everything seemed so far away before and now that this hurdle is jumped I feel like these things are right around the corner.   

 

 

56 Days to Go!!!!

Jaycie Marie

That's what we have decided to call her.... Jaycie Marie.
She is more loved than any other little girl on the face of the earth... and she still isn't even born yet.
Mike has been busy painting her room the colors we picked out together.  We decided to go with a light pink and a soft grey color scheme, accented with white.  He has done a good job so far.  Next is pulling out the carpet and installing wood flooring in her room.  Her grandmother and grandfather went shopping this past weekend.  She now has a horse on a stick from the King Ranch and a beautiful embroidered blanket with elephants on it.  That's the theme of her room.  Elephants.  Baby Mine has always touched my heart.  When I was little, I loved the movie Dumbo and the part where he visits his momma in jail and she rocks him always made me cry. 

I have been thinking a lot about what kind of parent I would like to be.  I imagine I'll be the strict one, and Mike will be the "fun" one.  My students have always said that they would feel sorry if I ever had any children because I would be so strict.  This is true.  My parents were strict with me and oh, I could tell you story after story, but to be fair... they are the best role models any girl could ever ask for.  I look around and see other families and their situations.  Broken homes, single parenting, all the way to silver spoon children who grow up rotten.  I am very lucky that my parents showed me a solid marriage built with good foundations.  I didn't get married more than once, I didn't have children out of wedlock, and I bought my own house at 23.  I have had and kept a steady job for almost 10 years now.. and all of that comes from the example that my parents have shown me.  If nothing else I hope I am a good role model for Jaycie.  I hope that she can aspire to be the type of woman I have become.  Because in some small ways... I think that all daughters grow up to be like their mothers.  For that I am grateful and truly blessed.  My mother is beautiful.  She is strong, capable, smart, kind, loving, generous and honestly my best girlfriend.  If I am one ounce like her I feel proud.  I hope that Jaycie can one day speak of me the way I see my mother. 

On a lighter note.... Pinterest and Etsy are my addictions as a mother.  I can say that not only does the Pinterest board give me ideas... I can say that I am incorporating them in my everyday life.  I see something on Pinterest, I look for it on Etsy and then I buy it... or make it happen.  I'll post some pictures on this blog ... I can't wait to finish her room so I can take some "after" pictures.  We took before ones and man are they sick.  Like literally the room makes you sick to be in there, but it's getting better everyday. 

90 more days to Go!!!