One year ago today I was sitting in my hospital room at Abbott Northwestern in Minneapolis making wedding invitations for my friends Brett and Jen's wedding. A lonely Monday as everyone had to go back to work, so there I sat keeping myself busy with the invites.
I had been put into the hospital one week before this day as at an appointment for a level 2 ultrasound to check the baby's kidney's, my blood pressure spiked and the doctor ordered me to complete bed rest until the baby was born (this could be a day, a week, a month, who knew.) I had Brent with me most of the previous week as well as visits from my parents, Brent's parents, Steph, Jen, etc. But as the new week began, I sent Brent home to work so he didn't "waste" days off. Later Monday night after my daily phone calls, I went to bed only to awake with horrible pain sometime in the wee early morning hours Tues. I was able to fall back asleep, but awoke again an hour or so later with more pain. Back to sleep again, but sometime around 4-ish, the pain was so back that I felt like someone just stabbed me. I rang for my nurse who ordered blood work which actually came back normal.
I spoke with Brad on his way to work and he jokingly said to me, "feel free to get me out of work today!" Lynn called around noon and told me she had gotten the "call" and was on her way to Madison, hoping to be there in time for the birth of her granddaughter. Brent had not shown up yet as he started his days off and I was not being very patient about that. About a half hour later, my lunch had arrived and since I had gestational diabetes, I rang for the nurse who had to take my blood sugar before I ate. She commented that my 2nd set of blood tests had just come back, so she was going to look at those and then come in. A few moments later, running to my room, the nurse arrived telling me not to eat. My blood work showed issues with my liver and in turn the pre-eclampsia (high blood pressure) attacked my liver. There was only one way to get rid of that and save me and that was to take out the baby.
Now since this was 6 weeks before my actual due date, I was kind of freaking out, okay really freaking out. Who would have known that Baby Bryekin was coming into this world that day!!! An hour or so later, off to the operating room I went for an emergency c-section and at 3:41 p.m., Baby Bryekin was born. Weighing in at 3lb 4oz and 15 inches long, he came out crying, cries that could be heard in the waiting room!! I was able to hold him and then Brent went with him to the special care nursery. I went to the recovery room for a bit and was met by my mom!!!
Five more days in the hospital for me, 21 more days in the hospital for Bryekin and we were home bound. I made it to the hospital every single day Bryekin was there and Brent made almost every day. We tried to stay overnight every other night also.
Now that one whole year has passed, there is absolutely NOTHING I would change involving Bryekin's arrival. Although basically nothing went "as planned," things happen for a reason and this is definitely an example of that. Brent and I believe that we have the most wonderful, perfect, adorable son who is the best thing that has ever happened to us!!!!!
Playlist
