Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Life continues

So, I wasted tonight's quiet evening (aka my opportunity to journal and blog) by watching HGTV, but hey! I'm going to be exhausted tomorrow regardless, so why not blog anyway? I have an awful lot to say about the last two weeks, most of which will not make it onto the blog (especially after I grossed out a friend using the word 'placenta' the other day... I told him if he wanted to be grossed out with birthing tales I could do much better than discuss my placenta).

I do want to write about my beautiful experience giving birth. I'll also write about my horrifying experience after the birth. Then I'll write about how grateful I am to be alive, how sweet and perfect my baby boy is, how nice it is to have that pregnancy over, and if anyone's wondering how the transition is going, you'll have to ask me again after Kyle starts working and Ma goes home. With them around, I seriously do less work than I ever did with two kids.

Then again, I suppose I deserve a little break. So much so that today we all celebrated the fact that I didn't die in childbirth with an afternoon at the local Chinese buffet. I was a little disappointed that Bobber the Clown only entertains there on Mondays, but no worries. We'll be back...

Charlie's first (family-administered) bath, just in case he was missing the warm, wet claustrophia of the womb... And after a year in China of bathing Erik and Ellie together in a tub not much bigger than this, I don't even feel bad.


Our first family picture (Charlie's forehead made it in--that counts!) at the O-ker Mt. temple open house

Cute, cute homemade blanky and etc. from Marilyn. I feel somewhat guilty receiving gifts on my third child, perhaps because I was raised on hand-me-down-down-downs, but I think/hope that deep down inside I realize it's okay even for my child to wear something that no human being has ever worn before.

Love the mini-limbs

We're enjoying Ma's homecooked Japanese goodness more than our expressions indicate

In other news, today Charlie and I had 2-week check-ups. I already knew Charlie is perfect (although I didn't expect him to be so fat already--even the nurse was shocked, though pleasantly so) so didn't really need the pediatrician appt. Still, I've been dying (but not literally!) to see my midwife to ask her what really happened to me after Charlie's birth.

For some reason, I was scheduled to see the midwife who wasn't there at my birth. She seemed pretty informed as to what had transpired, and very confident in her diagnoses. I soaked it all in, replacing my faulty memories with her explanation of events. Apparently I did not have any retained placenta, but rather just a placenta that resembled ground beef and a lazy uterus. Not sure if that made me feel better or not. And also I wasn't so woozy because of the blood clotting drugs, but because I was falling in and out of consciousness. And at the rate I ended up losing blood, if the midwife hadn't administered the pitocin when she did, I would've bled to death in five minutes. Flat. This was all news to me.

I mentioned it to the midwife who delivered me on my way out and she remembered it more the way I did, and also said that the hospital still hadn't sent her a report so she doesn't even know exactly what caused the hemorrhage. Hmmmmm. The version I heard today is more mysterious and dramatic, but I'm not quite sure where she came up with all those details.

Soooo, the three of you who are anxiously awaiting the rest of the story will have to continue waiting. I will wait with you. Don't know why, but I'm kinda curious about all this. Wondering how I managed two out-of-the-text-book perfect deliveries and then on the third one, something went terribly awry. Wondering what it means for future deliveries. Whatever happened, I know I am simply grateful to still have my uterus. Never made prayers of gratitude for it before June 3rd, but it's at the top of the list now.

8 comments:

sara said...

Wow, you're a brave woman to think about having more when you just had one and all that happened. I think your story may have turned me off completely - but I've never been completely turned "on" to the idea of childbirth anyway.
I love the pics. He's adorable! Good work!

Amy said...

Tif -- Congrats on that beautiful new baby!!! You shouldn't expect recently post-partum moms to read tales of your near death experience without causing tears. I'm SOOOO grateful that you are okay. I could not believe Kyle's account of sitting there for hours wondering if you were going to make it. He better appreciate you all the more now :-). How is that baby treating you? He is gorgeous! I'm so happy for you and hope all is going well. You look fabulous! Be sure to tell me if you are ever headed north. I'd love to have your family come for a visit.

Anonymous said...

Congrats on the uterus, and on the baby, and...on being alive. I'm sure happy about that. Oh, and your cute baby looks just like his aunt Mary. :)

Bryce said...

Make that four people waiting for the story's resolution :-)

Marilyn said...

I want all of the details, if you ever get them. It would be nice to get the whole story, so you can know exactly what happened. We're all sooo glad you're alive.

Kallista said...

Tiff-

I am so glad you are okay. That scared me when I heard about it. You are a brave girl, and you have such an adorable boy!

morganators said...

I'm overjoyed to hear that you are doing well now. You look great and your baby looks like a doll. He's so fair! I hope your life settles soon into somewhat of a routine with three. I've heard that's a big jump! All the best to you and your family!

S. said...

We are quite glad that you are still with us, and Charlie looks like he was worth the trouble.