The Story of Griffin

Well Griffin is here but just not home yet. His birth story started on Monday November 28th where I went to my 38 week appointment. I thought this would be an uneventful appointment as they weren't even checking me as I had a scheduled C-Section the following Monday December 5th. However, I get on the ole so lovely scale and had gained 6 and 1/2 lbs in one week. I was shocked because really I hadn't been eating as much because I felt so full and my blood pressure was high. I was trying to figure out where all this weight came from. When my doctor came in I asked her how it was possible to gain so much weight in a week. She was concerned. She looked at my legs and they were very tight and swollen. She felt like the majority of the weight was fluid and my blood pressure was high. She was afraid that it would be good for me or Griffin to wait til Monday so she said I could come in that Tuesday or Wednesday for a C-Section. I couldn't wrap my head around it that fast so I choose to go in on Wednesday. She had me on complete bed rest that night and the next day. I was at the very least freaking out trying to wrap my head around what all needed to be done at home and at work before then. I got it together. I spent Tuesday resting and doing work stuff.  I tried to sleep Tuesday night and maybe got 4 hours of sleep as we had to be there bright and early at 5:30am and the C-Section was scheduled for 7:30.

So, the day of I was excited and nervous. I felt like I was going through this for the first time as I don't remember much of Nash's birth so I did talk to my best friend who had her c-section a couple of weeks ago and she walked me through what to expect which was helpful. So we get there, sign in,  get in the gown, get hooked up to monitors, get the iv started, and we are well on our way. As I was hooked up to the monitor I started having contractions 4-5 mins apart so this baby was coming one or way the other. I had family there with me as we were getting ready. The nurses and doctors were all super nice. I explained how I was nervous because the spinal tap didn't work last time to find out that apparently in 2008 they had a "bad batch" (no lie). We get back there and the spinal tap was easy peasy and worked pretty quickly. It was the strangest feeling to have my legs tingly and numb. My doctor came in and assured that were just fine and this time would be better. She made the incision and said  I just made the incision and I was shocked because I barely felt anything. During the procedure there was a lot of pressure. Then when it was time for Griffin to come out they told me to take a deep breath and they pulled him out. It was the craziest feeling. I kept saying "oh my goodness, oh my goodness". I just couldn't believe it.  This is Griffin's first shot out of the womb. PRICELESS.

My doctor said he looks so much like Nash and Chris said the same thing. They put him on beside us as they were suctioning him out, getting him measured, etc. I was just amazed that he just came out of me. My first thought was "he's so small". The lady said "honey, he's not small". He was 7lbs 3 oz and 20 inches long at 38 weeks and 2 days. Nash was 7lbs 1oz and 20 inches long at 39 weeks and 3 days.

 I was so excited to get to hold him and it felt like forever until I got him. She laid him on my chest and wheeled me back to my room. Where he stayed on me for a good hour or so and his brother got to come back and see him and spend some time with him. Then family got to come in and see him.

 One of the few close ups with his eyes kind of open.

When he came out he coughed up a bunch of stuff and I kept asking if that was normal and they said it was. He got at 9.9 on the scale so it seemed like things were going to be fine. As most of you know things didn't turn out fine. We went back to our room and he was still coughing up stuff and grunting a lot. His color wasn't good so they took him back and found out his oxygen level was low. A very long story short is that he has what they call "wet lungs". It is apparently super common in caucasian males who are born a little early. They kept giving him oxygen and he wasn't responding. He wasn't getting much better and had to work hard to breathe so when the pediatrician came by she decided it would be best for him to transfer him to the NICU. Don't want to get into all the details because it's still pretty emotional for me but he's doing better and hopefully will get off the ventilator tomorrow and start breathing on his own. He got tired  of working so hard to breathe and needed some extra help and some medication to help clear up his lungs. He's still in the NICU and will be for a little bit but it should keep getting better daily and he has made major improvements in 24 hours.
I will have some more pics of Nash getting to see his brother. He is in love with him and calls him "my baby". He's not really asking too many questions and kind of doesn't know that what going on now is not normal.
As we get through the NICU part in the next week or so. I hope to be able to blog about that experience as well and about him coming home. That will be a great day!