What a week!

So here we are, a week into our newest chapter of family life. They say that the transition from two to three children is the most difficult, and I wouldn't doubt it a bit! Our "sweet William" has definitely shaken up the status quo. Fortunately, my mom was here to help last week. I only wish she could have stayed here a month! Alex was thrilled to have Grandma Lynne taking care of him while Justin and I were busy at the hospital. Grandma was thrilled to see her boys again...it has been a very long year away from family! Ryan warmed up to her right away, which turned out to be very fortunate as he was alone with her most of her third day here. And what a day that was!

So most of you know that I was scheduled to go in for a non-stress test last Tuesday if I hadn't gone into labor by then. When I did manage to start labor the night before and showed up at the hospital early that morning, the young resident on duty had me walk around the halls for an hour since I was only at 4cm. When I was re-checked at 6:30 am she said I had progressed to 5-6cm. My midwife was going off shift and decided to have a look herself. She placed me at 7cm and recommended I be admitted at once. Problem was, they couldn't find my records (because they were already at ultrasound because of that NST appointment) and so they didn't get my antibiotic drip started until 8am. This started a whole chain reaction. Because they didn't want to deliver the baby until after noon, they didn't break my water and I elected to get an epidural to slow labor down a bit. The epidural was not a good one....more on that later. So nothing happens for hours and after my second dose of antibiotics they check and I'm still 7cm. So they break my water. Nothing. Then they start pitocin. Nothing happens for an hour and I get my third dose of antibiotics. Meanwhile they keep upping the pitocin and my epidural is wearing off, so I get another dose. The labor is taking off now, in fact, I'm up to a 24 on the pitocin and the epidural is not working very well. Inside two hours I'm fully dilated and in PAIN! But only up front. My back is still numb and the combination does not help when it comes time to push this big boy out! By the time William finally makes his appearance (after a little shoulder dystocia) I was so exhausted! I couldn't believe it when the nurse called out his weight. I vowed to myself right then and there that I would never have another child for fear of breaking 11 lbs.

The best part of this little adventure is that it didn't end right there. The next day I started experiencing the headache from you know where. I spoke with an anesthesiologist and he assured me that it would get better with rest and that it wasn't due to the epidural. Liar! It wasn't until Saturday that Justin was told by the Pediatric nurse at William's follow-up appointment what was wrong with me. I had a Post-Dural Puncture Headache (PDPH) or spinal headache. Totally due to the bad epidural and completely treatable with a blood patch. But because I was already healing on my own, they didn't do the patch. Can I tell you how completely and totally fed up I am with this stupid Army hospital?!!!! There is no way I would have suffered this much if I had been in a civilian or Air Force hospital. I swear they do as little as they possibly can to help people here. Yes, I am pissed. Yes, I hate this place. Yes, I am very, very bitter over this whole rotten experience. Can't you tell? Trust me, if you had a migraine that didn't diminish for five days, and didn't get much help from the "professionals", you would be upset too!

However, I must be thankful that I have a big, healthy baby and a wonderful husband that has been more than awesome when it comes to taking care of the boys, cleaning up the kitchen, doing the laundry, and taking part of the night shift with William. I don't know how I would have managed without his, mom's, and our neighbor's help. Kim had Alex and Ryan paint pumpkins with her girls the other day. Alex is sooo proud of his pumpkin and keeps showing it to me every time I go out the front door!

It's been a roller coaster of a week...but then again, life's so boring without a few downs to accentuate the ups. It's times like these that make you go, hmmmm!