The Hospital Recovery: Cale's Birth Story, Part 2

 So, Nurse Amanda handed me over to Nurse Debbie the morning after Cale’s birth (August 23….also my sister’s 21^st BIRTHDAY!!).  Poor Nurse Debbie.  She had no idea what she was stepping into!  Because by the time the morning of the 23^rd hit, my emotions and sleep deprivation was certainly catching up to me…

Here’s how that morning basically played out…

8:30am:  The Pediatrician checks in.  He’s not our usual pediatrician as ours is currently on vacation…and, funny enough… he is actually BEN’S old pediatrician!  I am super out of it from the pain meds and have trouble comprehending all that he is saying as he examines our son.  Thank goodness Ben is there to handle things.  I hear something about a circumcision- which I had forgotten about.  And next thing I know, Ben is wheeling Cale out of the room with the Pediatrician to have Cale circumcised.  I nod my head in consent but as soon as they are out the door…all of those pent up emotions erupt.  In a big, ugly show of tears.  I do my best to regain my composure as Nurse Debbie enters.  But she sees the tears and asks if I am okay.  I blubber away uncontrollably and try to laugh it off.  So now I am laugh-crying with snot.  Not pretty!  She looks at me like I am crazy.  I probably look crazy but I can’t help it.  The tears just keep coming.  She leaves the room, probably a little confused.  I, again, do my best to get myself in check.  Almost there, I hear a knock on the door.  It’s my mom-in-law and Charlotte.  I smile as they open the door but again erupt into tears.  Charlotte’s confused, poor thing!  But she looks so hilariously cute in her rainbow socks and flower shoes.... my little stylin' girl!  So, amidst my tears I cannot help but laugh a bit as she finally climbs into bed with me.  And, ever in tune to the details, Charlotte tells me I need make-up.  Haha!  I laugh at that…then cry again.  My mom-in-law must think I’ve gone over the edge!  How embarrassing!  She asks if everything is okay with Cale.  I assure her he is fine- between sobs.  My Doctor comes in to check on me but I can’t hardly talk with her for all of the tears and sobs flowing out of me.  Somehow I assure her through laugh-crying that I am “fine” and just emotional today.  Seriously, Amanda!  Get it under control!  Breathe!!  Ben walks in with our freshly circumcised son.  More tears.  I mean, for real.  Maybe I am losing it.  

10:00am:  Somehow I get myself to stop crying.  My face is red and splotchy and totally unattractive.  Ben prepares cold wet washcloths to try and help with my tear-battered face.  But… I don’t think I will be in any pictures today.  Where is Nurse Debbie?  Did I scare her away?  I wanted a shower.  And I was due for pain meds 30 minutes ago.  I ring for her.

10:05am:  I look over at my kids.  Kids, plural.  They look so sweet together.... I gaze at them from the hospital bed as Ben supervises their "bonding."  Adorable.  That helps relieve my pain ever so slightly...

Love the joy in this photo...

Since Cale was born, Charlotte has been refusing to have her hair styled.  So now we get crazy hair....that's okay.  She rocks it.

Charlotte looks so proud here!

 

10:15am:  Nurse Debbie shows up, poor dear soul!  Now I am crying because I am in pain.  Oh, it never ends!  Mom-in-law leaves at some point during this new bout of tears (I think?).  I finally get a fresh dose of pain killers which helps relieve me of some of the pain I am experiencing and I settle in to nurse my son.  Again.  (Did I mention that throughout all of this, minus the period of time Cale was being circumcised, Cale was basically nursing?)  He wants to eat ALL of the time!  Nurse Debbie decides to be helpful.  She starts rearranging pillows around me and sticking her fingers and hands around me trying to show me how to nurse.  I’m about to burst with frustration…and I kinda do… “Um, Nurse Debbie?  I GOT IT!  He’s latched!”  Nurse Debbie heads on out.  

I did, finally, get my shower at some point.  Ben juggled Charlotte and Cale in our “Home” hospital room while I somehow managed to shower on my own.  In South Africa, I had assistance for my first post-“cesar” shower.  But I either scared Nurse Debbie away or it’s not hospital policy.  I guess I was able to keep a little modesty intact here…so there’s a benefit, right?

The rest of that day was spent nursing Cale, missing my sweet daughter, crying off and on (those stinking emotions!!), and attempting to rest.  The pain from this c-section really seemed a lot more intense.  I don’t know what exactly it was…maybe it had to do with delayed pain medications (which unfortunately happened more than once that day)?  Or the emotions?  Or an assortment of things, most likely.  Nurse Debbie told me I had to wear those compression socks ALL day which was very uncomfortable.  I mentioned the itchiness?  Those socks definitely increased that itchiness!  I later found out from my new night nurse, whose name I have forgotten, that I could have taken them off a long time ago.  Joke’s on me, I suppose…

Ben spent one more night in the hospital with Cale and me.  That second night seemed to go a little more smoothly than our first, which was good.  And my emotions started to let up some…which was also good.  The 24^th was much better than the 25^th!  We had more visitors, I had a better and more attentive nurse (she was very helpful with my pain management!), we got to take some “professional” hospital photos in our room (that was so fun!  But I don’t think we will be ordering them.  The Budget must be held!), I did my own improvised photo shoot of my little man, I was able to spend more time with Charlotte and my college-going-sister, Pam came into town!  

Exhausted...but I got both my babies in bed with me.  Now that brings joy to my heart!

 

 Pam, freshly 21 years young, kept Cale and I company for our last night in the hospital.  Though we didn’t get to spend a lot of time just talking and/or watching movies, etc…. it was most assuredly a night of bonding!  Although I don’t think she will be volunteering for another night quite like that for quite some time!  Let’s just say… I think she now has a better understanding of the depth of sleep deprivation ;)  But really?  I have the best sister!  I mean, what sister would give up the Friday night after her 21^st birthday to spend in the hospital with her older sister and newborn nephew?  I gotta think…not many!

Aunt Pam meets her first nephew!

Finally, our “go home day!”  Ben and Charlotte arrived at the hospital sometime before 9am and Pam left awhile after that.  She had to get a good nap in before her 21^st birthday night out, after all!  We decided to take it easy and not rush the staff in releasing us; however, we held out hope that we would be released sometime before noon.  Charlotte spent some more time bonding with her brother.  More cuteness and sweetness!  But.... as the clock continued to tick-tock, Charlotte grew restless (there’s only so much to entertain a 22.5 month old in a hospital room!) and we had to call in a “big gun.”  AKA, Papa Larry, my Daddy.  Papa Larry thankfully took Charlotte exploring so that Ben and I could pack up and complete the check-out process. 

 

 

waiting...waiting...waiting...

seriously.  she is just so stinking cute! 

And so, after a very hot and sunny, DRY, DRY summer…Cale ironically left the hospital and moved into his home on a rainy Saturday.    

love these footsies

Daddy cuddling our lil man as we wait...

He's just so sweet!!

The go home outfit...had to represent with the socks, ya know.

One last final family pic before we get back to our real home!

 

Papa Larry holding Cale before we bid farewell to our hospital "Home"

And... last but not least... Uncle Patrick finally made it back from K-State to visit our little man Cale. (Uncle Brock and Aunt Marady will be the final ones to meet Cale...but alas, they live in Seattle...so we must wait until Thanksgiving or Christmas....) Gotta make sure to include his picture too!

P.S.)  Here's that bottle of soap I mentioned in Cale's birth story, Part 1...