Friday, November 22, 2013

Olivia’s arrival… from pizza ranch and beyond. Part 1



Yes, you read the title correctly. From pizza ranch and beyond.  Monday, October 21st started out as what was becoming routine for an overdue pregnant woman.  We had an appointment bright and early so I woke up at 5 AM to get ready and load the vehicle with all of our “just in case we go into labor items” once again. We’d been loading and unloading this stuff for weeks now and being 9 days overdue I was soooo ready to actually go into labor just so we wouldn’t have to go through this process again.  

At my appointment my body showed no sign of progress since our appointment a few days prior. In a way I wasn’t surprised.  We had the weekend to process being induced and had decided that if I didn’t go into labor on my own we would go to Fargo Wednesday evening and be induced in the morning on Thursday, October 24th.  It was a decision I didn’t want to have to make but honestly, it felt so good to finally know that if my body didn’t do what it was supposed to that we would be welcoming a little one within the week.  We discussed that a little more at my appointment and then headed home. On our way home Andy and I talked more about me being induced and how that kind of takes away from the fun and excitement of going into labor and being able to say "I'm having contractions" or "my water broke."  We also talked about how fun it would be though to drive to our appointment on Wednesday night knowing that the next day we would have our little one in our arms.
   
When we arrived home I went on a walk with my friend Eliza and Andy went to play Super Mario brothers with her husband Tim. We walked two miles, which was typical for us, and chatted about life and pregnancy (she’s due in December).  Then, all four of us hung out for a while and contemplated going to town for supper. Because of the indecisiveness of the men, =) Eliza and I decided to go into Jamestown for pizza ranch so the men could continue their hang out time playing games and we could have the pizza both of us pregnant ladies were craving.  

So, Eliza and I were enjoying our supper and chatting more about pregnancy… and I started to feel… a little funny… like I’d just peed myself a little… like I’d done a few times before when I would sneeze or cough hard… yes that happens…except this time I hadn’t done anything that would cause this to happen.  So I sat there a little longer not quite sure what I was feeling… casually asked Liza how long it was from the time her water broke with her son Jackson to when she started having contractions… finished my sprite… and excused myself to the bathroom.  

Standing up is an interesting thing when one’s water has just broke.  Shortly after I started walking to the bathroom I realized that I needed to hurry.  I walked quickly to the bathroom and luckily made it to the stall before the floodgates were unleashed. 

So there I was, in the pizza ranch bathroom laughing and kind of gasping because I couldn’t believe how things were happening.  I was so excited, kind of embarrassed, and honestly I was thinking about the fact that now I would have to tell people that my water broke IN PIZZA RANCH!!! 

Then reality set in a little… there I was all alone in the bathroom with no purse and no cell phone and no way to tell Eliza that my water had just broke. Then, a woman came into the bathroom with her son.  So now I’m thinking “what do I do?” “How do I get out of here?” I thought that maybe I could get up and get out quickly but when your water breaks…um…. There’s no standing up without…leaking… sorry if this is too graphic! So I decided that I could ask this woman if she had a pad… because that’s a normal woman problem and she won’t suspect anything.  So I asked if she had a pad and she said no but laughingly offered a diaper.  I laughed a little too and said no thanks.  So again I thought that maybe since I’d been there a little longer I could get up and leave quickly…yeah, no. 

So there I am, still laughing a little and still kind of gasping and here is this person in the other stall who is probably wondering what in the world is going on with this crazy woman a foot away from her.  So I sat there a little longer wondering how long I would have to be in there before Eliza would check on me and also wondering if somehow I could send her some telepathic pregnant woman code signal that would tell her that she needed to come to the bathroom.  Knowing that I didn’t want to sit there forever and also knowing that the odds of telepathy suddenly working for me weren’t in my favor, I decided to ask this woman in the other stall for help.  Here were my exact words, “Ma’am, I’m sorry, but I’m pregnant, and my water just broke.” Her response was “Oh my God, do you want me to call the ambulance?!”  I laughed and said no but that I needed her to go get my friend. So I described where Eliza was sitting and she went and got her for me.  

Eliza came in the bathroom smiling ear to ear. =) I tried to explain to her where my keys were so she could go get me a pad out my bag in my vehicle but she was so excited that she wasn't really paying attention to what I was actually saying and asked me to explain it again.  Then the woman who had helped me offered the diaper again… sooo I decided just to take it.  Really, it was probably the best thing for a situation like this anyway. Eliza and I quickly made our way outside where we continued to laugh about the situation and contemplate what we should do.  All I could think about is whether or not I should change my clothes and oh my gosh my water really just broke and I’m 40 miles from home and should we drive back home and then leave from there or should Andy just drive here and Eliza could drive home in that vehicle and then I realized…. I should call Andy and tell him that my water broke! =)  So then I just laughed some more and called Andy! It was soooo exciting to call him and tell him my water broke and we both just laughed and laughed.  Seriously, the whole time from when my water broke all the way to the hospital I can’t even begin to tell you how much laughter was joyfully laughed!  So, Eliza and I waited for Andy in Jamestown and to pass the time we got gas, timed my contractions, and did some more laughing and chatting. 

Honestly, I am so thankful for how all of this happened. Even if was a little embarrassing, gross, and unpredictable. That’s just how life is I guess.    

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