Another story told.

Hi! My name is GiGi and I'm guest posting for Jana on Giggleglitzandglam. Im a homeschooling mom of 7 who lives in an awesome Little Red House. I hope you will make GiGi's place your place too!

Its D DAY!!!!

I always say that God writes an awesome story. After 6 births, I still get humbled that God would take the time to perfectly orchestrate the welcoming of each of my children into the world. Not one mistake, and everything working out just as it should .

It also doesn't surprise me that BEFORE each and every baby I STILL try and control each and every moment of my impending labor and delivery.

The same went with #7. With each baby, I become more and more nervous as the big "D" day approached. Im not sure why that is? Maybe because I know a little TOO much about what goes on behind those locked doors. Either way, waiting for little Mr. to make his grand appearance seemed to drive me crazier than having to go thru the whole 9 months. So, like my last 2 babies... and because I deliver very quickly and easily, I scheduled an induction date. August 18th 2012 it would be...

During the summers, and my various bouts with pre term labor, I found it quite shocking to actually make it to that date. I convinced my Dr to induce on a Saturday. He would be on call and knew my easy history... break my water and baby comes. Lots of drugs... no issues... well, except for one. My first baby Emma had the cord wrapped around her neck pretty tight. After hours of pushing... and even more hours of laboring, she barely took her first breath. She was almost strangled to death in the very womb that was supposed to keep her safe from the harms of the world. After a week in the NICU, we were finally reunited.

A few of my other babies had cord issues. Nothing serious. I assume they just liked to hold on for dear life and not want to emerge...

Anyway, I was a wreck. It was six in the morning as hubby and I pulled into the parking space. I had a pit in my stomach the size of a grapefruit. I had a "feeling"... and I hate when I have those. I almost didn't walk in. Perhaps I should have let this one come naturally and not force it. I wasn't as dilated as I was with all my other ones. For some reason, Baby Caleb wanted to stay put! But my mother in law flew in to watch my other kids, Hubby was all excited... I just had to.

before the trouble started

So off we went. I was greeted by smiles. After a CRAZY Friday in the L and D ward, today was a ghost-town. I didn't mind. The nurses chatted and got me set up and tried to calm my nerves. I still couldn't shake that feeling.

As the Dr casually strolled in to say hello and see if I was ready to go, I assured him to go ahead. As with my past babies, once the first contraction hit, I would dilate and meet my baby in minutes. My exact words were..

"Hey Doc, my labors are a breeze, except sometimes my kids like to get all tangled in the cord, but it will all be good..."

Little did I know that later on, I would be eating those words... ( or better yet, throwing them up.)

An epidural was admitted before the pain made an entrance. How easy would this be?? A NO pain labor.

My anesthesiologist was amazing, but no matter what dose he gave me, they couldn't get it working quite well. i felt it in my left side, sometimes in my right and after a while, as the contractions started picking up... deep deep within. I was numb all over except for within the depths of my uterus. Weird I know...

and my anesthesiologist kept watch.

I remained the only patient on the floor and despite my sunny personality, I finally realized they weren't popping in just to see the happy mom of 7. Their eyes remained on the monitor and I often heard my Dr. telling Baby Caleb to behave.

His heart was acting a bit weird with every contraction but once my water was broken, he should arrive as quickly as someone shooting down a water slide... at least thats what the Dr. hoped.

In true GiGi style, I dilated from a 3 to 8 in 10 seconds flat. Nurses jumped around and delivery carts came rushing in. The time was HERE!!! I was going to meet my very last baby boy!

In abut 10 minutes I should be dilated to 10 and then the fun can begin... but 10 minutes passed and i was still at 8....

Then 20, 30, and 40 minutes passed.... and nothing.

His heart continued to decline and my Dr continued to keep watch over that monitor as if the biggest sporting event were on.

My epidural refused to work correctly and I winced with every contraction... and finally, without even realizing it, i keyed in.

I heard his heart. And as I started to realize what I was listening to, it became deafening.... barely beating...

The nurses did anything they could to get it up. I was flipped around, upside down, legs in the air... until this little soul was stabilized.

I sent out a text for prayer... I was too exhausted to even form the words myself.

With each contraction my heart joined him and I heard it hardly beat. The nurses circled around me, waiting for the word to rush into surgery... not wanting me to catch on to any of this...

2 hours later I reached to 9.... 1 little cm to go. I offered to push even though it would tear my cervix. Who needed one anyway? I wasn't planning on having any more kids... I didn't NEED a cervix, but I was forbidden.

I cried with each contraction begging God to let him live... holding my breath until his heart beat began rising again. At one moment, his scalp monitor fell off without me knowing and I started screaming that he was dying...

About this time I noticed the nurses started gathering my things. The nice ol anesthesiologist started giving me more drugs, hair clips were being removed and my rings were being taped.

"Please don't let me get a c-section.." I cried and cried. I begged for general. How would I be able to withstand a c section when my epidural wouldn't work. I passed the numb test, but deep within my uterine walls, I felt it all...

"Its time to have a baby..."

Were my Drs last words. Before I knew what was happening, I was being rolled into surgery. My husband was pulled aside and privately told that during the section he would be asked to leave. Once they cut to the uterus, I would probably feel it and they would put me under...

And thats exactly what happened. I glanced to my left as my husband was being rushed out and I started screaming as to why he was leaving... and then I started yelling as they tugged and pulled at parts that shouldn't be felt by human hands... I thought my baby was dying... the baby who I felt for nine months and the baby who's heart I was just praying for....

And then I went to sleep....

I woke up a short time later and there was my hubby. Smiling over me.

" OH MY GOD IS THE BABY OK?"

" He's right here hun..."

just a few minutes old in the operating room

And there he was. As perfect as could be and nestled in his daddy's arms. He was healthy and alive.

It turns out my last baby wanted to be just like my first baby and wrap the cord around him so tight that he couldn't descend. He was stuck but because of the great hands of my OB, He was perfectly fine. He was taken out just in time. With a full set of hair and stunning blue eyes... Just like my baby Emma.

Some of the kids saying HI for the first time

Our first night together consisted of me throwing up from the anesthesia... and when I did wake up, I was thrown awake by vicious nightmares of my labor... of my baby's heart stopping but in my dreams, it never started again. I woke up in sweats but thankful he was next to me... breathing softly and smelling sweet.

Our first night together

 That sweet anesthesiologist came to visit and apologize for not being able to "do his job..." I assured him it was ok, things happen and in the end, we all lived to tell the tale.

The funny thing is, My first and last look the most alike... like two book ends. One Girl and one boy... with 4 babies in between. Both entered the world traumatically and both changed my life forever. My first and my last.....

day 2

FIVE short days later, I was rushed back to the hospital with pregnancy induced heart failure. Read about that journey HERE.

- XoXo GiGi