What's your pain level? Hell.

 The story of the birth of Caser Ward Smith - in the eyes of the best friend.

On Monday June 4th, I get a phone call from Kellie after a scheduled ultrasound.  She tells me that she will be going in the next day to be induced because she is low on fluid.  I knew that this wasn't what she wanted -- she wanted to have that baby on her own.  She seemed to handle her doctor telling her she was going to be induced fairly well, I'm pretty sure she was ready to meet her little man and get him out of her rib cage. Apparently your last few weeks of pregnancy you are miserable, with good reason!

So Tuesday morning came, I was a nervous wreck for Kellie, large bats butterflies were all in my stomach.  This is the first person that I have been so close to have a baby.  I don't remember much when Stormy had Sunnie and when she had Jersie, I had no worries since she was experienced in the whole labor thing.  So I cried, worried about Kellie, worried about the baby, worried something could happen to either one of them.  I was a wreck - maybe Kellie's hormones were rubbing off on me.  Cory reminded me that Kellie was the one pushing a kid out of her you know what, so she should be nervous -- I needed to be calm for her.  So I chilled out and went into work.

At 11 I get a text saying they had broken Kellie's water and she was dilated to 3.  My reply to her text was, "Did it feel like you peed yourself?"  In my mind, that's what it would feel like - warm water all over you at once while you are in a bed.  [Note:  Later I realize it isn't water]  At 11:45 they started the evil drugs, pitocin.  Around 12, I was hungry and heard that Kellie was progressing.  I was scared to death I was going to miss it, so I left work.  Arrived at the hospital - dang parking deck almost scared me to death.  I drove hunkered down like a 90 year old woman throughout the entire thing.  After arriving and checking on Kellie, I decided to have lunch with Kellie's sister, brother, and Daddy -- nice cafeteria food....hotdog and jojo's.  Let me say this, Kellie was hungry and couldn't eat, I felt so bad for her but I do know that she would enjoy a hotdog at any given opportunity too! 

After lunch I went to sit with Kellie.  Derek's aunt walks in, looks at me and says "And who are you?".... I refrained from being the typical Alyson that would have said, "I'm her best friend and if you don't know me then MAYBE you don't know her." but I didn't, Kellie jumped in as soon as she asked me because she knows me all too well. Sweet lady just didn't know who I was, I suppose.  The nurse came back in at 3:30 to find out she was still dilated to 3.  The sweet nurse would come in, ask Kellie's pain level and always turn up the pitocin.  The doctor used the words, "Fast and Furious" in regards to labor.  The hell with that.  That sounds terrible, who wants labor to be furious?  That sounds like a lot of stitches, a lot of pain, and a whole lot of blood!!  During the sitting around times I learned a lot on human anatomy....did you know that when they say they break your water they actually mean all the water around the baby - I thought it was a random sack that busted.  Nope, it is all the cushion stuff that goes all around the baby in your belly.  Who would have thought?

At 5 is when stuff started getting serious.  Kellie's contractions were getting a bit stronger and Dr. Sams came into check her.  He apparently didn't really break her water the first time but did at this point.  She was dilated to 4 - we are making progress.   This is when she was standing up trying to help her contractions, she was sweating, hurting, and in extreme pain.  It hurt my heart thinking about her hurting like this - so I sat in the waiting room down the hall and just watched her room.  At 5:45pm I see a nurse go in and two people with surgical gear -- ohhh she has decided for the epidural, another something she wasn't planning on doing.  Wasn't opposed but didn't plan on it - after about 30 minutes of pure hell, she said give me the juice!!  I would have said it before then  but she is a trooper.

She was tired but feeling much better with the drugs, I've tried to tell her this for years.  She was a little shaky but apparently a needle in your back keeping you numb from you waste down does that to you.  Better to be shaky than in extreme hell.  At 6:45, Kellie was checked again and still dilated to 5. At 7 we said goodbye to the sweet nurse that was so concerned with Kellie's pain level and said hello to the new demon sweet nurse.  

Kellie needed to rest and I was starving!  So, we went to Godsey's for dinner.  Brent (Derek's brother) made sure that I knew he was legal to have a beer and sweet, innocent Whitney (Kellie's sister) wished she could!  We sat down, I ordered a nice cold beer and he said - I was just kidding about getting a drink.  Who was he kidding??  - this has already been a long day and I don't joke around about beer.  We hurried out when we got a text at 9 saying that she was dilated to 5 1/2.  Half an inch = half a finger if you didn't know that.  Eeek!  At 9:50, checked and no change...and the nurse goes out of the room to call the doctor.  Bad sign!

Minutes later, they come in to say they will be doing a C-section on Kellie.  I went in, rubbed her foot [I forgot she couldn't feel it] while we all were very upset with the news.  This was definitely not in the plan of her having this baby.  She was swooped away at 10:00pm....and this is when I was really freaking out.  Where did they take her, why isn't Derek with her... I wouldn't have been happy if I were her... I would want Cory by my side the entire time.  At 10:50pm they come for Derek and at 10:54pm Baby Smith made his entrance into this world.

A doctor comes out to tell us that "Kippy as been born."  Please remember, we still do not know the name of this baby at this point.  Kiplan was an option but I had NEVER heard Kippy.  When he said that, Pam (Derek's Mom) looked around and said, "Kippy??? KIPPY??" we all were in shock thinking they had named him Kippy - not that we wouldn't love him but it definitely wasn't on my favorite list. 

We wait, we wait, and here comes the smiling Daddy with his beautiful baby boy.  He took after Derek, a bit of a cone shaped head but still one precious little sucker.  He weighed 8 pounds 4 ounces and was 21 inches long.  Derek was ON TOP of the world.
 
Betty asking nurse:  What did you rate him on the scales?
Derek: one hundred -- PERCENT!!!

Derek:  Hey, where is your Mommy I have no idea what to do with you.

A bath was given to the little guy, the baby not Derek.  He was cold, he cried, his precious little lip quivered but finally he was clean and all warm.  Kellie arrived in the room and made the announcement that his name is Caser Ward Smith!  I got home at 3:00am, laid in bed, and thought about the day.

Thoughts/Lessons Learned: 
*Don't have sex, you will get pregnant.
*If you get pregnant be prepared.
*Don't make a plan, babies do what they want when they want.
*Cafeteria hotdogs are amazing and much cheaper than corndogs.
*Your "water" is the nasty stuff holding your baby in your guts.
*5 1/2 inches is 5 & 1/2 fingers, which is a lot if you think about it
*Don't talk about being hungry in front of someone who can't eat.
*Standing up helps contractions, it's the gravity.
*They ask pregnant women to quit smoking after delivery to help with the healing...how about that?
*It's hard to shave your legs when your pregnant, see my first thought.
*Babies are beautiful, sweet, and are a gift from God.  Amazing!


Congratulation Kellie and Derek!  Caser is perfect!