One friday morning, at about 715am, Paul was in the shower getting ready for work. I sleepily woke up to relief my full bladder and while wiping dry, I realised I had some blood on the toilet paper. Shocked, but I calmly called out to Paul, "Baby, I see blood". I was cool and collected. Did not feel afraid or even anxious at all. The next thing I did was to quickly place a pad on my underwear and Paul replied, "Do you feel contractions? I think it's just the 'show'. Do you want me to take emergency leave?" I was contemplating, should he, or shouldn't? What if it's just false alarm? What if I've not started labour yet? We decided that Paul should just go to work and I'll call him if there's really a need.
So, I called my clinic and got the voicemail. Left a message for the nurse about the situation and waited for her to call me back. While waiting for the return call, Paul left for work at about 740. The nurse called back just when the garage door was closing. The nurse said, "We don't have any doctors in the office today, go to the hospital and have them check you out." I called Paul on the cellphone and told him, "We have to go to the hospital now." Paul was on the road halfway to work, and he turned back.
Off I went to bathe and wash my hair. I have this feeling that this will be the last day I get to wash my hair, or else will have to wait for a month before getting to wash it again. Paul came back and we packed some stuff that we suddenly remembered into our "emergency bag". He took the camera & video cam along. I was still feeling fine, no pain, no contractions, nothing. Just the feeling of stuff flowing to my pad. I just felt fine, like any other ordinary menstruating day.
Left the house at about 830am and five minutes later, we were at the hospital. Went up to the 3rd floor and signed in. The nurses went through all the procedures of admitting a pregnant woman. The nurse said that I was having contractions, and I don't even feel them. I was hooked up with wires to monitor baby & my vital signs. When a contraction started, the nurse notified me. I was like "Oh, that's how contractions feel like". And the nurse said, "That and 1000 times worse if you were to go through vaginal delivery instead of C-sect." I wouldn't know, cos I never had any menstruation cramps. Thank GOD!
We started calling our family, telling them that we're in the hospital. Doc Fara came in and checked on Valerie, she's still breeched. The anesthesiologist came in to introduce himself and briefly explain the type of anesthetic (Spinal, means I'm awake but I will feel no pain from chest downwards) that I'm having and how the procedure goes.
At 10am, I was wheeled into the surgery room. The room felt cold, and everything was so brightly lighted. The anesthesiologist came in first for my spinal injection. I keep telling myself that everything is going to be fine, as long as I relax and breathe.... The next thing I knew, Ouch!! The jab freakin hurts!! But only for about 10 secs, then it's all over. I slowly began to lose sensation of my body... from my chest... and slowly down to my toes. I was wide awake, I was aware when my surgeon came in. The nurses put up a cloth in front of me, therefore I didn't get to see the whole procedure of the surgery. Paul was seated beside me... and we just waited, and waited... it seemed like a long wait. About 5-10mins later, the doctor asked Paul to get the camera ready... and out pops Valerie!!
Valerie was then brought to me... got to see her but not touch her. She was then whisked away to be cleaned up and have daddy cut her cord. The nurses then weighed her and measured her.
That's the story of Valerie's birth.
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