On Friday morning September 7th, 2012 I woke up and got ready for my Doctor Appointment thinking that it would just be a routine checkup, and getting to listen to our precious little girl's heartbeat, our first child, little did I know that today our lives would change forever (and in a wonderful way). As I was getting ready for my appointment I thought that I wasn't feeling baby girl move and kick as much, but I just shrugged it off thinking its probably nothing, or that she is probably moving but I just don't feel it as much because of all my running around. While on my drive to the doctor I got a little more worried, and thought if they suspect something is wrong then I would say something, I HATE complaining. At the doctors they did the lovely weight check, and checking my blood pressure. The nurse checked it once on my left arm, then checked it again, and when she hurried to the right arm I knew something was up, so I informed her that I thought baby girl wasn't moving as much. As my nurse walked out into the hallway to talk to the doctor, I overheard her telling him that something is not right and that she is very worried about me, that my blood pressure is way too high, and baby wasn't moving. Doc came in to tell me that he would like for me to head for the hospital just to check and make sure everything was okay, as my eyes filled with tears my nurse looked at me and assured me that she thinks its nothing and I will be fine.
So out the door I went and headed for the hospital, luckily it was just across the street. This is one trip I hoped I would never have to make by myself, as my mom had to make the same trip by herself after a checkup when she was pregnant with my little sister. I called Michael on my way over crying and knowing that he was two-three hours away at work, I wanted him to be there for our first childs birth! When I called Michael he reassured me that I would be fine, and to call my mom and have her come down in the meantime he called his mom, and she headed towards the hospital as well.
At the hospital I remember so clearly walking in and asking which floor maternity was on, as I was in such a wreck I just COULD NOT remember. :) I got on the elevator got to the maternity floor and checked in. A sweet older lady hooked me up to all the wires and monitors, little did I know that things did not look good out at the nurses desk and another nurse came in and took me straight to a delivery room. Once in the delivery room they did an ultrasound and baby girl did not practice breathing or move once in a half hour period. At first I was not happy with nurse becauseshe really pushed for a C-section, she informed me that I will be having baby girl today, that she was not doing good inside me and needed out, later on before I left the hospital I thanked her for pushing it and to this day I am so thankful for her! I did not stop praying for a healthy happy little girl and for Gods protection over us!
My mom got to the hospital in time to be informed that baby girl was coming today. I was not able to communicate with Michael all this time, but mom did it for me. She called him and let him know that he would become a daddy today, a whole month before we had thought she would come. He told mom to do everything he would for me if he could have been there, and to tell me that he love me and he is coming as fast as he can! They took mom and I to the operating room and got me prepped! I was scared and not sure what to expect with a C-section. Mom stayed right by my side the entire time in fact I remember looking at mom and saying, "mom I could do this again, its not bad at all." :) It was a matter of a couple minutes and baby girl was out, she was not breathing or moving, they called code pink, and doctors and nurses started running. Michaels mom was out in the hallway, all she heard was code pink and saw everyone running, she knew that it was for our little girl, a wonderful nurse stayed with her during this time. In the mean time back in the delivery room I could hear the doctors and nurses working on our little girl, and there was nothing I could do except pray, and pray I did. I tried to be strong but I cried. Finally a nurse came over to my side and said, "do you hear that, they are laughing now, that's good, that means she is doing better." such a sweet nurse. After my surgery the nurses wheeled me over to our little girl and let me touch her tiny little hand, she was still not active, but breathing. Then they wheeled me to recovery.
Michael and I had not decided on a name yet, we had four possibilities, Michael had two and I had two, so for now she was baby girl Yoder. I was not in recovery for long before Michael came walking in. He said, "Twila I saw her and she is sooo tiny, and Landry Renn is a perfect name for her." And Landry Renn she is!
Finally after the longest two hours of my life I got out of the recovery room. I still had only touched Landry's tiny little hand, I longed so much to see her, to look at her face, to hold her. But as I waited in my room the pediatrician came in and told us Landry is very weak, and sick, they thought she might have and infection, and they had to send her to Akron Children's Hospital. They had her stable finally so before the transport team took her they brought her into my room on the stretcher and pulled her up beside my bed, so I could touch her feet. I did not get to see her face or hold her, I touched her feet and little hand and the wheeled our little girl off. Michael and I never felt so helpless before, seeing our little girl so weak and helpless. I kept thinking this is not how its supposed to be!
But as the day went on we started finding out what a true little miracle she was, and in the days and weeks to follow we realized it even more, with everything we found out. My doctor said that the cord was ready to tear, an hour or two later we both could have died. Praise God for how perfect the timing was for everything. Had I not had my that day we could have had a very different story.
Until I was released two days later, all I got to see of Landry was pictures and videos that Michael texted me while he was at her side. He would stay at my side during the night and go see her everyday. During the night at Akron our parents took turns staying with Landry, we could not have done without family and friends throughout this!
I will continue in my next post about holding my little girl for the first time, and our stay at Akron Childrens!
