HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRADY!

During the first few months of 2008, there were a couple times in the hospital that we and the doctors weren't sure if Grady was going to make it so every birthday, while special for everyone, is especially wonderful for Grady! Today he is 2!! I thought I'd shock the 2 readers I have left by posting something on my blog today! :) The following is Grady's birth story. If you need reminding of how sick he was, there's a link over on the right.

Nov. 2007
I had gone to my dr. appt. on Wed., Nov. 21, and Dr. Bantz wanted me to go to labor and delivery due to 146/94 bp. I chose not to go. On Sat. the 24 my bp was still up and I got a headache so I called the hospital and the dr. on call said to come in. I went in and they watched me for about 4 hours. BP went down so they sent me home. Induction was still scheduled for November 29 (Thurs). The dr. told me to stay off work until baby was born. I went to my scheduled appt. on Tues. with Dr. Boothe. My blood pressure was 160/92!!! I was still only 1 cm dilated. Dr. Boothe wanted me to go ahead to the hospital that night. We all discussed that 2 days before the scheduled induction wasn’t a big deal and that the bp was high enough I should go ahead and get the induction started. So we went and got Taylor and made plans quickly. I was checked into the hospital around 7 pm on Tuesday, November 27. They checked me and I was still only one cm dilated. They started Cervadil around 8:30pm. I sort of slept off and on through the night. The Cervadil fell out around 3:30 am and they went ahead and checked me again and I was 4 cm! They started the Pitocin around 6 am. I went ahead and got the epidural around 7:30 am since the anesthesiologist was going to be unavailable until around 11 am. When they checked me again (around 11 am) I was 6-7 cm and the dr. came and broke my water. Ryan and my dad headed to get lunch. The nurse checked me and I was 10 cm and 100% effaced. She told me to call Ryan back up and she’d get the dr. Dr. came in around noon. Nurse talked to me through one contraction and then I started pushing at 12:05 pm. I pushed for 5 sets (3 pushes each) and Grady was born at 12:23 pm. He was much bigger than Taylor (she was early and only 6 lbs 4 oz) but he was 8 lbs 11 oz!! So, the pushing went faster but it was much harder!