Well, we have had quite the adventure the past few days. A very stressful but very rewarding adventure, to say the least. Our little Hunter Stone was born on Friday night via emergency C-section. He was 6 lbs. 6 ounces, 20 inches long and 4 weeks early.
We had gone to Kevin's grandfather's funeral in Provo Friday morning. After the service, I decided to stay at Kevin's Aunt and Uncle's house to rest while everyone else drove to Tooele for the internment. While I was there, I was trying desperately to feel the little guy kick. (I can usually always feel him if I just sit still for 5 minutes). Anyway, I didn't feel him. Then, I ate some milk and PB (the nurse told me that should always get them moving) I laid down again and still didn't feel him. I was just praying and praying that Heavenly Father would help me feel him kick, and if I couldn't feel him, that He would help me know what to do. It was very clear to me after a couple of hours of this that I needed to go to the hospital. I drove myself (everyone was still in Tooele) to the closet hospital and checked in. They immediately put me on the monitor and found the heart rate. "Whew" I thought, "everything is okay." Well, unfortunately, it wasn't. They monitored me for a hour (in the time which Kevin arrived) and noticed that he still wasn't moving. His heart rate then took a big drop for a minute, then came back up. After that drop, the nurse was on the phone with my Doctor, the on call Doctor and a million other people trying to decide what to do. She came in and told us that everyone agreed that they should deliver me. The gave me an epidural, then a shot of pitosin. The pitosin triggers contractions and they wanted to see how the baby would react to a contraction. Well, he didn't respond very well and his heart rate dropped once again, then recovered. They then decided that he wouldn't tolerate a normal delivery and they would have to do a c-section. They thought, however, that the c-section would be nice and easy, with the Doctor being able to essentially take him time. Unfortunately, after I had been off the pitosin for a few minutes, baby's heart rate plummeted and they couldn't find it. They rushed me in to the OR and had him out in just a couple of minutes. He was moving when they got him out, but his apgar score was a 3 (out of 10).
Insert a little funny: Dr. Bean who delivered Hunter was quite the jokster, he told me after everything was over "Thanks, I have always wanted to do that!". Teeheehee! He was joking around quite a bit so I just assumed when he said to the nurse "Call X-Ray and tell them to come and see if I left anything in her." that he was joking. He wasn't! I guess when you are having a regular c-section, they have time to count their sponges, tools, etc. But with the emergency c-section they don't. So, yes, they had to x-ray me to make sure I didn't have anything left inside. I felt like the Operation board game.
Back to the story. I got to see Hunter for 2 seconds before they took him to the NICU. He is now doing well, but the neonatologists have said that he will probably be there for a month. (We are really hoping that they say that to keep on the safe side and that he will come home sooner.) Our main concern now is his breathing. Here are some pictures of our little guy. His breathing apparatus (called a "c-pap") makes him look like an elephant, so we have been calling him Dumbo. He is doing really well and learning how to breathe all by himself.
He looks so much like Ian!
We are doing well, I was released from the hospital on Monday. I will say that is one of the hardest things we have ever had to do . . . leave the hospital without our son. But, we know he is being very well cared for. We are putting lots of miles on the car traveling back and forth to the hospital where we delivered which is about 40 minutes from our house. We are so appreciative of all our wonderful family, friends and neighbors and the help you are providing. We have been told by 5 different Doctors on different occasions that if we had not gone in to the hospital that day, that he would be gone. My trust and faith in the Savior has certainly sky-rocketed knowing that He really is watching over us and truly does guide seeking parents to make the best decisions for their children.
