We lived in Allegan, Michigan. Besides what was going on in the world we were doing good. Brian was driving for Sara Lee Bakery and was home every night. We were just starting to debate on buying our first truck and becoming an owner operator. I was attending college part time at Kalamazoo Valley Communtiy College and our oldest was in Kindergarten. Life was good and we were thrilled when we found out we were expecting another baby.
I was a part of a mom's playgroup that met once a week. We averaged about 7 to 10 moms. We would meet at different homes or at a park. Sometimes we would have field trips to a pumpkin patch or the local fire house. It was nice mingling with other stay at home mom's and talking about issues of raising children. My doctor's wife, who has a young child, also joined in on our group. She really is a sweet lady. There were times when we would talk about mistakes doctors make or how awful the delivery went of a baby. I would look over at her and smile and say in jest, "I can't say anything bad about my doctor. If I did his wife would clobber me." She took it with humor and really her husband was a fantastic doctor. They were active in church, their older children attended the same christian school my son was attending and they were very pro-family. But it did have its awkard moments. Towards the end of my pregnancy I didn't like talking about it at playgroup. I was uncomfortable talking about my appointments with his wife right there. I would think in the back of my mind, her husband has seen me where the sun doesn't shine and she KNOWS it. It was all for medical purposes but it still made it awkward. She was a registered nurse before being a stay at home mom so she was all ready to question how I was doing physically and when I was overdue if I was dilating yet. I hated to answer her.
At college I was just taking general classes. One class was Children's Literature. I felt like the people in class never seen a pregnant woman before. It was a summer class which ended a week before my due date of August 21. I was certainly showing in that class. Some of the younger girls even would ask to rub my belly and some wanted to feel the baby kick. I let them. They thought it was neat to feel the kicking but generally I do not like to be touched by people I don't know. I was certainly outside my comfort zone.
We decided to let Brian name this baby. We didn't have an ultrasound as the doctor didn't seen a need in one. For a boy Brian picked out the name James Reagan. James because it is the most used name for the presidents of the United States. There is James Madison, James Monroe, James Polk, James Buchanan, James Garfield and Jimmy Carter. The middle name Reagan was after our 40th president, Ronald Reagan. I thought the reasons of the name were ridiculous but he picked out the name so I went with it. He couldn't think of a girls name at all. I couldn't either. Brian said not to worry about it because he knew this one was going to be a boy.
Like my other children my due date came and went. Time just ticked away laughing at me as I wait and wait for labor to begin.
It was August 31, 2002. Labor Day weekend came upon us. My Aunt and Uncle came from Tulsa, Ok. to Michigan a year before and we decided to all get together, along with my mom, her husband, and my sister and her husband and children for a picnic at Little John Lake in Allegan. The weather was beautiful. We went swimming and the kids played on the playground equipment. I even was swinging on the swings feeling the freedom of the wind in my face flying back and forth. I was feeling good and having fun. Labor at this point was the farthest thing from my mind.
That night the excitment took a toll on me and I was exhausted. I retired to bed a little earlier than normal. Brian stayed awake watching tv. About 3:30am I woke up from a deep sleep doing Lamaze style breathing. Woo woo woo wooooo! Woo woo woo woooo! Woo woo woo woooo? It took me a moment to realize what I was doing. I had to think why I was breathing like that. The answer to my question quickly arrived. A heavy contraction shot around myself. Fear quickly came upon me. I let it pass. I stood up and took a few steps to our bedroom door. Another contraction. I stopped to let it pass. I looked at the stairs. Can I make it down the stairs? I called for Brian quietly as our three children were fast asleep in the room next to our room. He couldn't hear me. I had another contraction at the top of the stairs. As soon as that contraction passed I dashed down the stairs. Another contraction hit and I braced myself on the door to the stairway. I managed to make it to the livingroom and found Brian just dozing off. "BRIAN! It's time!"
He looks at me dazed and confused, "Time for what?"
"I am in labor! We need to call your mom and get to the hospital."
"I was just falling asleep." he said very sleepy.
"Well it looks like you are about to pull an all-nighter." I headed for the phone.
We call Brian's mom to come keep an eye on the kids. I called my mom to come from Grand Rapids to meet us at the hospital. I wanted her to be there for the birth. In all the commotion Beth woke up. She caught me having a contraction and got scared and started to cry. I, then, started to cry. I quickly pulled myself together and told her a new sibiling was on its way and Grandma was coming over.
We made it to Allegan General Hospital. My doctor was moving to a new house that weekend. I joked with him saying that I bet he was glad I pulled him away from the house so he doesn't have to move boxes today. He laughed and said if everything goes right he would be back home in a few hours working on it.
My mom and my sister showed up in time. Labor wasn't too bad and I got my dose of stadol to take the edge out of the pain. I was the only one on the delivery room floor that early morning. At 7:43am on September 1, 2002 a new baby entered the world. We were overly thrilled that it was a boy. We still didn't have a girls name picked out. The doctor hands James to Brian. Brian looks down at James and says, "He looks just like a little bear cub." Then his nicknamed formed - Cubby and it is still his nickname to this day.
Right after James was delivered another mom-to-be came in. The nurses told me they had to do an emergency c-section on this mom and they will be right back to assist me. I told them I understood and no problem. Brian left shortly to get back with our other children and my mom and sister left to head back to Grand Rapids. It was just James and I. I was told, from past deliveries, that when I first stand up they want the nurses there in case I get dizzy and fall or other medical reasons. So I sat there - in the same sheets I gave birth in. James was getting heavy in my arms. I was getting very tired of sitting too, not to mention I wanted clean sheets.
A few hours pass. I thought about using the call nurse button but I didn't want to disturb them in case they were still helping that other mom. I lay James between my legs and stretch way over to pull the hospital bassinet closer to me. I placed James in there. He was sleeping and happy. I needed to use the bathroom. I look over at the bathroom door. I was sure I could walk over to it. I stood up. I stayed up. All is good. I didn't want to leave James in the room all by himself so I wheeled him in with me. I came out of the bathroom and looked around. It was nice standing up. Still no nurse to come and check up on me. I look through some of the cupboards in the room. One cupboard had clean sheets in it. Praise Jesus. I took off the old bedding and made up the bed. At least I didn't feel so totally gross anymore. It wasn't until several hours later (and past lunch hour) that finally a nurse came to check on me. In my passive aggressive sort of way I showed her the soiled sheets and told her I wasn't sure where to put them. A look of shock came across her face. She looked at my chart. "Wasn't there anyone who came in here earlier?"
"No" I said in a matter of fact tone. I think she realized that they didn't even come in to check vitals or anything. She apologized and said they were all sitting in the nurses station watching tv. Somehow I didn't feel much better hearing that.
The next day we were giving the all clear to go home and I was so glad to do so. When I talked about his birth at the playgroup my doctor's wife was upset that the nurses slacked off. She said it was probably because of the Labor Day weekend and many of them probably didn't want to be there. She said I should send in a letter of complaint. I told her I wouldn't. It was done and other with and no harm was done. She said she would talk with her husband about it so he can talk with those working there that weekend. Being in the hospital room I felt like a hampster in a cage. No where to go to except from wall to wall. James was my last hospital birth.
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| "Cubby" James Reagan (2 months old) |
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