Alexis's Introduction

When I, Casandra, was young I was diagnosed with endometriosis and estrogen dominance and I was told I most likely wouldn't have my own children. Early into my relationship with my now husband I had told him this and he said we would figure it out. We decided that we would try regardless and just see what happened. I become pregnant fairly fast much to our surprise. I had my first appointment to confirm and get a request form for an ultrasound. After a couple of weeks we went for our appointment only to be told that they couldn't see with the external probe and they would have to do an internal ultrasound. I agreed and we finished up the appointment and left. I was called back into the doctors office shortly after where the doctor told me that I had a septum in my uterus, which ultimately split my uterus in half. Meaning I wouldn't be able to carry the baby to full term, so an abortion was recommended by him. I ask for a second opinion and was left to find a doctor who would take me on. After many phone calls I finally found a doctor who would take me and he sent me for another ultrasound to confirm what the first doctor had said. By this point I was further along in my pregnancy and they could see clearly externally. Thank goodness we pushed for a second opinion and found another doctor, as it turns out I do not have a septum in my uterus. What was seen by the first doctor was shadowing from a deformed muscle in my cervix. The pregnancy was fairly uneventful, minus not gaining the amount of weight they wanted me too. My last trimester I was switched from the family doctor to the new OB/GYN that had moved into our small rural town. At my 32nd week ultrasound he noted that the umbilical cord was thinning and growth rate of our daughter had slowed. He decided that this needed to monitored closely as our little rural hospital was not equipped to care for pre-term babies. I was scheduled for further ultrasounds spacing every few weeks. At the 35th week ultrasound her growth still wasn't increasing, but her organs were growing and functioning as should for her gestations. He decided to book me for one more ultrasound at 37weeks. The 37th week ultrasound was long, as he wanted them to record how many times she 'breathed-in' the amniotic fluid so he could better assess her lung function to make the choice if I delivered in our small hospital or had to be sent to a bigger city. Her percentile had been holding steady until this appointment where it had started to drop. He made the choice that he felt her lungs were developed enough for me to deliver in my hometown and booked me for an induction the next day. That evening was a whirlwind of trying to get everything ready, most first time moms go past 40 weeks and I had always imagine I would too. So being told I needed to be induced in the follow day, left for a hectic evening.

The next day, I was checked and dilated 2cm which can be quite normal at that point in pregnancy. My doctor felt that breaking my waters would be the best course of action for me, so we went ahead with that induction procedure. I went from not being in labor one minute to overlapping long contractions just minutes later. I was walking and making progress and absolutely hated having to lay down and be hooked up periodically. I was having back-labor so laying on my back intensified my pain. Eight hours into my, pain-med free, labor I was told that I had stalled out at 5cm and that baby wasn't doing the best. My body had gone into shock from the pain and I was freezing and trembling. We needed to consider an epidural to cut the pain of the rushed labor or I could be looking at having to have a cesarean section. I reluctantly gave in and opted for the epidural, I was whisked away to a delivery room and given the epidural.

At this point my husband had decided it was the best time to run out to the vehicle to get the camera and the baby bag. A few short minutes passed and I called the nurse into my room as I felt like I needed to use the washroom. She told me I really shouldn't but since the epidural wasn't in full effect yet, that she would help me in and wait. I used the washroom and was put back into the bed. Another couple of minutes passed and I called the nurse back in and told her I had a lot of pressure and pain and a sensation to push. She said there was no way I was ready and that the epidural still wouldn't even be fully in effect, when they check 10 min ago I was only 5cm. I begged her to check me and I resisted the urge to push and willed my husband to hurry up. She gave into me and checked and to her surprise baby was in the birth canal, she told me not to push and ran out of the room. I was shocked and confused and then she came back and told me she just called the doctor and he was on his way, but I needed to start pushing. My husband came into the room during all this as well.

During my labor the doctor came into the room and took over. Baby was coming sunny-side-up, usually babies are born facedown but she was coming faceup. This makes labor a little harder on the mom, right in the middle of delivery my epidural fully kicked in, dulling my pain but also leaving me susceptible to overexertion and injury. Our tiny baby girl came into the world 40 minutes after I had got the epidural. She didn't enter the world screaming as I had imagined. As soon as she was delivered they took her to clean out her mouth and nose and listen to her lungs, incase they needed to tube her. She did not cry during her exam at all, even when the doctor hung her upside down to get more fluid out of her lungs. I kept asking my husband if she was okay, if she was breathing. He kept reassuring me that she was breathing and she had these bright beautiful eyes and she was so alert looking around. Not hearing her cry had sparked panic in me and doubt that perhaps I should have went to a better equipped hospital. But soon enough she was brought over to me and it was clear she was tiny but healthy. She was 4 pounds and 15 ounce, and only 18.4 inches long, she had slight issues with her circulation but we just needed to keep her warm and soon her blue hands and blue feet turned to the perfect pink color. We went though all the first time learning moments that all new parents go though. Our room was full of family and friends who wanted to come and meet our tiny Lu-Bug. I had to stay at the hospital for a full 4 days after delivery to make sure that she was doing well, after all she was born prematurely. We had no premature baby clothes, but family brought us in gifts and thankfully some of them had gone out and purchased premature clothes for her.

She was the happiest baby, she was so alert and content always wanting to watch what was going on around her. We had two older dogs and the three became as thick as butter over the coming months. Once she figured out how to roll around she was always with the dogs. The very first time she pulled herself up to stand was using the dogs collar to aid her. Those dogs loved her dearly, if she cried the dogs would howl and walk back and forth between me and her, looking at me like "aren't you going to do anything?". They would spring into action if they felt she was in danger and get between her and the danger, they often slept in her room on the floor.

That little tiny girl, has now grown into a beautiful young lady. The past 12 years have gone by so fast I cannot believe it. She still has a strong connection with animals, she is caring, smart, and compassionate. She makes us proud all the time with what she has accomplished so far in her life. We are blessed to have her in our lives and get to partake in her growth and journey.