Out with a BANG

Friday, June 8, 2012

I went into school for our final day of the year, which was a professional day. Being new to Booker, I did not know what to expect but my team told me that it is pretty much used as a day to complete all required paperwork for the end of the year and pack up your room. I had already completed the necessary paperwork and my room was all ready to go so I was pretty much just sitting around for most of the day. My team and I got together to look at the schedule and calendar for next year as well as the summer but other than that I seriously just sat around waiting for the clear to leave. 

Around 11am an annoucement came over the intercom stating we could leave for a 30 minute lunch. I was helping our librarian complete the LPAC paperwork and at about 11:15 I got a TERRIBLE pain in my abdomen. It was a like a menstrual cramp and it made my lower back REALLY hurt. I got up from the office chair I was sitting in and walked a little bit and that helped a little but not alot. I told my team I was going to go to Sonic to get some lunch, hoping it was just a hunger pain. Besides, I AM 9 MONTHS PREGNANT! In fact, I will be having a C-Section on Tuesday, June 12 just 4 short days away!

After getting my Sonic lunch and eating it I felt a little bit better but the Menstrual cramp feeling was still there. Around 12pm I began to get a worse feeling in my abdomen and I began to think these were contractions. I texted Chris and told him of these pains and then went to the front office secretary to see when we would be able to leave. According to my team, we never stay until 3pm so I felt OK going to the Secretary to ask when we could leave. She was a little short with me and said it was "A full day" and don't expect to leave before 3pm. I was a little upset at this reply and I went back to a teacher on my team to tell her about the 3pm news and tell her I was having contractions. At this point they were about 10 minutes apart but were increasing in strength and pain level. My teammate told me that I should leave and that i needed to go and tell my principal that I was having contractions. I was a little hesitant since my team leader was not there to give me the go ahead but I was also in A LOT OF PAIN!

I finally decided at about 1:15 to go to my Principal, who just this year had a baby as well, that I was having contractions. At this point they were about 6 minutes apart and I was having to bend over they hurt so much! When I got to her she was VERY short with me and said "I told y'all yesterday that everyone would have to get their stuff done and some people did not so we will have to stay until it is all done. If I let you leave, I will have to let others and I just cant". I left her office with tears coming on and I was very upset. I cried all the way down the hall to my room where I just told myself I could stick it out. I was, however, timing my contractions on my iPhone. They were about 4-5 minutes apart and REALLY PAINFUL! Again, they felt like menstrual cramps and LOTS of lower back pain! 

Around 1:30pm my principal came on the intercom to announce yearly awards and at the end of that announcement she said, you are now free to leave. By the time I gathered my stuff and made it back down the hall, I was about 20 people back in line to get her signature for the final check-out. During the wait to get her signature I had another 2 contractions and I had a feeling this was FOR REAL! I finally got to her and she signed my form and I got out of there immediately.

I called Chris and told him I was on my way and about how close my contractions were. During the short 20 minute commute home I had another 3 contractions which made it VERY HARD to drive but I made it home. I immediately called Labor and Delivery and they told me "Come in for sure". I knew I could not go into natural labor since i was having a C-Section so as much as I did not want to have Baby Luke on that day, I went in to the hospital just to be sure.

We got there and they immediately hooked me up to the heart monitor and fetal movement machines. I got comfortable and they checked my blood pressure and other vitals, which were all high since I was a little anxious and nervous about it all! I was in fact having contractions and they were showing up about 4 minutes apart but I was still not dilated AT ALL! The nurse told me that Dr. Markos was in doing a C-Section so she would call and ask him what he thought. She told me "We might be having a baby tonight".

In the meantime I had called my parents and sister and told them what was going on. Of course, my mom ended up leaving work early and getting in the car and started to make the 3 hour trip this direction. I told her not to but she started anyway. My sister kept updated via Facebook and so did Chris' brother and sister!

We sat there in the Triage room of the Labor and Delivery for about 3 hours just waiting and checking on me and Baby Luke. We got so bored that we started downloading video clips of The Office. This made the time pass by alot faster and got my mind off the whole ordeal.

Chris pointing to his shirt that says "TOP DAD"... He says "IM READY!"

At about 5:30, they released me to go home since my contractions had stopped and I was still not dilated or effaced at all. I was sent home with direct orders to "Take it easy" and stay off my feet as much as possible. This was FINE with me since I had been working up until this point and I was DYING FOR A BREAK! In fact, that is why I was wishing and hoping Luke would stay in there until Tuesday... JUST SO I COULD HAVE A BREAK!

It is amazing how God works... I knew that if Luke came earlier than June 8 it would mean that according to Spring ISD he was born in the 2011-2012 school year and I would not have the 12 weeks off in the Fall of 2012. If he was born after June 8, he would be considered to be born in the 2012-2013 school year and I would be able to take off 12 whole weeks from the start of the 2012-2013 school year as the "Baby Bonding" part of FMLA! So there we sat worried that he would arrive on Friday, June 8 but God had other plans! We were sent home at 5:30pm with NO BABY! I hate that I had a false labor but it was a very unique way to end the school year! OUT WITH A BANG!

God is Good.. ALL THE TIME!