The morning of the 16th got off to an early start, just like the previous morning. I didn't sleep much the night before because the nurse kept coming in to wake me up and readjust my monitors. No changes happened over night. Oxytocin was administered again.
When Dr. Franken came in later that morning, she announced that I was barely a fingertip dilated. How exciting! Except at the same time, it wasn't. I had been in the hospital for 36 hours by now, and I had a feeling that the only way you were coming out was if we took you out by force. She tried using something called a Foley bulb to force dilation, but something went wrong and efforts were immediately withdrawn.
I felt the beginning of contractions in my back, but the older nurse that day kept telling me that they weren't real contractions since I couldn't feel them all the way around my abdomen. I would like to say that all the other nurses I had during the labor part of our stay were fantastic, but this particular nurse kept telling me I shouldn't be in pain during times when I so obviously was. There was a younger nurse with us that day too, and she tried her hardest to make me feel better when I was hurting, but no one could get the older nurse to give me pain relievers.
Oxytocin was turned off after the Foley bulb incident as well because I started contracting on my own, but within an hour or two it needed to be turned back on because I stopped contracting on my own. Because of the problem with the Foley bulb, I was given c-section and epidural forms to sign, just in case you went into fetal distress and I needed to have an emergency cesarean.
Around 1 o'clock, Dr. Franken returned to break my water. I was also given something that would monitor just how strong my contractions actually were. Soon, they started to hurt A LOT. It's weird now that I'm so far removed from them, because I don't remember them hurting as badly as they really did. I got to where it was difficult to talk through contractions. The nurse asked me how bad my pain was. "Eight? Nine? I don't know, but this hurts. Can't I have something?" She asked me where I was hurting. "My back! Ohhhh my back!" No, I couldn't have any pain relievers, because I should be feeling contractions all the way around my abdomen. This was when Gigi and Aunt Christy spoke up and said that they never felt contractions all the way around either, and that we all feel labor pains in our backs. The nurse stood firm. No pain relief now because my body would get used to it and it wouldn't work when it was time to deliver you. They tried to place me in different positions to alleviate the pain in my back. I leaned over the bed, I got down on my hands and knees, and I bounced on a giant ball, but nothing helped.
Soon, I couldn't do anything except cry during contractions. I tried to breathe, but couldn't. I tried to focus on something pleasant, but couldn't. All I knew was excruciating pain. "Where would you rate your pain level?" the nurse asked. I cried. "Breathe! Don't cry!" she said in a less-than-encouraging voice. I cried anyway. Contractions hurt, Conrad. Don't ever think for one minute that you've had pain like this, because there really isn't anything like the continuous pain of contractions.
Aunt Christy left soon after this part to get back home. She homeschooled your cousins from Kindergarten all the way through graduation, and took it very seriously too. She didn't like to miss days and get behind. I hate that she saw me when I was in so much pain, especially because she tried so hard to fix it.
Just before 4 o'clock, I was finally allowed an epidural. The doctor who administered it was funny, which took my mind off of everything between contractions. Your dad was in the room, but he got pushed out of the way by the younger nurse and the intern nurse, whose hands I was supposed to squeeze if the epidural started hurting. I learned I have a small spin from the doctor, who had trouble giving me the epidural without making my right leg feel like it was on fire. I think on the third try she finally got it in the right place, and it was amazing how immediate the relief was. I felt amazing, but also dizzy from the anesthetics. I apparently said some goofy things during this time.
An hour after the anesthesiologist arrived, Dr. Franken arrived to check on our progress. Strangely enough, it was minimal. 75% effaced and 3 centimeters dilated. I couldn't believe my contractions had hurt so badly when I wasn't even close to delivering you. I was discouraged, but since I was no longer in pain, I was able to sleep heavily for the first time since I arrived. I hoped that the next time I was checked, it would be about time to push.
Around 8 o'clock, Dr. Franken came back. She had been watching the monitors of your heart and my contractions out in the nurses station, and your heartbeat was in a dangerous range. At this point I was only 4 centimeters dilated. We agreed that a c-section was in everyone's best interest. Your daddy was given clothes to wear in the operating room and off we went.
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