The most amazing thing imaginable...
 

...my son.

Words are so shallow and coarse to describe the wellspring of emotion that I'm feeling tonight. The past 48 hours have been an emotional roller-coaster that went through some incredible twists, turns, and loop-the-loops, with the climax scaling heights I never imagined my emotions could go when I watched the hands of several doctors reaching into my wife's abdomen and pulling out the second most beautiful thing I've ever witnessed in my entire life... the first being my brave wife as she struggled to push out a 10 pound, three ounce bundle of joy out a birth canal that was maybe made for 8. I'm so entirely humbled by her poise as she labored in "hard" labor for three hours before the epidural was available to her.

It wasn't supposed to be like that, but we've found that "best laid plans" are nothing short of mere hopes when it comes to giving birth. Our plan was to endure the contractions until they started to "really" hurt, so that she wasn't bed ridden the entire time. But just as that started to happen, and we put in our call for relief, we found the medicine man was being called from one emergency to the next, leaving poor Erin to labor in quiet, moaning dignity. We discovered a reservoir in her that we both secretly knew was there, but didn't acknowledge until we saw it in action. I am so grateful that I have her.

Grace finally came in the form of a six-inch needle and magical clear liquid in a drip bag. Watching my wife's mood elevate from a woman being tested to the ends of her pain tolerance, to her chipper, chatty self was relief that I can't describe. While my role of stroking her head and talking her through the pain was appreciated, it still feels like a helpless role.

Once the epidural kicked in, contraction peaks that would have brought my wife to agony and tears turned into minor pressure distractions to be chatted through. We both got an opportunity for a brief nap, and took it. Waking two hours later, at 4pm, I received the news that my wife had almost fully dilated and the baby was at the -1 station (meaning that he was a little over an inch in). At 5pm, we started pushing. After an hour of pushing, the doctor came in to check on our progress. We we're disappointed to learn that our work had been for naught. He remained stuck in that station, and the doctor said she feared that we could be stuck in labor for hours at the cost of a lot of trauma to both of them. Her recommendation was cesarean birth.

The blur that time became after the second we agreed that we felt it would be best to cut my wife open and deliver the baby through her abdomen can hardly be described adequately. The room kicked into life as support people poured in to address our needs, present us forms, and prepare us for this major, though routine surgery. I was quickly dressed down in Tyvek scrubs and put on a hair net and we were whisked helplessly down the hall to the operating room at 6:00pm. Before entering the OR, they handed me a face mask, and asked me to wait in a small waiting room. Floods of emotions hit me as I thought of my poor, helpless wife, strapped to the table, quivering uncontrollably from her body's reactions to the intense strain being thrust on her body. I turned to prayer and meditation and found my own well of strength replenishing. A knowing washed over me that assured me that everything was going to be alright, and that I needed to simply just experience it fearless and alert.

When they called me into the room, I felt resolve that this would all be happily over with soon. Little did I know just how right I was, and just how soon "soon" was. I was called into the operating room at 6:25pm, and seated by the head of my wife, behind a blue curtain. The feelings of helplessness started to wash over me once again, as I stared into the doe eyes of my frightened wife and muttered hollow words of reassurance. It then dawned on me that I could stand and see over the blue curtain, and as I rose the feeling of helplessness dissipated, and the hollow words turned into the right words at the right time as I narrated reassuringly for my wife.

At 6:37pm of September 2nd, 2006, uncontrollable tears of joy swept over me as my son, Zachary James Lopez was pulled from his mother's cozy womb, and into the harsh light of the operating room. Piercing my soul as though it was the only sound in the room, his heart melting cry sent my spirit soaring to heights that fundamentally changed me forever. I am now "Daddy." The implications still stagger me, but I know that I have this in me. I was born for this.

Momma was sewn up and is doing fine. Her temperature spiked to 103, but once the trauma passed, she started to cool back down. Zachary was overheated too, and was born with a temperature of 99.5. Because they found meconium stool in the womb, they were concerned with infection for both mother and baby. As a precaution, they've taken his blood samples, and will run a culture, but because his temperature has dropped to normal levels, they feel that there's little to worry about. Likewise for the fact that momma's temperature is falling to normal levels, though slower than his did. At 3am, she was still running 99.5, though she's had no nausea and is in good spirits.

Now I'm left with a conundrum as I write this detailed recount as I re-live the experience through my thoughts and these collected words: do I stay awake at my wife's bedside as she sleeps with our pride and joy on her chest, and prolong the best day of my life? Or do I get the much needed rest that I deserve, racing to a new day to spend with my son and my precious wife?

God bless you all with experiences that test your soul, and provide such satisfying rewards.

Tomorrow comes in two hours. I can't wait!


/ps. Thank God for wireless access at hospitals...

Your child weighed 10lbs.....holy christ your poor wife.

Too bad you're going to raise him to be a fan of the Donkeys.

Ah well, can't all be good.

Congratulations.
The birth of a child is truly a miracle.

Congrats Taco.

Congratulations TJ. I will be sending a Chiefs blanket for his crib. Get the boy started out right and all y'know?

Congrats on the little one. Hopefully, you don't screw him up too much in life.

:p

Congratulations Taco!!!

Congrats!

Congratulations!

Congrats TJ.

Glad everything turned out okay.

Congrats T@co.

Grab some sleep while you can...you'll need it. She'll need you more in the next week.

Congrats TJ! That was an awesome wtite-up, by the way.

congrats on the addition

The birth of your child is the greatest single event you can experience. Congrats. The first 2 years are wonderful. An incredible new experience every day.

Only bad thing is there is one more donkey fan in the world. Oh well.

cool...did he look like Elway?

Congrats to you and the Mrs.

Congrats TJ! It is good to hear that your wife and Zachary is doing fine.

Now go get some sleep because your wife will need your help once you get back home.

congrats.

Outstanding. Sorry about the fat head thing.

Congratulations.

Wow, that sounds similar to my son's birth. He checked in a 9 lb 14 oz and had to be delivered c-section as well, and oddly enough he shares both your son's birthday and middle name. And his first and middle initial are TJ. To tell you the truth, I'm starting to get creeped out here so I'll just say congrats! :toast:

And get some sleep, this may be your best chance for a while....

Congratulations Bastard!

That's awesome. Congrats Taco.

Congratulations, I watched two of my three girls born. The third one came so fast that the Doc didn't have time to give the epidural and Chris had to give birth natural. Never seen her so pissed off. It is truly an amazing experience. Get ready for the real work to begin in a couple of months but enjoy it, they grow up way too fast.

Dude, congrats, thanks for sharing.
It is truly amazing, indeed. And only gets better.
I had a couple of 10+ Lb. kids. The C-section is a scary thing, I agree. They don't waste any time. Kind of like a NASCAR pit crew in there.
The first one, I peeked over the blue sheet as they were just getting her out, and I held it long enough to see them lift her up, then WHAM! I hit the floor. Passed out cold. Got it on tape, too!

Congrats on the boy, and congrats on keeping it together and keeping your eyes open.

:clap:

Congrats Taco!

At least they werent chunks of Willie Roafs stool in her.

Props to Mama TJ, baby and a Donko daddy.......

My wife had III this way, but it was comical in there, like a scene from M A S H . The were cracking up, after I got involved in the humor and it turned into a riot.


Again...... props on the pops !

Congratulations Taco.

You didn't name him Jake?

I don't believe that you passed out....post that shit on CP and prove it. ROFL

Congrats Taco, I can still remember those events like it was yesterday.

Now the question remains, where did you post your story first? CP or orange mane? Tell the truth we can check. If CP, you are apparently a closet Chiefs fan and only a donks poser.

AWESOME! My first boy (Derek) comes in November! Thats just Awesome!

Congrats TJ. It's an awesome feeling.

Congratulations. That was a great read for a Sunday, too.

Congrats dude! Went through it myself three years ago on 11/24. The emotions you felt will be forever unmatched. Here's to Mrs. TJ!

Congratulations, TJ!

I hope he grows up to be a Chiefs fan. :D

Congrats, TJ.

Your best post. Ever. By far.

;)

Congrats taco, i feel sorry for your kid, jk, im happy for you man!

Congrats TJ! Glad to hear mom and child are doing well. 10 lbs! My first son was 10.7, but was C-section for obvious reasons.

Hey, if Luke could turn his father from the dark side, then TJ's son can turn him too.

Congrats, TJ. Good work. And, uh, give me less information next time.

Congrats, I heard the kid looks NOTHING like you. ;) Great memories.

Congrat taco ten pound wow. Thank goodness the little guy didn't get umbilical cord wrapped around him like it did me when i was born. Also like to know what your wife was saying once the drugs kicked in.

:)

Congratulations on reaching your 30,000th post.

Oh, and the whole kid thing too... congrats on that. :-)

kids will change you


congrats, TJ.

It truly is amazing. I never would have thought a woman would let you be with her.


J/K contrats.

On a side note TJ, if you aren't a professional writer you have missed your true calling. Your account is worthy of being called writing. I am happy for you and wish you and your family all the best. GOD has truly blessed you.

Hey! Great news and congratulations. Give your wife a hug from us at the Orange Mane. I hope you'll have some pics to put up pretty soon. My two small ones were 10-4 and 10-6 at birth, delivered the normal way. Did I pick a breeder or what?

Does your wife know what you just posted? I'm tellin' on yo azz Donkey Boy. You're toast. :p ROFL

Your description of your childs birthday is almost identical to my own experience 10 years ago when my wife gave birth to our 10 pound son.


I mean literally, your description is almost a play-by-play of our experience.

Wow. Just wow!!!!!

Contrats man.

Congrats.

Dude.... my most heartfelt congrats.

Buy..... do the kid a favor - don't raise him as a DonkFan!

Sorry this took me so long...just saw it a few hours ago:

http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/861/tacobabynr0.gif

I hear the first 8 years are the most difficult.

Just don't **** him up by putting him in some Power Ranger pansy Broncos stuff so he can get his arse kicked at school...

Heavens who told you that?
Just the first year and somewhat the second....but age 3-8 is a lotta fun.
They're kind a boring the first 6 months...more like a lump. :p

I call bullshit... I'm dreading the teenage years.

Haven't been through that yet. That's coming soon for me...and I am dreading it. Especially with a girl. :deevee:

Oh man, I'm sorry.

Soft site from what I see.


http://www.smileypad.com/v224/Misc/Poke.gif.

My lawyer, shortly after I found out I had an 8 year old daughter...

The site is fine, Taco's just a tenderfoot...

Weak opponent, now I have ties to family ..TY

Congrats Taco, Grandkids are cooler.

Congrats TJ; Enjoy every moment, even the challenging ones...time goes so fast... and please don't dress him in orange and black all the time!