The most amazing thing imaginable...

Taco John · 09-03-2006, 05:40 AM

...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...

Mecca · 09-03-2006, 05:50 AM

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

milkman · 09-03-2006, 06:02 AM

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.

**Bwana** · 09-03-2006, 06:06 AM

Congrats Taco.

CHIEF4EVER · 09-03-2006, 06:16 AM

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

**Lzen** · 09-03-2006, 06:17 AM

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

Rukdafaidas · 09-03-2006, 06:25 AM

Congratulations Taco!!!

OmahaChief · 09-03-2006, 06:36 AM

Congrats!

SCChief · 09-03-2006, 06:40 AM

Congratulations!

tomahawk kid · 09-03-2006, 06:40 AM

Congrats TJ.

Glad everything turned out okay.

**Iowanian** · 09-03-2006, 06:57 AM

Congrats T@co.

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

**Dartgod** · 09-03-2006, 07:29 AM

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

**2112** · 09-03-2006, 07:31 AM

congrats on the addition

KCFalcon59 · 09-03-2006, 07:37 AM

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.

Warrior5 · 09-03-2006, 12:53 PM

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.

Quote:

Originally Posted by KCFalcon59

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

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

09-03-2006, 05:40 AM	Topic Starter
Taco John Sapere Aude Join Date: Jun 2001 Casino cash: $597937	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...
Posts: 79,730

09-03-2006, 05:50 AM	#2
Mecca Hockey Town Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Kansas City, Missouri Casino cash: $-512950	Your child weighed 10lbs.....holy christ your poor wife.
Posts: 115,257

09-03-2006, 06:02 AM	#3
milkman Dumbass! Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Leading the Marty bashing Casino cash: $10029395	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. __________________ Last edited by milkman; 09-03-2006 at 07:32 AM..
Posts: 70,769

09-03-2006, 06:06 AM	#4
Bwana It's Five O'Clock Somewhere Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Billings, Montana Casino cash: $2136033647	Congrats Taco. __________________ Adventure is dangerous....but monotony can kill you.
Posts: 70,474

09-03-2006, 06:16 AM	#5
CHIEF4EVER Just a man in the 'ghan Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Jalalabad, Afghanistan Casino cash: $10004900	Congratulations TJ. I will be sending a Chiefs blanket for his crib. Get the boy started out right and all y'know? __________________ "Igitur qui deciderat pacem, praeparatur bellum" -Flavius Vegetius Renatus
Posts: 13,670

09-03-2006, 06:17 AM	#6
Lzen Banded Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Oz Casino cash: $-529308	Congrats on the little one. Hopefully, you don't screw him up too much in life. __________________ Conversation would be vastly improved by the constant use of four simple words: I do not know.
Posts: 42,458

09-03-2006, 06:25 AM	#7
Rukdafaidas lifelong Chiefs survivor Join Date: Mar 2003 Casino cash: $3849900	Congratulations Taco!!!
Posts: 2,673

09-03-2006, 06:36 AM	#8
OmahaChief Down with Nino Brown Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Omaha Casino cash: $9245000	Congrats!
Posts: 3,620

09-03-2006, 06:40 AM	#9
SCChief Starter Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: South Carolina Casino cash: $10004900	Congratulations! __________________ Power corrupts. Absolute power is actually kinda neat! Sometimes life smacks you in the mouth. When this happens, you need to spit out your tooth, grin, and say "NOW you've gone and done it!" Check my blogs at www.shadowbloggin.com
Posts: 836

09-03-2006, 06:40 AM	#10
tomahawk kid Drunk in the Neighborhood Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Beating the War Drums Casino cash: $10001837	Congrats TJ. Glad everything turned out okay.
Posts: 5,974

09-03-2006, 06:57 AM	#11
Iowanian Supporter Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Utopia Casino cash: $1808454	Congrats T@co. Grab some sleep while you can...you'll need it. She'll need you more in the next week.
Posts: 62,931

09-03-2006, 07:29 AM	#12
Dartgod Wasted away again... Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: in Margaritaville Casino cash: $3800000	Congrats TJ! That was an awesome wtite-up, by the way. __________________ If you shed a tear for me, please make it a tear of joy. -Joe Tracy (Nzoner) . .
Posts: 52,171

09-03-2006, 07:31 AM	#13
2112 Reset Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Parts Unknown Casino cash: $6966765	congrats on the addition
Posts: 22,269

09-03-2006, 07:37 AM	#14
KCFalcon59 MVP Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Topeka, Kansas Casino cash: $-240000	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.
Posts: 6,796