Part 4 - Labor Day - January 12, 2008

With no further waiting, they put a cap on my head and got Larry dressed in scrubs and wheeled me to the O.R. Larry waited outside while they prepped me. The anesthesiologist kept trying to distract me by talking into my face and asking me questions. They numbed me from the chest down and my hands began to shake uncontrollably. He said it was from the anesthesia, but I think it was augmented by my own fear. The shakes never stopped. Larry was brought in to sit by my head and he held my shaking arms which were tethered down to keep them in place. I couldn’t feel anything, and I kept staring at a smoke alarm on the ceiling as my focus to keep me calm. Every time I looked over at Larry, I would start to cry and get upset so the smoke detector was my distraction. Before I even knew they were pulling her out, we heard her give her first cry. It was very robust and the best thing I had ever heard…I was so relieved. Larry was able to stand up and get a picture of her as they were suctioning her and cutting the cord, then they brought her over to the curtain and let me get a glimpse of the little one who had been kicking me in the ribs for months now. Larry went over to the warmer where they cleaned her up and checked her over. They brought her over to me and placed her on my chest and released one of my arms so I could touch her. My hands were still so shaky I could barely hold onto her hand. I got to touch and kiss her a few times, and then they took her to the nursery while they stitched me back together. Larry went with Alice to the nursery and I resumed my concentration on the smoke detector while the anesthesiologist kept talking into my face saying happy positive things which I have already forgotten.