Evelyn's birth story, part 1

December 13, 2015 was a Sunday.  That week I had completed a 24 hour urine collection that showed I was at the beginning stages of preeclampsia.  With each pregnancy, I have developed preeclampsia, and I knew it was a possibility - more like a guarantee - I would get it with this pregnancy.

That Sunday Matt had taken the kids to Hendersonville to spend the day with family so I could get some rest.  I hadn't felt right since Thursday, and after a waking up from a nap with no relief from a headache, I knew something was wrong.  I checked my blood pressure and it was dangerously high.  My BFF Jen (an ER nurse) took me to Labor and Delivery, and Matt met me there.  The kids stayed with Matt's mom.  I assumed they would give me medication to bring it down, and be sent home on strict bedrest.

That night within an hour the doctors we saw were talking about delivering her immediately - I don't have to to tell you, that didn't do anything well for my blood pressure (haha).  Finally, I was sent to a room to be monitored and my BP was still in the danger zone, but not as high.  Talk of delivery that night was put on hold.  I was 35 weeks and a few days pregnant.  Too early to deliver Evelyn without her being sent to the NICU.

We settled in to a very interrupted night.  My BP was being checked hourly.  I was on the monitor constantly to monitor her heart rate and contractions (I was actually having some contractions!), and in the middle of the night it was determined I would be sent to the Maternal Fetal Medicine wing to be monitored and have another 24 hour urine collection done.

Thinking he was heading to work that Tuesday :)

Matt stayed Sunday night and went in to work on Monday.  That day my mom came up to visit, my friend Jen came back and brought me my favorite lunch, Andrew and Alan-Michael from church came up to hang out (ask them about the leftover cookie I found and ate), and I got really really bored.  I couldn't imagine being stuck in the hospital until 37 weeks.

Tuesday morning early (the doctors do rounds at 5:30am!), the doctor came in with my 24 hour urine results. I was preeclamptic and it was nearing the start of damaging my kidney/liver.  They needed to get Evelyn out before things got any worse.  It was baby day!

Getting the news - it's baby day!

Texting family and friends to pray!

I am a planner, and I needed a plan.  Thankfully, my children were safe and sound with Mary.  She was getting them back and forth to school.  I was able to arrange for Luke to spend the day with a friend, so she could come to the hospital around delivery time (which we thought would be around lunch).  My sister was in from NYC.  She came up that morning and did my make up and hair (little did I know all that would be ruined in deliver after I panicked).  My dad came in for a bit.  Dave and Adrian from grace came by.  My mom was going to come up, and plan to go to recovery with me.  Because, I assumed Evelyn would be sent immediately to the NICU and I wanted to have someone with me after the surgery was over.  Matt wouldn't be leaving Evelyn's side. That was my top priority.  And almost 12 years before, it had been the same way we handled Noah's premature delivery - mom was with me, Matt was with Noah in the NICU.

I had texted all my friends to pray.  And after several delays (other emergency sections bumped ours back), we headed back a little before 2 pm to meet our girl.

So thankful it worked out for Bekah to be here!