Quentin is here!

On December 4th I went into another Sickle Cell crisis, the worst of my life. My husband had just gotten off of work and I was trying to wait until my OB appointment that afternoon. I could not believe the pain. I thought I had some weird form of sciatica which caused me to be unable to walk but by Wednesday, my mother-in-law had come home from lunch and found me sobbing and delirious from the pain and demanded I go to the hospital or she was calling 911.  My husband had just pulled up and I somehow made it to the car with the help from him and his dad. 

I never even thought this pain was related to sickle cell but all my lab work came back verifying I was having a crisis and my blood pressure and heart rate were so high they told me that if continuous morphine did not work I'd be delivering my baby the next day.  I did not sleep, I literally couldn't move because of the pain, my husband had automatically brought our bags, but I figured we wouldn't need them and with fluids and pain medication I would be feeling better. 

Even though I knew things could boil to a point where I'd be forced to have him early, I was trying so hard to hold on to him and make it to 36 weeks regardless of the pain I felt. I had practically been on a self-imposed bed rest and on good days would try to visit friends, but I deteriorated so quickly.

By Thursday Dec 8th I was feeling okay and the doctor came in to check on me and said I seemed to be doing okay and with a few days of rest, pain meds and fluids I should be okay for a while. As soon as he walked out the door the pain manifested in my neck and arms and I was screaming in pain. I can barely tell you all everything, I remember the nurses running and prepping me for surgery and moving me to a different bed.

I told my husband I loved him and remember him saying he didn't want to raise our son by himself. Knowing the risks associated with a c-section and a possible spleenectomy I didn't know what to tell him. I can't describe the pain. I signed forms half aware and was in the OR before I knew it. I was put under general anesthesiologist because they fully planned on removing my spleen at the same time. I remember fighting the anesthesiologist as he put the mask on my face and woke up screaming for them to put me back to sleep the pain was so bad. I also learned I had lost quite a bit of blood and was transfused for a second time in a month.

They told me my son, Quentin, was doing incredible and was 4lbs 14oz 17 1/2 inches long. I was moved to recovery which absolutely sucked. I had the best nurses but they warned me I'd hate them as they had to press on my uterus and my incisions (transverse and bikini) every 15 minutes. My throat hurt so badly from breathing tubes they had used during surgery and I refused to move and wanted no ice because I was afraid of choking and coughing which would make me hurt 10xs more.

After 2 hours had passed they wheeled my bed to NICU to see my son. It's sad because I don't remember much. He was just a bundle of cloth. I couldn't hold him until that night after being stabilized. 

He is doing fantastic to have been born at 33 weeks. He is on room air, he feeds, he latches for breastfeeding even though he is also being supplemented with formula. Because he is a preemie he tires easily while eating but his doctors are certain he will be home soon.

Shortly after the C-Section I began to develop a cough but after 4 days and no signs of blood clots and medications, I was discharged from the hospital. I found myself passing out in the car on the way home, but was determined to make it. I completely lost it when I went past Quentin's room knowing that I was home and he was still in the hospital. I lasted one night.

I could not breathe or sleep. I coughed the whole night which totally sucked considered all of the staples in my incision and the pain from the force of the coughs in my abdomen. By the next afternoon I could barely breathe and had to be taken back to the hospital by ambulance. On the way there I was given a few nebulizer treatments to expand my lungs. I was put in ER and after a cat scan they discovered I had developed what they thought was pneumonia. I was admitted to the hospital again where I faced more and more complications.

I again developed swelling in my legs and severe pain. I was checked for fluid in or around my heart through an echo cardiogram (came back normal THANK GOD), more searches blood clots, an EKG, many many x-rays and labs. Soon a pulmonologist was called and decided antibiotics were not the answer and neither were fluids and that somehow after the surgery fluids had just been dumped into my lungs. So based on his description I was put on a very strong diuretic, or the pee pill as I call it, and I began to slowly feel better. 

I was determined to see Quentin at least once a day while I was in the hospital and really wanted to continue to pump breast milk for him but the drugs I was put on caused my milk to be contaminated. It took all my energy just to stand up at times and I was on quite a bit of oxygen. 

I was finally released on December 16th and was able to come home. Quentin is still in NICU, but doing great. We are hoping he can come home before the new year but know not to expect anything before his original due date of Jan. 25th.

I still have a long way to go to recovery. I am now able to walk (very slowly) but also can breathe while doing so. I am still in a lot of pain from the surgery and I know that will take time. As they took my staples out of the incision the bottom half had not healed and the wound was open, so that has to be watched carefully, as well.  I have now developed high liver functioning which has to be checked out as they believe I have gallstones. I am very reluctant to consider any surgery in the near future as they think I might need it. I am also dealing with the possibility of brain swelling which has affected my eyesight, but I hope that will go away as my hormones return to normal.

I am super frustrated by the things I can and can't do still and am amazed everyday by the love and support of family and especially by my husband. He has done above and beyond what I would have ever expected. 

I know a lot of people want to see me and the baby but I have to put my health first and truly appreciate everyone giving us that time.