The Story of Madelyn

Just an apology from the beginning, I don't have any pictures on this post.  They are on our computer upstairs and I am using my mom's laptop downstairs.  Once I get the urge to climb the stairs I'll post a ton of pictures!  In the meantime, here is the story of Madelyn's birthday.  

Jason and I got to the hospital around 5:30 on Friday, November 13.  They got us into a room, started my IV and things were going well.  I apparently was having contractions every eight minutes at this point, but didn't realize it.  Around 6:30 the anestesiologist came in to explain the spinal procedure- I had this done with Andrew, but wasn't told about it in detail.  This totally freaked me out to the point that I was crying and shaking and explaining to Jason that Madelyn was just going to have to live in my stomach, because there was no way I was having this done.  My doctor came in about 7:00 and was very reassuring, so we went back for surgery and they had to do the spinal.  As he was putting it in, what felt like an electrical shock went all the way down my right side, they told me this could happen and just to let them know.  I did and they fixed it.  I felt absolutely awful even as the numbness kicked in, just totally nauseated and dizzy.  My blood pressure dropped very low and it was miserable.  Finally, I started feeling better and Madelyn was here.  She was absolutely perfect!  Screaming at the top of her lungs!  When they brought her to me she just stopped crying and looked right at me.  It was very sweet.  Jason was taken by her immediately!  That morning was tough, the anestesia made me sick and I couldn't keep anything down.  I finally started feeling better by the afternoon and was able to hold her and visit with everyone.  It was nice.  The next morning was good.  She just snuggled with me and was so sweet.  Then, I got the worst headache that you could even imagine.  I had two IV's of dimerol and that didn't make any difference and several other pain meds as well.  The next day they put me on IV fluids and a caffeine drip- caffeine is supposed to make it better.  They doctor determined it was a spinal headache caused from a leakage of spinal fluid.  By Monday I was able to go home, but the headache had come back and was so bad I couldn't even carry Madelyn to the car.  For the last couple of days it has started to improve, but it still is incredibly painful.  I've just been drinking a lot of starbuck's with extra caffeine. I am hoping that the headache will go away soon.  My doctor said it should by the weekend.  There is a procedure that can be done called a blood patch where they go back in your spine and insert your blood into it to form a patch, but the thought of that makes me really nervous.  I'm hoping it will just clear up on it's own.  

Thankfully, Madelyn is great!  The girl just eats and sleeps and snuggles!  She is a very easy baby!  Andrew is adjusting to her.  He tries to help take care of her and wants to make sure she is happy.  When I start feeling better I will post more pictures, I promise!