The week before Eli was born, March 1, the weather was nice and sunny and spring-like. I headed out in sandals, to go to our friends house and play games. Getting out of the car, the girls were excited to see their friends and started running for the road. Kiana had let Jonas out of his seat, so he proceeded to chase after the girls into the road. I ran to stop him and slipped in the sandals. 9 months pregnant, I had the quick thought of only protecting my belly, and I turned to avoid landing on the protrusion. Instead, I twisted my foot and broke the bone right under the ankle. Luckily, it stopped all the kids dead in their tracks and they ran to me crying. I guess it is a good way to stop others from going in the road!
Not knowing it was broken, I went in the house for a bit to chill. The pain only got worse, and a few hours later my mom was coming by to pick up Kiana, Steve was at work, and so I asked her to come by to help. We went to the instacare as my friend watched the kiddos, and found the foot was indeed broken and I had to wear a walking boot and use crutched for 6 weeks. 9 months pregnant, crutches are impossible! Instead, I ended up sitting on my rump until Eli was born and for about 5 weeks after. I think due to a C-section and a broken foot, both of them healed better simultaneously.
The doctor was weary of doing the C-section, with my foot in so much pain, but really, we had no choice, he had to come out. We went to the hospital early in the morning only to sit around waiting for a few hours.
No matter how many times I do it, it still scares me as they wheel me into the operating room. It is so cold and white and I am laying down staring at the ceiling. I am glad I never have to do it again. It is so strange to be awake, feeling pulling and tugging and feeling odd sensations but not being able to see over the curtain or know what is really going on. It takes longer each time due to the scar tissue they have to cut through. As they were working I hear Dr. Vered ask for a vacuum and then a minute later the forceps. Our little Eli had a huge head, and even with a C-section, they had to use the forceps and his little head was swollen and bruised forever, like a month. I guess normal baby heads are 32-33 cm., his was 37 and a half. He wasn't my biggest baby though weighing in at only 8' 12", Maile has him beat! I heard a small cry and they rushed him away to suck him out, I thought something was wrong, but they just had to clear him out, they wrapped him up, and for the first time ever, they let Steve bring him over to me and sit with me while they finished working on closing me up. Steve said he was sticking around anyway, making sure I held up my end of our agreement for them to tie my tubes at the end of this C-section. It has been really hard for me to concede. I love my kids and I love babies and being a mom, and I still am not sure that it was the right choice or what Heavenly Father wanted for our family. I think that is one of the hardest decisions, knowing when is the right time to be done, and I have wrestled and wrestled with the decision. Steve however was certain and he is a major contributing factor in our family! I think there was also more pain with the tying, and with me being unable to have morphine, I felt more pain than usual.
With it being RSV season, our older kids were not able to come to the hospital. They were so sad and I couldn't even see them for three days. They were so upset and crying, and my little Jonas hasn't been without his mom too often. Luckily, with the broken foot, he has had the opportunity to spend the last two weekends with grandpa and grandma and was pretty comfortable staying with them. I am lucky to have such amazing, loving, and helpful parents who have been so willing to do anything we needed.
After two days of being in the hospital and taking no medicine, they were ready to throw me out. They said I was fine and the baby was doing great and we could go. I pleaded with them to let me stay one more day on account of the broken foot which they finally allowed. Usually they have begged me to stay as I was trying to leave on the second day.Thankfully, Elijah doesn't seem to have acid reflux or is missing his upper sphincter like two of our other kids, though we did have a scary moment. Eli started choking on his spit and was throwing up and the nurse just thought he was taking a moment. I knew otherwise and finally coaxed Steve to come over. Between him and the nurse the used the bulb sucker and he was okay, but he stopped breathing for just a bit and made a mommy pretty scared for a minute.
We went home after three days, via a stop off to visit his siblings at grandmas. They agreed to keep the kids a few more days which helped out immensely. Steve situated the couches downstairs and brought down a recliner and the baby bassinet so that I could take care of everything on one floor and not have to do stairs. I just sat in a recliner holding my baby for the next 5 weeks. It was a nice way to heal and be with my last little one, but the house suffered. We have amazing family and friends that helped with meals and kids and running Kiana to school, but the house and my sanity suffered. It was definitely a hard few weeks.
Our baby is home, healthy and happy. My foot and my body are back to normal, and not soon enough, with all the kids' activities and summer beginning, it is nice to be able to run again and be able to run after my kiddos!
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