Contractions & Dinner

So I have to start by setting this up (and I'll have to set up the next 14 posts)....
The date: Wednesday May 9, 2007
I woke up Wednesday morning around 4 am with a shooting pain in my stomach. At first I thought it was Ally with a sucker punch to wake me up but then I realized that the pain was still there. I'd had contractions on and off since the car accident but none this painful. Maybe I was in full blown, ready to have the baby labor. Then I realized my doctor was still out of town. Crap if I really was in labor my doctor would be there to deliver me and I didn't want anyone else doing it. I told myself it was just another freak contraction like the many I had over the past few months. About an hour later I felt another sharp pain that took my breath away. By this point in my pregnancy I had moved home (the reason is because I had a HORRIBLE dream that I delivered the baby in my aunts basement with no one there to help me... talk about night mare!!!). My mom was awake when I had the second contraction so I let her know what was going on. She said it wasn't a big deal until they were 4-5 minutes about. I didn't see that happening for a while.

I had let Lori know earlier that day that my contractions were getting steady. She told me they were going to go to a play that night if I thought it would be ok. I told her since it was my first I'm sure things would be a while. She let me know she'd have her phone with her and I could call or text her if anything changed. The agency that I was working with was having a dinner that night for birth mothers, called the "common bonds dinner" and I was determined to go. The dinner started at 6pm and by 5pm my contractions were about 10 minutes apart. I went upstairs and told my mom that I was still planning on going to the dinner and that she needed to get ready (it was a dressy dinner). She told me that she wasn't going to go because she didn't want to be embarrassed when my water broke in the middle of dinner. I told her I didn't care but that I was going to the dinner. I got in my brand new dress and walked back into the family room to see my mom still not in church clothes. She told me she wouldn't be going. I said that was fine but that I would be going and it would really suck to have to drive myself to the hospital while having contractions. That comment did her in and she finally got dressed.

We headed down to centerville for the dinner while my contractions were consistently 10 minutes apart. I text Lori and let her know that they were 10 minutes apart but that we were headed to dinner and I would text her if they got any closer together. Can I tell you that I think that is THE BEST CHICKEN I HAVE EVER HAD IN MY ENTIRE LIFE! I don't know that it was really that good but man was it delicious. I think because I knew it would be my last meal for a few hours (turned out being over 12 hours) it tasted so good. It was rather funny... Kevin asked everyone there who had placed the most recently and a dear friend of mine had actually placed that day. Then Kevin asked who was going to deliver next. The whole table that I was sitting with said "Katelyn... she's in labor right now." My contractions continually got stronger and closer together. By the time the dinner was over my contractions were two to three minutes apart and I was having to work to breath through them. As soon as the program started I gave my hugs to everyone that had been supporting me at the agency and we headed to the hospital.

I text Lori to let her know that my contractions were two to three minutes apart and that we were headed to the hospital. When she didn't answer the text I called... she didn't answer. I started freaking out. Had they decided that they didn't want the baby after all. Were they ignoring me. Had something happened? Those feelings on top of being in labor was not a pretty mixture. We got to the hospital and all checked in when Lori called me frantic. She was out of breath and nearly in tears. She had turned her phone on silent instead of vibrate and didn't know I had called and text her. She was hyperventilating worrying that she had missed something. I kept telling her to calm down while I was trying to breath through contractions. She finally calmed down enough to tell me they were on their way from salt lake. I let them know they didn't need to hurry... It'd be a while. I was right.

My dad met us at the hospital and so did my photographer (yes I had a photographer there... I will with ALL of my children. It was be a hard choice if I had to have a c-section who to have in the room... husband or photographer.... I think my husband would understand right?!) I didn't want to miss a minute of what was happening. When the doctors checked me I was still at a 3 but contracting strongly and 100% effaced. They let me know that they'd be starting me on Pitocin. I let them know that before they did anything I wanted my epidural. I'm a COMPLETE sissy when it comes to pain and I wasn't about to feel any more than I already had. They let me know they'd call the anesthesiologist. I let them know they needed to tell him to hurry the freak up!

Lori and Barton got there and were traumatized when the hospital staff kept telling them I wasn't at the hospital. I went under an alias so that Branden wouldn't be able to find me... Small detail I forgot was calling and telling Lori and Barton. Lori called me in a panic and all the while kept saying to the nurse, I know she's here you better tell me what room she's in (she's quiet feisty when you mess with her.) I told her my alias name and the nurse told her the room. Can you imagine the NASTY look that nurse got!!!

With a full room the doctor came in to break my water and then minutes later I got my drugs... oh those joyous drugs! After a few hours I was still at a 3... It was going to be a LONG ride.