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“SHIT!” Colton yells. He runs into the bedroom then back into the living room putting his shoes on before running outside. What the hell is he doing, running a mother lovin’ marathon? He jogs back inside the house and picks me up in his arms, carrying me out to the Tahoe. Emma comes running across the driveway as Colton jumps in the SUV and drops the gear into DRIVE. The drive to the hospital passes in a blur. The contractions come so fast, so fierce that I nearly black out. The pain is just too intense. The only thing that keeps me holding on is hearing Colton’s voice telling me to breathe through the pain and reminding me that he loves me.
We arrive at the hospital in under ten minutes and Colton carries me through the double doors, setting me in a wheel chair. He wheels right past the receptionist, his pace quickening with each step as we make our way to the labor and delivery department.
“Ya need to call Dr. Staton, my wife’s in labor.” Colton yells slamming his hand down on the nurses’ station.
“Okay, let’s get her to a room and examined.” The nurse says to Colton. Colton follows on her heels closely. “She’ll need to change into a gown so we can examine her.” The nurse says tossing a stiff cotton gown on the bed.
“Damn it, woman, she’s in labor. Can’t you tell she’s in pain? Call her damn doctor already. We ain’t got time for your shit.”
“Sir, I’m sorry but it’s procedure. She ain’t the first woman to have a baby. She’ll be fine. Now, calm down, and help her into the gown while I go pull her chart.” She steps around an infuriated Colton, leaving the room.
“Darlin’, let me help you up. Can you stand?” I nod, my breathing shaky and erratic. He helps me remove my clothes before wrapping the stiff gown around me then helps me lay down in the bed. The contractions are slowing down, but the pressure in my belly is still present, becoming more intense by the minute.
The nurse returns a few minutes later with another nurse in tow. They introduce themselves as Amy and Heather. Amy, the hateful nurse connects the fetal monitor to my stomach, then checks my vitals while the other nurse enters all of my information into the computer, asking Colton a shit ton of questions. He keeps our hands locked together, prepared for the moment another contraction hits. Glancing over at me he smirks a cocky grin and winks trying to settle my tattered nerves. His chocolate brown eyes are softer than usual and I can feel his hand tremble in mine.
Suddenly, a cool sensation spreads against my thighs. Looking down at my gown, my eyes widen as I grip Colton’s hand harder, nearly tugging him across the bed. “Uhm, either I just pissed the bed or my water broke.” I announce. Colton’s mouth drops as he stares down at my lap completely stunned. Ms. Bitchy Pants nurse pops the stirrups up in place, then snaps a pair of gloves over her hands. She gently places my legs in the stirrups and positions herself between my thighs. Ya know, this is the most demeaning moment for a woman. Just the thought of anyone other than Colton down there poking around is a bit unnerving. I bite down on my lip and close my eyes as she exams me. She’s swift with her exam announcing that I’m effaced and dilated to five. FIVE. Uhm, I don’t know what the hell that means, but I’m pretty sure the baby is about to make her debut. She strips the gloves from her hands and leaves the room.
Colton hovers over me and presses a soft kiss to my forehead. The fear that flashes though his eyes causes my heart to falter. “It’s gonna be alright, darlin’. Won’t be long and we’ll get to meet our precious daughter.” I smile weakly, completely unable to speak as my breath hitches in my throat, another contraction attacking my stomach. I lurch forward, wrapping my arms around my stomach instinctively as I wail out a thunderous sob. “Darlin’, you gotta breathe. Slow deep breaths, in through the nose, out through the mouth. You gotta concentrate on me, Carly Jo, do you understand?” Colto
n asks gripping my face in his hands. I nod my head quickly as the tears begin to fall. I keep his gaze, concentrating on his eyes as I try to steady my breathing. The contractions begin to come closer in rolling waves crashing into each other. The pain is so intense that my throat is hoarse from screaming.
Dr. Staton walks in the room dressed in blue scrubs and her blonde hair hidden under a scrub cap. “Did you miss me so soon?” She kids as she puts on a pair of gloves. She sits on the stool, rolling herself between my thighs to check me. She presses her hand against my belly and the concerned look on her face stills my tears almost instantly. “How long have you been having contractions?”
“I had a few Braxton Hicks late yesterday evening. I tossed and turned most of the night because my back was hurting so bad, so I got up around twelve thirty to get on the couch and that’s when I felt the first really intense contraction.”
She pulls the gloves off, tossing them in the trash can and steps towards the fetal heart monitor. “Carly, the baby is breech and seems to be in distress. Her heart rate is lower than I’m comfortable with.” My world stands still. Terror surges through me and I can’t even will myself to speak.
“What’s that mean?” Colton yells.
“We’re gonna have to prep Carly for a cesarean section. It’s the safest way to deliver the baby.”
“Surgery? There’s nothing else you can do? I don’t want her bein’ cut on. It’s too dangerous.”
“Colton, I promise you if there was an alternative, I’d do it in a heartbeat. The safest way to bring your daughter into this world is by c-section. I’ll get an OR prepped now and we’ll be back to take Carly down within thirty minutes.”
“Can I be there with her?” Colton begs and the tremble in his voice causes my heart to crack.
“You should be able to. I’ll be back shortly. Just try to keep Carly calm in the meantime.”
Everything after that moves in a blur. Nurses rush in and out of the room, checking my vitals, checking the fetal heart monitor, drawing my blood, and inserting an IV. They each pay no mind to the excruciating pain that I’m experiencing, but then again I’m not the first woman to give birth, or so I’m told. Colton keeps his hands wrapped around mine and his chest rattles with frustrated grumbles. He’s torn, scared and so worried; his emotions mirroring mine. Two nurses walk into the room and introduce themselves to Colton. By this point, I’m beyond exhausted from fighting relentlessly through hours of contractions, so I don’t register their names.
“We’ll take Mrs. Weston down to the OR and prep her for the procedure. Once you’ve been scrubbed in and we’re ready to begin, we’ll bring you into the room to be with your wife.” Colton nods, stepping out of their way. They unlock the brakes on the bed and spin the bed towards the door. Colton keeps up with their pace, stepping to the side of the bed he grips my hand in his as they rush me down to the operating room. Down two floors the elevator doors open and after swiping a card they wheel the bed through a set of double doors. “Sir, you can go with Jayla. She’ll get you scrubbed in.
Colton presses his forehead to mine, kissing my lips gently. “Darlin, I love you. Everything’s gonna be okay, I promise ya, baby. I’ll be right there, darlin’. Please don’t be scared.” He promises, his eyes glazed with unshed tears.
“I love you too, baby.” I whisper, wiping the tears from my face. He releases me from his grip, wiping a tear from his eyes as he watches them roll me into the operating room. Anxiety builds up in my chest and I can’t control the sobs as tears flood over my lids. Biting down on my lip, I silently pray to God to please let my baby be okay.
The nurses wheel me into a bright white operating room, placing my bed next to the operating table. It looks cold, sterile and unwelcoming. Counting in sync to three, they hoist me up in the air by the sheets on my bed, placing me on the operating table. They wish me good luck, before exiting the room and two other people step in their place. They explain the epidural procedure before sitting me up on the side of the bed. A cool sensation tingles my back and my leg jerks. Suddenly, the pressure that has been present in my abdomen before was delicate in comparison to the gut ripping pain that tears through my stomach. Wailing out in pain my chest trembles as white spots float through my blurred vision. “She’s bleeding vaginally!” A nurse yells across the operating room. “I can’t get the epidural in. We don’t have time to waste. Prep her for general anesthesia.”
A nurse lays me back against the bed as two others surround me and begin to place my arms out at my sides. What the hell? “Sweetie, we can’t get the epidural into the epidural space. In order to deliver the baby safely, we need to give you a general anesthetic. Do you verbally consent?”
I nod my head.
“I need to hear it, sweets.” She urges.
“Y-yes.” I say.
A nurse appears behind me and kindly introduces herself. “Can ya count backwards for me from one hundred?” I nod my head as my breath hiccups in my throat. She places a mask over my face as I begin to count.
