#30DaysofBrave Day 3- Brave Bernie
It did not happened as we imagined it would...you know getting pregnant on our own, full term pregnancy, natural delivery, healthy baby (boy or girl - it didn’t matter to us). After about a year of seeing a fertility doctor and a roller coaster of emotional ups and downs, we were finally pregnant! We wanted to tell everyone immediately, but waited until the 2nd trimester. Pregnancy was “normal” and mom and baby were healthy.
Sunday morning on June 24th, I was in the ER for about 6 hours for monitoring after passing a blood clot. Baby and I were looking good and I was discharged and on my way to a surprise shower that my family and friends surprised me with! The following Saturday, Bernie left for Wisconsin for a few days for the new fire truck. The next day (Sunday 7/1/18), my mom, sister, and brother came up to go through all my shower gifts. I wasn’t feeling too well that morning and little did I know, I was contracting. It got worse as the day went on and I called my doctor that night and was told to come into the ER. I was admitted and was actively contracting and was 2cm dilated. My best friend Amy drove me to the ER where my mom came and stayed with me. The night progressed very quickly and next thing I know, I’m 4cm and told I’m having the baby. I had called Bernie at 1am and told him he should probably start looking for a flight to come home. Around 7am-ish on Monday morning (7/2/18) is when I was checked and told the baby was coming. I was given an epidural and as soon as they laid me down, I was being rolled side to side as the baby’s heart rate dropped...and when it wouldn’t come up, they ripped everything out of the walls and were running me back to the OR for an emergency C-Section. I felt the entire surgery as the epidural had not kicked in for me yet (It was just given to me about 10 minutes prior). I felt like I was in a horror movie. They did tell me baby was a boy and showed me him before rushing him back to the NICU. Once I was wheeled back to the room for recovery, I was able to call Bernie and catch him before his flight to tell him what we had, baby Bernard Douglas Korbel. Bernie made it here later that day and got to go meet his son!
BRAVE: me for keeping it mostly together while processing the idea that our baby was coming into this world so early.
BRAVE: my best friend Amy for driving me to the ER while I was actively contracting until my Mom could meet me.
BRAVE: my Mom for staying with me all night and into the morning after having Bernie and just being there for support.
BRAVE: my husband for arranging a flight back home from Wisconsin knowing that I had already went through an emergency c-section and that the baby was in the NICU (I can’t imagine being in his shoes).
BRAVE: our son Bernie for his strength through his traumatic birth and NICU journey.
BRAVE: the NICU doctors and nurses that live this every day with great and not so great outcomes.