I thought I had another week!

On February 6th, I found myself in Dr. K's office, assuming the position for yet another ultrasound. Arty and Mom were sitting on stools to the left of me, and the UT was on my right and getting very good pictures of SoBee, and taking tons of measurements. She excuses herself to go discuss everything with Dr. K (who has been watching everything on a screen in his office.) When they returned, I knew something was up. The good news, he told us, is that she doesn't appear to have a common infant with DS condition in which there is a blockage in the intestine. (This condition requires immediate specialist surgery on the baby, so we would have had to change our birthing hospital to a hospital 45 miles away.) So we dodged a bullet there.

However, her estimated weight at 4.4 lbs was still not satisfactory, so he is pretty certain at this stage that the placenta is not doing it's job, and is likely to be killing my baby. He stated that he has already spoken to Dr. J. over the phone, and that they both feel it is best for the baby to deliver TODAY. I, of course, was crying, but not hysterical. I was already extremely nervous about being induced, and going through labor and the birth - and I'd just been told I wouldn't have the extra week I was counting on to be prepared. (Sure, I'd attended the birthing classes, watched the mandatory epidural video and packed my bag, but I needed that extra week to MENTALLY prepare!)

It turned out that I wouldn't have to worry about induction, or labor either. Dr. K. went on to explain that, although SoBee had been head down and in correct birthing position a month ago, she was no longer head down. She was breech. I immediately started cursing that buzzer Dr. J. used to wake her up - I know that's what did it!

I was to go home and rest, and Dr. J. would call me to let me know what time to arrive at the hospital for my urgent Caesarean Section. I was to not eat or drink anything else for the rest of the day. On the way home, Arty and I were in stunned silence. Mom was following us to our house - I think she was too scared to leave me, for fear something would happen to me and/or the baby. Once home, Arty called his mother in England on the home phone. Mom used her cell phone to call my sister, aunts, and grandmother. On my cell phone I called my Dad and Step-Mom, left a message for my best friend, and sent an email to everyone else to let them know what was happening. By the time Dr. J. called, everyone I know knew that I was going to have a baby that day.

At 6:30 p.m., the car was loaded with more things than I would ever need, including my favorite pillow. Mom had gone home to shower and change and was to meet us at the hospital at 7:15. Arty and I stood in SoBee's bedroom, which had been painted a sweet yellow (with love by her Grandmomma, Aunt, and Great Aunt) and looked around at the Winnie the Pooh border and adhesive art. I pictured myself sitting in the rocking chair while our baby breastfed and Daddy looked on in amazement. I had positive thoughts about what was going to take place this evening, but there was something I needed to tell Arty first.

As we held hands in our daughter's bedroom, I said, "No matter what happens to me, I want you to promise me you'll be with SoBee from the moment they take her out of my belly and that you will not leave her until I can be with her. She needs to hear your voice and establish a bond with you." He promised me he would. I finished with "And if something happens where you need to decide which one of us lives and which one of us dies... SoBee lives." As hard as I know it was for him, he promised.