A Few Days Early

Chloe had one more doctor's appointment before the big induction day on March 30th.  On Monday, March 26th Chloe was scheduled to go to the doctor at 1:15 PM to check her blood pressure and make sure everything was OK for Friday.  Easy peasy...right? 

I figured it would only be a 5 minute doctor appointment but by 2:23 PM there was no response to my text or call.  Weird.  I thought the doctor would look at Chloe and say, "Yep...you're swollen...stay off your feet until Friday" and then I'd see her at 4:30 AM on the 30th. 

At 3:06 PM Chloe calls.  Finally!  I know she'll tell me she's fine and just ate a cheeseburger and a drank a milkshake and that's why she was so late in calling, right? 

Me: Hi Chloe.
Chloe: (calm voice) Hey Michael.  How are you doing? 
Me: I'm good.  More importantly how are you doing?
Chloe: I'm good too.  You know I had a doctor's appointment today, right?
Me: Yeah, how did everything go?
Chloe: Well, the doctor said I don't have preeclampsia now but I'm moving in that direction so they decided to induce today.  I'm going to the hospital now.
Me: Ummmm...OK...ummmmm  (something that wasn't English, a lot of crying and several "thank you" type mumblings).

I won't bore you with every detail of every minute at this point.  Basically, though, I called Derek's work and cell phone again and again and again and even called the front desk and had him paged.  He was in a meeting telling everyone that Friday was the big day.  (Ummmm...guess again.)

Derek, Chloe, Chloe's mom, Chloe's sister and I arrived at the hospital.  Chloe was at 1.5 cm like she had been for a long time. 

Start the pitocin.

Chloe wasn't even aware she was having contractions.  We had to tell her when they were happening on the monitor.

Increase the pitocin.

Chloe started to feel some contractions but continued to watch TV.

Increase the pitocin.

Chloe barely winced during contractions.

Check Chloe - 2.5 cm after 4 hours.  Grrrrrrr....

Increase the pitocin.

Chloe evenutally asked for her epidural around 11pm or midnight. 

Increase the pitocin.

At 1:00 AM she is still at 2.5 cm.  Chloe's sister goes home.  Chloe's mom tries to sleep in the room. 

Increase the pitocin.

At 2:45 AM Derek and I finally try to sleep in the family waiting area down the hall because we are 100% sure the babies won't be here for a while.

Fifteen minutes later my phone rings.  It's Chloe's mom calling from the room saying Chloe is suddenly at 10 cm and she'll be pushing soon.

(More of something that isn't English, a lot of crying and several "thank you" type mumblings.)

We rush into the room and about 3:20 AM Chloe and her mom are escorted to the OR for the twin delivery. 

Derek and I waited and figured we'd have to wait an hour or two. 

At 3:47ish someone comes into the room with an update.

"You have two boys.  The first was born at 3:37.  The second was breech and was born at 3:41.  Both vaginal deliveries."

(More of something that isn't English, a lot of crying and several "thank you" type mumblings.)

Derek and I were brought back to meet our boys.  Aaron Mitchell was born first and was 5 lbs. 10 oz. Jeffrey Alan came second at 6 lbs. 11 oz.

All is well.  We'll be discharged in about 12 hours and when we're home I'll try to get a couple pictures posted.  Although this surrogacy journey has ended and the parenthood journey is beginning, stay tuned.  I still have a few more stories to tell about this wonderful story of how I got a family.