Happy Birthday, Ava Grace

October 22, 2021

Happy Birthday, Ava Grace

Today we became parents.

Ava Grace "Gracie" was born and it was one scary journey for all three of us.

It started out like any other day, teaching and commuting. The only difference was Gracie was kicking me high in my stomach making me uncomfortable. I thought that maybe I had gotten the stomach bug from one of her kids since two of them went home sick, but I didn't know what a stomach ache felt like with her in my belly. Honestly, I didn't even know where my stomach was located anymore!

I decided to shower and lie down when I got home, just take it easy. I felt a little better so I folded some clothes and watched some TV, resting is not my forte.

At around 9pm, I started to have severe belly pains and could hardly stand up straight. I told Nikko I didn't want to be dramatic but something felt off and I called the ob on call. Dr. Carroll said to come to labor and delivery and they would have a check, thinking maybe it was Mommy's appendix or gall bladder giving her the trouble. Never that it was baby related!

They hooked us up to monitors to measure her heartbeat and my belly. Sure enough, I was contracting! Not just your normal, contract/relax, but a constant contraction that never let up. No wonder why I was in so much pain. After many tests and multiple ultrasounds, all of which was excruciating, they determined it wasn't safe for either of us.

Later on, a nurse told us they wanted to transfer us to Yale New Haven hospital, which has a level IV NICU, but they were afraid we wouldn't make the 40 minute transfer without both bleeding out.

I ended up suffering from a placenta abruption and a blood clot. Both needed to come out asap, and with them, Gracie had to come out too.

It was too early, and we were worried.

At midnight they gave me a steroid shot of surfactant to help boost her lungs. And told me that while the shot was a 2 part shot over 48 hours, we both didn't have that kind of time.

Thankfully, Dr. Carroll had the sense to call the neonatal team from Yale and they were at the hospital before she came out!

I went to the OR about an hour later where they finally gave me something for the pain. I was in so much pain. So much pain, and so worried.

Nikko was able to join me a few minutes later for Gracie's big reveal. Because she was so early, and hadn't dropped into position yet, the doctors had to reach really high inside of me to get her out. That was really uncomfortable....the pulling, the pushing, the yanking. At one point I asked to be put under general anesthesia, but when they said Nikko would have to leave the room, I decided she could push through.

Then, at 2:43 am she was born!! All 3lb and 3oz of her tiny little body.

She came out crying and we were so relieved to hear her! In that moment, we instantly became Mommy and Daddy. When they placed me Gracie next to my head, she found my eyes ❤ It was love at first sight.

Right after, they took her away to get her stabilized and they sewed me up!

I don't remember much, just that I wasn't in pain anymore. Around 7am, once Gracie was stable, they wheeled her into my room so Nikko and I could see her in her spaceship that she would be transferred in. The Dr's were all so great and she had an incident-less transfer! Boy did that make us relieved.

There was still one big question though....what about my Omphalocele?

Well, we had to wait a long time to hear the great news, it was not an Omphalocele at all- and just a fatty cyst that can be cut right off! Her umbilical cord was HUGE though (it looked like an inflatable balloon animal).

I followed behind her to Yale around 1pm. I was so happy they let us be together. The ambulance ride was horrible. Very bumpy- imagine being ripped open from side to side, through seven layers of the abdomen, having a child torn out of you and then go on an hour and a half bumpy ride in a box. Thank goodness I had pain meds in me from surgery!

Clearly feeling good with my meds- Hello crazy eyes!

Nikko met us at Yale with the car and we were able to come up to see her later on that night. I was VERY drugged and didn't stay long. It was hard to see her with so many tubes and through port holes. I haven't even touched her yet, but I am so thankful for the doctors and team who got her here safe.