Dana Rae: Nine Years Ago Today

She looked like this.

I have really been kind of a mushy mom the past couple of days preparing myself to talk about Shelby’s birth. I love that girl more then anyone could ever imagine (moms understand this feeling). Sometimes she makes me want to pull my hair out and she challenges me daily, but I love her more then any words could describe.

Shelby was placed into my life at the exact right time (much like JAG was-but different). I was young and probably not headed down the right path and God decide it was time for me to grow up, so he gave me a major challenge that I am still not sure if I get right on a daily basis. When I was 23 my challenge was to have a daughter on my own with just my family by my side and you know looking back that is all I need.

In that delivery room all I needed was my mom, two nurses (one still in school) and that crazy doctor (who was running behind because he scheduled too many pre-golf tournament babies- more on that in a minute). After we checked in and got all comfy in our corner room the excitement started to happen – I am trying to paint child birth in a positive light- don’t worry this will change in a minute.

You see I had spent that last nine months watching a Baby Story on TLC. My idea of this birth was go in, get drugs, play cards, see friends, little push, little grunt and there she is. Oh…young girl…I was SOOOOOOO WRONG!

Without giving you a course in the practice of obstetrics let me give you an overview of the type of induction I had. A pill the size of a baby aspirin was placed into my cervix – it had to be perfectly placed not even a half an inch off. This took a bit of work (no details needed I am sure). Then I had to lay flat on my back for an hour. That was painful because I was HUGE remember. Then I got to sit up for an hour, and then the process started all over again. At about 6 am on the 13^th during what I believe was the 3^rd round my mother decided to leave and come back just as they were inserting the pill. She could hear me down the hall. It was so painful!!!

By this time I had a hopeless feeling and really wanted this kid out. Shelby wasn’t happy she was kicking and turning. At one point she was “Sunny Side Up” and they advised me if she didn’t flip again that I was in for a world of hurt. With every move we would lose her heart beat which made her Grammy nuts. There was nothing on TV except 9/11 coverage, so much for my happy go lucky delivery room party. Also and this pissed me off more than anything…I was being treated like I was 17 – to their defense I looked 17 especially with my mom their as my support.

Finally around Noon on September 13^th the last round of pills kicked in. I had recently given up cussing. I was in bible study twice a week, had an awesome spiritual mentor and read my unborn child scripture daily, but when that pain hit every word I knew (English and Spanish) came flying out. My mom laughed out, “so much for you not cussing” which lead us both into uncontrollable laughter and had the nurse running into my room because my monitor alarms went off.

To wrap it up for you…and this is the story everyone gets. I had my epidural around 3:45 pm or so on the 13^th of September. During that procedure I had the worse contractions ever which caused for the epidural to insert incorrectly, so he had to start all over again. Once that was over my student nurse (young sweet girl) prepared me for a cathader and realized Shelby was starting to crown. Yeap. From what I remember there was a little panic. I remember my doctor coming in, breaking my water and running out. Then them telling me push, then someone saying the doctor was still with another patient and then I was told “breath don’t push.” I was so mad at that man for over booking himself.

In the middle of all of this…all legs in stir-ups action…someone from my Meme’s church came walking in. She sent him there to pray over me. I thought my mom was going to die – of course he didn’t make it past the doorway. He just left his card – that was so odd, but so something my Meme’s church would do.

Finally Shelby Elizabeth was born at 4:26 pm on September 13^th, 2001 in the same hospital as me – which she loves to hear. Her Grammy cut the cord and was the first person to hold her. I shook for the next three hours and got to hold her for a bit. Due to my epidural issues and the fact that I had not slept since the morning of 9/11 – that is what it felt like – Shelby spent her first night in the nursery.

I remember getting her the next morning and just staring in amazement that she was mine…all mine. The last nine years have been awesome! And the last Nine birthdays have been perfect…here they are for you.