Last year on Wear Red for Women Friday I had ONE red maternity sweater that would fit. I was 5 days overdue with Baby Jackson and was sure he would never come so I thought why not support the fight against heart disease. My mom came over in the morning to be with Emalynn and Maxwell so Nathan and I could go to my 2nd non-stress test with the bags loaded in the car in the hopes that the doctor would have some good news….like “Go on over to the hospital…it’s baby time!” Not so much! I had a few contractions at the appointment but nothing consistent and the ultrasound showed everything was just fine…so we left without a baby…again!
On the way home feeling a little down I did what every overdue pregnant woman deserves to do…ate a fabulous lunch at Panera Bread! After I ate the contractions started to get more intense and consistent. Long story short…we never went home. We headed back to the shop so Nathan could finish up a few things and timed contractions and at 5 p.m. we called the doctor and they said “come on in”….so of course at almost 41 weeks…I DID…but not before stopping at McDonald’s for one last guilt-free chicken nugget meal. They don’t feed women in labor I’ve learned after 2 previous babies! Once we were checked in and they said I was “staying”…little did they know no matter what they said I was going to STAY…we walked the halls determined to get things rolling and by 9 p.m. I was in active labor. I thought for sure I was a 10 but nope…only a 4…that baby was comfy in there! I was extremely dehydrated and very uncomfortable so we ordered an epidural and it came around 11 p.m. after which finally I started to dilate.
The doctors got ready to have me start pushing around 12:35 a.m. They started getting the equipment ready and when they told me to start pushing a few minutes later, I did, but they did not expect things to move so quickly. “Wow…your really know how to push! Hold on!” I said “You told me to push! This isn’t my first time you know.” As in all of my births there was no lack for excitement as a few minutes later Jackson’s umbilical chord broke and blood squirted everywhere like a garden hose. I will never forget the fear in my heart as I looked up and saw the nurse and doctor blood splattered saying “It’s okay…it’s okay!” Talk about “GO RED!” The doctor and nurse moved at lightning speed to make sure the break didn’t harm our little one. Jackson Douglas was born healthy and happy and beautiful at 12:45 a.m. Saturday, February 6, 2010.
I will never think of Wear Red for Women Friday without thinking of that story. It was one year ago and it feels like just last week. It will always help me to remember to wear red in support of the American Heart Association in the fight against heart disease….and it will always help me remember the story of when my heart grew so much I thought it might burst with the arrival of our incredibly desired, unexpected precious little blessing from God.
Almost all of us have a friend, family member or loved one who has been effected by heart disease. Don’t forget to wear your red today…and thank God for all of those He created whose love makes your heart want to burst!
Wonders of HIS Love 