I called Kristina Thursday morning when I began throwing up and having contractions. She called Pierre and had him get up and head down here. I headed to the hospital to be checked out. The contractions now were more intense and more often. When we got to the hospital they set me up in the observation room and checked me out. I was now a 4 still pretty high though. They gave me LOTS of fluids and they slowed down the contractions and they sent me home around 3:30 or so. AGAIN surpised!! I knew it wouldn't be long. Women know their bodies and I KNEW I would be back before the weekend was over. So they sent us home and told me to rest as much as I could. I had not eaten anything all day and was starving so we stopped and head a yummy steak and then went home and didn't move from the couch.
Pierre made it to town and brought the family some dinner about 6:30 or so. He didn't stay long he hadn't slept much the last few days and wanted to try and get some rest for whenever the big day decided to come. Little did we know it was only a few hours away! :-)
About 7:30 things started to change. I was online posting on a group I am part of (HI TO ALL MY WONDERFUL FTS FRIENDS) and I began having MAJOR contractions, the kind that make you you hold onto whatever is closest to you and cringe. I started writting them down, they were about every 8-10 minutes. And they HURT!!! About 8:15 I got up and got in the shower to see if that would help and partly because I knew it was going to happen and I wanted to be sure I was nice showered. The shower didn't help about 9:00pm I finally called my OB and told him (well his partner was on call) and he said to come in.
So I called Kristina and told her what was going on and that I was heading to the hospital. I told her not to call Pierre yet because I was afraid by some chance they would't keep me and I didn't want to wake him. We were on the way to the hospital and the contractions began to increase in pain and they were getting closer. At one point they began to be 5 min apart and Cotton said "Oh I don't like that, the last one was only 5 minutes ago" he stepped up his driving then. Which if you know my husband, he is NEVER in a hurry to get anywhere (and I'm always in a hurry LOL). For example after that stint of them being 5 min apart, my next one came 10 min later so he had slowed down, I told him to step on it and he said "why that last one was 10 min ago". I wanted to bop him upside his head!! LOL Mr. relaxed easy going.
Finally we get to the hospital and by the time they came and got me from the ER and took me down to OB they were 5 min apart and were VERY INTENSE!!! They put me into the same observation room I had been in earlier that day. I asked them why they put me in there and she said "well lots of people think they are in labor and they really aren't so we put you in here until we can check you out" I was like LADY THIS IS MY 5TH AND 6TH BABIES I KNOW WHEN I AM IN LABOR!!!!!!!!!! I kept that comment to myself but of course said it to DH when she left the room and rolled my eyes. She made the comment that the Dr. said if I hadn't changed since earlier (when I was a 4) that they were going to send me home with a pain shot!! I about lost it then, but again kept my cool! :-) Just prayed hard I was more than a 4 because this pain was not going to go away with a pain shot. So turns out a woman DOES KNOW HER BODY,:-) I was a 6, so they moved me into a regular labor and delivery room. Sometime during all this mad dash I called or someone called Kristina to have her call Pierre and tell him to get here. After that things became a little rushed, this was about 10:30 and the Dr. came in several nurses and the lab. The lab took my blood and I was told no Epi until they got my cell count back. In the meantime, they did an U/S to make sure they were both still head down which thankfully at the time they were, big relief to me as that meant they would let me deliver with no c-section. They started the IV and asked questions and I'm sure some other things but I don't remember what all happend, I do remember asking for something to dull the pain!! They gave me a shot of stadol and they did dull things for awhile. Not long enough though!! At some point everyone had left my room. Hubby went to find my 2 friends that had met us there but I don't think ever made it back to see me before delivery because things were going so quickly (my friends that is not DH he was there for delivery). My water broke while I was in there alone and I do remember searching franticly for my call button, I was kinda luppy at this point from the stadol so I'm sure it wasn't that hard to find I just couldn't focus LOL. Finally I found it and I said "my water just broke" in one second there were about 10 people in my room rushing around. I kept saying uummm please I need my epidural, don't forget my epidural LOL. What a pain I must have been LOL. I kept asking if Peirre was here yet and that we couldn't do this until he got here, they had to stop things until the Daddy got here. I swear I'm sure they thought I was insane LOL Ok lady we will just push those babies back up in there!! :-) But I wanted to be sure he made it!!
They took me too the OR to deliver which I had never done before, my regular OB delivered me in my regular labor and delivery room with the other twins. But his partner I guess wanted to be sure just incase we had to do a C/S. So they rushed me down there and switched me over to the table which I explained in my loopy state that I could not lay on that because I can't lay flat I can't breathe and I needed some more pillows to prop me up, so that was taken care of and over I went.(again what a pain I can be LOL) Once I was settled on the table Pierre walked in, I was so happy to see him. I didn't want him to miss this beautiful moment. I felt a little more relaxed at this point and felt like it could all happen now. But at this point still no epi and no blood reslults yet. I was worried because he checked me once I got on the table and I was an 8. AAAHHHH this is about 11 or a little after. I knew I had heard at some point it becomes to late to have an epi and I was scared to death I had passed that point by now. Dr. Lineberry was very good and trying hard to hold things off until we go the blood work. Those sweet nurses kept calling and asking if they were ready. FINALLY about 11:10 we got them and in went the epi. Unfortunatly little Maslin thought he would like to come shortly after that and the epi had not kicked in fully yet. At 11:19 little sweet tiny Maslin decided to painfuly for me make his way into this world, but after seeing that sweet little face it was worth every once of pain. He came out SCREAMING!!! He was just the sweetest little thing!!!
After oohhing and aaahhhing over him and daddy cutting his chord, it was now time to foucs on little Pierre still hangng out in there. I asked if they could give me a boost of the epi because I was still able to feel every little thing and I sure the heck did not want to expierence that pain again if at all possible. (I am a HUGE whimp when it comes to pain) So Dr. agreed and the sweet epi nurse came over and kicked me up a notch!! :-) Finally NO feeling!! As all this was going on the Dr. was messing around "up in there" and mentioned that baby B (Pierre) had turned transverse. What did this mean? I was begining to worry, but he said he would just hold on to his legs (thank GOD I got the boost I'm sure if I could feel his arm where it was that would not have been to fun to expeirence LOL) so he held his legs and waited for me to push I pushed and pushed, and it was crazy seeing what was going on down there. I could see in the reflection of the Dr.s glasses baby Pierre hanging out with his head still inside (sorry TMI) the nurses were telling me to push misty push come on harder do it again harder. FINALLY after some intense pushing baby Pierre made his quiet but grand apperance at 11:31 not screaming like his brother and was very limp when they carried him to the isolet. Big Pierre didn't even get to cut the chord. After some rubbing and o2 he came around and was screaming and PEEING!! They both received an 8 or 9 on both apgars. So everything was perfect!!
The whole time we were in the OR delivering the boys Kristina was able to be a part of it on the phone. After deliverying I was able to talk to her whlie still laying on the table and she was crying, she was so happy and so eager to see her boys. I feel horrible that she missed it all and I really did try to make it until Monday when she was scheduled to be here but her boys wanted to join this world a little before we expeced. I guess they just want what they want!! :-) I talked to Kristina several times while in the hospital and Pierre brought the boys to me while I was still in the hospital to cuddle and love on.
I was able to go home on Saturday morning, and the boys were able to leave on Sunday. Peirre brought the boys to my house before they flew out to go home to mamma. It was great to have more cuddle time and to let all my friends see the boys. (they call came over after church sunday, and my friend from way back when came all the way down from her home about 2 1/2 hours away just to see the boys) So thank you Pierre for allowing us that time. We all really appreciated it.
Since Kristina was unable to make it here I asked if she would mind video tapping the first time she saw the boys. Which she gracously did. Her friend laura and her kids and Kristina and Gabrielle went to the airport and waited for the boys to arrive.
I was able to see that video this week when we had a wondeful 5 day stay with Kristina Pierre and the kids. It was a great experience to spend time with them all together. I feel like my journey is now complete. Seeing them together as a family and seeing the love they share for these beautiful boys was wonderful. The love the boys have from family and friends as well is just beautiful to see. They are very lucky boys to have so many people in their lives that anitcipated their arrival. Gabrielle LOVES her baby brothers SOOO much!! She was always wanting to hug them or hold them and kiss them. First thing she always did after coming home from school was to kiss and hug her brothers and then a million times after that through the day. She really suprised me, I thought she would have trouble adjusting to them and she has done wonderful! WAY TO GO GABRIELLE!! :-) What a big girl you are!!
Our week started Tuesday, getting through that front door couldn't happen fast enough for me. The boys were sitting in their bouncys and I hugged Kristina and went straight for the boys, picked one up (can't remember which was first now LOL) and I didn't put them down the rest of the night. Allot of the time I had two in my arms. They are both so different and so beautiful. Maslin has big beautiful eyes and loves to talk to you. Pierre has a perfect little head and chubby cheeks and beautiful eyes. They both like to look around and are very intrigued by what is being said or what is going on around them. They look right at you when you are talking to them. Its like they can see right through you. They have the sweetest little cheeks to kiss!! So soft!!
I was lucky enough to get up with them three nights of the 5 that were there and spend some quiet time feeding them. They are SUCH GOOD BABIES!! They don't cry unless they are hungry or need a change, or if they loose their paci. They LOVE to be cuddled and baby pierre loves having his head rubbed. He was a little fussy after I laid him down after a middle of the night feeding and I just rubbed his litte soft head and he calmed right down and stopped fussing. Our last night there Maslin woke up about 15 min before my alarm was going to go off (4:45 am we had to get up and get ready to head to the airport) so I brought him in bed with us and he was perfectly fine, then brother thought thought he would like to come in and cuddle so I went and got him and he calmed right down when I laid him next to his brother and we cuddled for about 5 more minutes. Not sure when they ended up waking up to eat because they were still sleeping when we left.
It was so hard to say goodbye!! We had such a good time and Kristina and Pierre were so sweet with everything they did for us. We went on a boat cruise and to some water falls on Saturday, it was amazing the scenery at both places. It was so beautiful. I will include some pictures for you all to see.
Thank you so much Kristina and Pierre for your kindness through out the journey and beyond. You have been more than anyone could imainge. I am such a lucky Surrogate to have had wonderful expeiriences with IPs that a Surrogate could only dream off. I am thrilled and joyed to call you friends and thankful that you are all in our lives.
I want to take this time to say thank you to all of you who helped so much during my pregnancy. Of course Kristina for always calling or writting to check on me and doing whatever she could. To Cecil and Janette, Tom and Lori, Melissa, Melissa, Carla, kari, Sara and TJ, and all the others that I am forgetting that helped with Kristopher, food, calls to check on me and just the prayers which meant the most!! You are all truly wonderful friends and we are lucky to have friends that care so much. I know Kristina and Pierre appreciate all of it as well. Thank you thank you thank you!!
Well this is the end of my Surrogacy journey and my life as a surrogate. Surrogacy has been a huge part of my life the past 5 years. Its very sad for me to let it go and to not experience this again, but its time. After 5 surrobabes my body is done. Although my heart I don't think will ever be able to let go of the passion I have for this. God bless all of those that read this that have joined in the Surrogacy world and the heart that you have for others. May God bless you as he has me. I couldn't ask for more than what he has given me through my experiences. I am truly blessed to have been given this calling in life. To all of you IPs reading this that have experienced infertility and or surrogacy may God Bless you with the love of a child and if its through Surrogacy may you be blessed with a wonderful expeirence as I have had now. Thank you to all my friends through the Surrogacy world for all the love and support you have given to me through my 3 journies. My friends that I have made through this will be life long. Thank you to all my girls at WISS and FTS. May God continue to bless all of you through your journies and through out life!
Thank you again Kristina and Pierre!! I look forward to what the future holds for you and the boys and to follow that along for a lifetime. Lots of love!
Here is the link to see the rest of the pics from this weekend. http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?username=mistyhoffmann
Here is a link to the pictures Pierre took while we were there.
http://picasaweb.google.com/bossaert/MistySVisit
