Sunday, April 13, 2014

Mettie Skye was born today, April 13 at 4:18 am, they only took her weight, 5 lbs, 14 oz. she was 3 weeks early. My water broke on its own, Saturday at 5:40pm. This had never happened to me before. My previous labors, the doctor would have to break my water and then my babies would come in an hour or less.  This labor was a lot longer.  We didn't find out what we were having, so it was a surprise when he announced, "It's a girl!"  The doctor laid her on me.

 

 He then picked her up and Matt cut the umbilical cord.  The nurses took her away to check her out.  They discovered she had an imperforated anus and the entire room changed.  They informed us that she would need to be taken to a children's hospital NICU, they had only 12 hours to get her in and do surgery.  They would also assess her entire midline since there was this complication.  They let me hold her for maybe 20 minutes, I just wanted to look at every piece of her.  She was completely beautiful, she was my baby.  I hurt for her as I saw her little foot turned inward and up.  But this was the least of our concerns.  I just wanted to kiss her and hold and experience all we do with our newborn when they are first put into our arms.  My moments with her were brief.  The nurse took her from me and into the nursery to prep her for her ambulance ride to the NICU. As she left Matt looked at me and asked me what we were going to name her.  We both new her name was Mettie.  It was the only name we really ever thought of but the impression that we both received was so strong, this sweet little baby girl's name was Mettie. ( Mette came from both of our ancestors, Matt's who lived in Denmark and Rochelle's who crossed the plains in the Willy handcart company.  Both experienced many trials.)

Matt's Dad came to help assist Matt in giving Mettie a blessing.  One that we would know everything wrong with Mettie's little body.  When the transport team was already to go they brought her back into my room where I said good bye, she was all secure in her little travel box.  That was so hard.   There were so many unknowns.  This was not how I imagined this would go, she was supposed to be in my arms.  Matt followed them to the children's hospital where they ran more screens.  They discovered that she had a heart defect, Tetralogy of Fallot, 4 things wrong with her heart. The specialists were able to give Mettie PGE in order to keep her PVA open in her heart, something that closes right when babies are born. Eight hours after giving birth, I was discharged so that I could meet with the Cardiologist with Matt.  It was determined that the best place for her would be at another Children's hospital, where they specialize in Pediatric Cardiovascular surgery.  Her heart became top on the list since they were able to find a fistula, It was allowing some meconium to escape thru her vagina. They transported Mettie that night and Matt followed.

We know that we experienced a few miracles today.  I had just received an Ultrasound this past Thursday before Mettie was born, I wasn't told of any complications or defects.  Nothing about her foot, nothing about her bum and the kicker, nothing about her heart!  Heavenly Father knew she needed to get here, so the first miracle, my water broke on it's own, allowing Mettie to get here early so that valve in her heart could remain open to sustain her life.  Second, she was born with out an anus, this is a huge compication but it also demanded them to take her to a children's hospital and look over the rest of her midline where they discovered her heart defect.  She is our miracle!!