The Wissink Family

I have been thinking about how to write my daughters birth story. It was one of the most terrifying few days of my life, and it has been overwhelming, but we have also been abudently blessed.

I had been having problems with blood pressure, I had already been hospitilized twice with it & they were thinking I had preeclampsia. Well, I was finally diagnosed with that. Saturday and Sunday of last week I wasn't feeling very good, so I parked myself on the couch in front of the TV, watching Netflix & sleeping for most of those two days. When I couldn't shake this headache that I had that was getting worse, and I started having a LOT of swelling in my hands and ankles, I decided it was time to call my doctor and see what she had to say. My OBGYN had me come in about a half hour later to check it out.

She did everything that she does at every appointment, took my urine and tested it for protein ( I was spilling protein into my urine the week before and that is a sign of preeclampsia) but wasn't this time so I thought I would be fine. By this time my headache was pretty bad, so my doctor felt better if I went to the hospital for overnight observation, to do a hour urine workup, blood panels, consistantly watch my blood pressure & try to prevent my headache from getting worse.

I was admitted to Bryan East Labor & Delievery, Monday December 31st, (yep- we had the joy of spending new years eve in the hospital) Even though we didn't excatly like the situation we were in, we knew it was for the safety of me and the baby the we were in the hospital, so we tried our very best to enjoy our New Years Eve. My husband went and got some chocolates & non-alcoholic sparking juice. We ended up falling asleep & I needed pain med's for my head around 11:45am, so we stayed up until midnight cuddeling in my bed, kissed at midnight than went back to sleep. Massively exciting, I know ;)

Tuesday the 1st of Janurary, Dr. Kenney, one of the best Maternal-Fetal specialist (he specializes in deliveries 36 weeks and sooner) came and saw me again that afternoon/ early evening. My headache was pretty severe at this point (I was getting morphine just to take the edge off of the pain, it barely did anything) at one point I hid in the bathroom because it was the coolest, darkest, quietest place that I could find. I was in the fetal position in my bed, with about 3 folded up blankets over my head, plus the blanket I was covered up with. We tried IV magnesium as a last resort, but when that didn't work Dr. Kenney decided that I had severe preeclampsia, and I had to deliever before it turned into Eclampsia (sezuires) which was where I was headed.

Because this is my first baby, we decided to try and induce first. They gave me my first dose of cervix softener (a pill they insert vaginally) and it was a series of 3 pills overnight. I was given the first pill at 7:00pm, and by 9:30am the next morning I was only dilated to 1/2 a fingertip. My normal OBGYN who has seen me through my whole pregnancy, Dr. Emily Neri, came in and we decided together that a C-Section really was the only option. If she would have given me potocion I would have most likely been trying to dilate all day and possibly all night that night and nothing happened, and ended up in a c-section anyway. With my severe headache, Blood pressure problems, spilling quite a bit of protein, we decided it was best to go ahead with the surgery.

I was in the OR getting my spinal block at about 10:00am and my love bug was born at 10:03am. I was so incredibly blessed with the most amazing Operating Room Team. I was so scared to have a C-Section, I was shaking uncontrollably on the way to the OR. My nurse, Kelli, was there with me the whole time. I hugged her while I was getting my spinal block, (I was most scared about the spinal, but it ended up being the least of my worries. It was no big deal and I felt absolutely nothing when I was given it. I was about to ask the anasteologist when he was going to start putting it in when I felt my body go numb) Dr. Neri has Wednesday's off to spend with her family, and she came in and delievered Mikayla because she knew how terrified I was. I am so grateful that she took time away from her family to deliever my baby. I know it would have been a much worse experience if I had not had her there. She calmed me down quite a bit :)

I was all numb, they layed me back onto the table and Dr. Neri did her thing and Mikayla Elizabeth Wissink was born on Wednesday January 2nd 2013 at 10:03am :) She was pulled out, cut the cord, gave the BIGGEST most biggest scream that I have ever heard (since she was only 30 weeks we weren't sure the maturity of her lungs or if she would even be breathing when she came out.) My husband went with Mikayla while I was being cleaned up and my mom immediately came back to recovery with me.

I have had a really good recovery, barely any pain except for the first night. I am just concerned about my daughter. I have a carepage set up for her if you haven't looked at it yet, about her progress and how she is doing. It is http://www.carepages.com/carepages/mikaylaspage

So much has happened since I have last updated..I can't believe it has really been over one year!

I met a boy named John in my friends wedding. (the very back row on the left is me)

Got engaged

Had People Save The Date

Had Engagement Pictures Taken

Decided to forego the big celebration and got married in front of two close friends and our immediate family memebers. Looking back, I wouldn't have it any other way :)