Throughout the day Sunday April was having discomfort and contractions off and on, pretty normal for multiples. Then around 1:00 am, I wake up and she is hunched over the bed having a big contraction, next thing I know I'm awake and timing them. Throughout the night they kept getting closer and closer together. Our surgery was scheduled for 8am that morning and we had to be up at the hospital by 6am. By about 4am, we decided we didn't want to wait any longer and just went up to the hospital. Even though the chances were low that we'd deliver earlier, we didn't want to risk having to try and deliver twins on our own.
We got to the Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital fairly quickly and they admitted us right away. From there continued the fun of going through contractions, but now in the full view of all the hospital staff. The hardest thing was tuning out everyone else so I could help April breathe through the contractions. I think we did pretty well.
Since we were so close to the original surgery time, we still ended up going forward with it. An ultrasound confirmed that Anna was in breach so it still made the most sense to go forward with the c-section. It would turn out later that Anna actually shifted heads down, but there was no way to anticipate that. She also could have switched around when Luke was delivered so I think we made the right decision in going with the c-section.
As they wheeled April to the operating room, a nurse directed me to where we would be staying after. Lugging coats, clothes, and bags, I made my way and deposited the items. All this time I'm wearing a very interesting surgical outfit. They then put me in the "Daddy room" while they prepped April. This was nothing more then a supply closet with a sink and chair for me to sit in outside of the operating room.
I sat in there for what seemed like forever. It was during this time that the anxiety of everything hit me. Could I handle seeing April in surgery? Would the sight of the my wife all cut up make me pass out? Will I be a good Dad? I kept focused though, breathing deep breaths and praying to keep myself relaxed.
A nurse eventually came in and told me it was time for me to enter the room. They had a small chair in a cramped section for me to sit in right next to April. Her head popped out on the other side of a drape of cloth. She was a trooper throughout the whole process. She kept commenting on how weird it felt to be numb from the waist down. That didn't stop her from feeling her non-numb body parts being jostled around. I can't imagine being in that position. I was very glad at that point that all I had to do was sit there and be supportive.
After only a short while I could tell that the Doctor's were getting very close to bringing the babies into this world. First came Anna, at 8:37am, there was a sweet beautiful cry as she emerged. Doctor Hannah lifted her over the curtain for us to see her before she was quickly passed over to a nurse. Luke came immediately afterward at 8:38am. He also started to cry, which brought us great relief. Both April and I were choked up and so overjoyed to be parents.
From what I was told I thought I'd immediately be heading out of the room with the babies, but we stayed there for a good 10 minutes. I kept standing up peaking over the curtain to look at the babies in the opposite corner. I told April every tidbit I could glean from my distance. During this time also, the curtain separating April's head from the rest of her started to drop. Neither of us were able to see anything though.
Eventually they escorted me out with the babies as they started to give April some medicine to help her sleep. As I was heading out I looked back to say goodbye. It was then that I got to see how the full process unfolded. Seeing the inside of your wife's belly is definitely a surreal moment. I'm just very glad she was in very capable hands.
The babies and I then made our way to their recovery room. They were placed in incubators and all their vital signs were monitored. Luke's O2 stats were a little low, 95% if I remember correctly at first. By the end of their 3 hour stay in recovery they jumped back up to 100%.
They were such a beauty to behold. I didn't know what to do with them and was so nervous to even touch them. I believe I asked a nurse if could touch them before I did so. They could tell I was a nervous first time father. Both babies grabbed strongly onto my hands. Luke was definitely the feistiest. He kept grabbing all of the cords and would occasionally cry out.
Eventually I stepped out and invited the rest of the family in the waiting room to come and see the babies through the glass. Everyone was so overjoyed. It was an amazing moment.
I know this is one day I will never forget.
Anna
Luke
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