Friday, August 20, 2010

The Birth(day) Reminder of my Andrew,,,,,,A Funny and some unexpected love.....

Hi!

I know I haven't posted here for quite a while! But yesterday marked a milestone,,one I'll never forget for SEVERAL reasons, and I wanted to write about it.

My Son Andrew, my baby turned 26 yesterday! Where did the time go? But I'm going to tell you about the night,actually early morning hours, when Andrew entered this world!

Just so you get the whole picture. I have TWO sons. They are about 3 1/2 years apart. I was induced with Sean,,,,because my water broke; that's what "they did", back then. Your water breaks, they give you drugs to start labor.

Well, I'll go back to my story of Andrew's birth in a minute, but first you have to know. Sean, my FIRST had problems. They induced me and I went into labor so fast, he "shot" through the birth canal quickly. (Did the damn doc have a golf game scheduled,so let's get this "SHOW on the road?)
I LATER learned that this, the inducement can cause respitory distress. And Sean had it. He was the HUGE baby.....9-14oz and he was in an incubator for DAYS before he got to come home. When they induce you,,,the fluids in their lungs don't get naturally expelled.
Sean's birth was a trama. For him, for me...seeing this beautiful, healthy, baby being tested, pricked, and me not being able to hold him for quite some time, only to them returning him to the isolet in intensive care. It was a nightmare.......


So,,,,preggers with Andy? I was DUE August 1st. And I absolutely SWORE, I would NOT put THIS baby through inducing when I was late. I kept going to my OB/GYN in those weeks and he would say, "Any time now." But, Andrew (his sex, unbeknownst to me at the time, because THEN we didn't KNOW the sex of our babies in those days, but it was the name that came to me in a dream) Andrew, wasn't "ready"

I did NOT want to be induced. I was adament. My doc said,,,,"Okay, I'm on call for the weekend (which ended on the eve of 19th) and if you don't have him by THEN,,,,,we NEED to/have to induce you! I was 18 days late!!!

(I had NO contractions with Sean. As stated,was induced, if you recall, because my water broke. SO.......When, the eve before I was supposed to be induced I woke up having pains and called my doc and said, " I'm not sure if these sharp pains are contractions or not,,,,but they are about 3 minutes apart. And my doc said, "Get IN HERE NOW!"

Well fine, But I was separated from my husband. And although he'd been staying with me for weeks, he had his friends annual Golf tournament going on ,,,,,,and he'd left me for it and the party to follow. So, I was alone.

My mom and my wonderful, wonderful, soft spoken former Bostonian step dad Bob, lived close by. I called them. They came over and my mom stayed with the 3+ Sean and Bob, 70 something,was to drive me to the Hospital. He-was on a mission. His Job? Get me to the Hospital because, well, I couldn't get ahold of my then, husband.

So, here is Shell, having contractions by this point a couple of minutes apart and headed to the Hospital I'd selected once again,,,,,some 30 miles away. "Grandpa Bob" drove steadfastly toward the underbelly of Seattle to deliver me to the Hospital.. .

Moi? Well, like I told my friend Maggie a while back while she was going through an emergency? I Chatted like a Magpie! Made small jokes or references. I would have the contraction from HELL and hold my breath/work tthrough it in silence and THEN continue my mundane conversation with Bob. For heavens sakes, he was driving me 30 some miles in the MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT and I was ready to give birth and was just concentrating on GETTING SHELL there!

Well? We made it! He didn't have to deliver a baby on the side of Interstate 5-the freeway that runs from Canada to Mexico! He'd DONE it!
He pulled into the Emergency entrance and I FLEW out of the car...and he, sitting in the driver's seat said,,,,,,,,and this is one of the cutest, most befuddled sentences I have ever heard in my WHOLE life! Think Boston, think "Pak your Cah" ,,,,,,,,,,,and Bob, the dear dear that I had come to know and love, the man that made my mother laugh, and smile and hold hands SAID, "Well....We gotya Heyah" (Translation for those not familiar with a Bostonian accent, "Well, we got you here!" ) At which point, after I had grabbed my overnight case off the back seat, HE DROVE AWAY!

Stunned? Flabergasted? Overwhelmed? Oh YEAH! I'm left standing by the curb of the hospital ready to give birth and he, my ROCK, DRIVES off!

Fortunately, I'd called a dear, old school friend who lived close to the hospital prior to leaving my home,,,,and she was there to great me in the emergency lobby.

Andrew was born 90 minutes from when I had placed the call to my doc!I was whisked in and although they gave me drugs,,,they didn't take, TOO FAST of a delivery!

I STILL, to this day,, laugh and smile about being "left at the curb." But in the aftermath? Bob,,,,,,,a working man all his life, was never part of his own Grandkid's births. He'd had a mission,,,,,get me to the hospital, which he did, and he did well. His job was Done!

Oh, my lovely, dear step-dad Bob. He loved and nurtured my kids SO! He finally was at a time of his life when he could relax,,,and just spend time,,,with the little ones. Sean and Andy were not "his." But you'd never kknow- he did everything for those kids! Including building them a playroom in "this old house" which recently became my Art/Craft Studio.

I KNOW how much he meant to my boys. I KNOW how much he meant to my mother...their "Autumn" of their lives relationship was something TRULY special. And, I loved him dearly. Mom and he are both "gone" now. From this earthly plane.

But, whenever I think about Andrews BIRTHday...I think of OUR beloved Bob. Grandpa to a fault. Companion, friend, business partner, lover (oh MY, how they giggled and squeezed hands and winked at each other! I'm SO glad we all had you in our Lives,,,our family!

Love comes from unexpected places some time! "Well, we gotya Heyha" Yes, you Did!

Shell

No comments:

Post a Comment