- Pregnancy
- Baby & Toddler
- Parents
- Getting Pregnant
- Baby Names
- Product Reviews
-
Registry
- Community
-
More
Want a personalized experience?
Download the free app
May 2016 Moms
KidShrink
member
Eliott Thomas- Warning- Significant complications mentioned
KidShrink
member
Hello everyone!
Things have gone quite crazy for us, so I needed to gather myself and have a bit of time to get to this. Baby Eliott was born by emergency c-section on April 29 at 10:18pm, weighing 7lbs 8oz. I had been having contractions since Tuesday (on and off), and couldn't really tell when 'real' labour started. Anyway, we were finally admitted at around 5pm on Friday as I was at 4 cm. I took the epidural soon after as I could no longer deal with contractions after 3 days of them! Inthen went from 4 to 8 cm in half an hour and we thought I may end up giving birth without my husband present if he didn't return soon (they send him out while doing the epi and told him to return in 30 min). Turns out the baby also went into a bit of distress, and the possibility of a c section was mentioned. A few hours later, I was still stuck at 8cm despite pitocin and baby was still not handling me shifting positions so well, so we went ahead with the c section. I got a top up on my epidural, and at 10:18 our little miracle was born.
Now here's where it gets interesting...over the next few hours, I kept on asking when I would get sensation and movement back and when I could get up to talk. Nurses assured me that by late morning I'd be fine. And then I wasn't...sensation and movement were not improving. I met with the anesthesiologist on call, and after examining me, he sent me for an MRI, which was done at a different hospital at 4pm Saturday. I came back, and a few minutes later, the anesthesiologist and radiologist had already spoken. The anesthesiologist came to see us around 6:30pm to inform us that there was no damage to my spine due to the epidural. However, they found what they believed to be a benign tumor around my spine, which combined with the epidural led to loss of movement and sensation in my legs. They therefore organized transfer to another hospital for me to meet a neurosurgeon ASAP (discussions had already taken place between all the doctors). DH and baby had to stay a little longer at the hospital for some final testing and official discharge, so I was transports by ambulance, with lights and all. Soon after I got to this new hospital, the neurosurgeon came to meet me. He explained that I have a tumor which has likely been there for a long time and that caused issues mow because of the epidural (although he said I would have eventually had issues, and was surprised I didn't already have any). He also told me that immediate surgery to remove the part of the tumor in the canal of the spine was my only hope of possibly walking and using my legs again....So surgery happened at 10:30pm that night, exactly 24 hours after I gave birth. My husband and the baby have been able to join us here in the hospital. I'm making progress each day, but am nowhere near walking for now. I'm also quite limited in terms of what I can do with baby (feeding and holding him is pretty much it...no rocking, holding him, taking him for walks, etc.). That's been the hardest part- not getting to be a 'normal' mom. However, we've had great support from all the doctors and nurses, and our friends and family, so we're hoping to be back on our feet (literally!) soon. Even DH's employer has transformed the vacation time he was supposed to take now into a compassionate leave (paid leave, not touching his vacation time so we can enjoy that later). They have also offered to help/pay for whatever support or equipment we might need in the house once I'm discharged.
This has been an extremely scary and unexpected experience. However, my son is the best baby in the world and my husband is the most amazing daddy.
Things have gone quite crazy for us, so I needed to gather myself and have a bit of time to get to this. Baby Eliott was born by emergency c-section on April 29 at 10:18pm, weighing 7lbs 8oz. I had been having contractions since Tuesday (on and off), and couldn't really tell when 'real' labour started. Anyway, we were finally admitted at around 5pm on Friday as I was at 4 cm. I took the epidural soon after as I could no longer deal with contractions after 3 days of them! Inthen went from 4 to 8 cm in half an hour and we thought I may end up giving birth without my husband present if he didn't return soon (they send him out while doing the epi and told him to return in 30 min). Turns out the baby also went into a bit of distress, and the possibility of a c section was mentioned. A few hours later, I was still stuck at 8cm despite pitocin and baby was still not handling me shifting positions so well, so we went ahead with the c section. I got a top up on my epidural, and at 10:18 our little miracle was born.
Now here's where it gets interesting...over the next few hours, I kept on asking when I would get sensation and movement back and when I could get up to talk. Nurses assured me that by late morning I'd be fine. And then I wasn't...sensation and movement were not improving. I met with the anesthesiologist on call, and after examining me, he sent me for an MRI, which was done at a different hospital at 4pm Saturday. I came back, and a few minutes later, the anesthesiologist and radiologist had already spoken. The anesthesiologist came to see us around 6:30pm to inform us that there was no damage to my spine due to the epidural. However, they found what they believed to be a benign tumor around my spine, which combined with the epidural led to loss of movement and sensation in my legs. They therefore organized transfer to another hospital for me to meet a neurosurgeon ASAP (discussions had already taken place between all the doctors). DH and baby had to stay a little longer at the hospital for some final testing and official discharge, so I was transports by ambulance, with lights and all. Soon after I got to this new hospital, the neurosurgeon came to meet me. He explained that I have a tumor which has likely been there for a long time and that caused issues mow because of the epidural (although he said I would have eventually had issues, and was surprised I didn't already have any). He also told me that immediate surgery to remove the part of the tumor in the canal of the spine was my only hope of possibly walking and using my legs again....So surgery happened at 10:30pm that night, exactly 24 hours after I gave birth. My husband and the baby have been able to join us here in the hospital. I'm making progress each day, but am nowhere near walking for now. I'm also quite limited in terms of what I can do with baby (feeding and holding him is pretty much it...no rocking, holding him, taking him for walks, etc.). That's been the hardest part- not getting to be a 'normal' mom. However, we've had great support from all the doctors and nurses, and our friends and family, so we're hoping to be back on our feet (literally!) soon. Even DH's employer has transformed the vacation time he was supposed to take now into a compassionate leave (paid leave, not touching his vacation time so we can enjoy that later). They have also offered to help/pay for whatever support or equipment we might need in the house once I'm discharged.
This has been an extremely scary and unexpected experience. However, my son is the best baby in the world and my husband is the most amazing daddy.
Re: Eliott Thomas- Warning- Significant complications mentioned
DD: 05/14/16
Oh my gosh! I am so glad you are okay. I'm sorry about what you have been and are going through. I am keeping you in my thoughts and prayers for sure. Please keep us updated as to how you are doing!!
Eliott sure is a little cutie!
Me: 31
DH: 29, SA - Great
Married: June 12,2011
TTC #1: 1/2014
Diagnosis: Hypothalamic Amenorrhea
Treatment: Clomid: 50mg, 100mg, 150mg - not successful and not monitored
Menopur 75ml (upped to 112.5ml), Ovidrel, & IUI IUI #1 8/31/2015
9/15/2015: BFP HCG - 400, 9/17/2015: HCG - 827, 9/21/2015 - HCG 3,327!ME: 35 DH: 39
Married July 2011
DD Born 8/12
TTC #2 since 11/13
ME: Submucosal Fibroid Surgery Date APRIL 14th 2015 -Left Tube is blocked by Fibroid~Surgeon removed 26 Fibroids from my Ute and Unblocked my Tube
DH:Azoospermia...Thank God we have 12 vials of frozen swimmers
July 15-Check to see if Ute is all healed
IUI #1 8/3/15...BFN
IUI #2 9/5/15...BFP on 9/17/15
Beta #1-344
Beta #2-809
Beta #3 8,390
1st u/s 8/8/15 1 bean HB 135 @ 6w5d
Congratulations on your little one. Be strong.
Your baby boy is an absolutely beautiful baby. Enjoy those baby cuddles.
All the best for your recovery and I hope that you and your families' life will normalize soon. Please keep us updated x
DS: Born 5-17-16
Married: Oct 20, 2013
BFP 1: Aug 31, 2015
EDD 1: May 12, 2016
DD1 Emma born May 12, 2016
An Honest Account of New Motherhood (with Postpartum Anxiety, Depression, and OCD)
BFP 2: October 07, 2019
EDD 2: June 20, 2020