trip to L&D/ hospital bag Lesson learned.

jineau · December 2011

First off let me clear it up LO is still baking and is okay.

Background: Friday afternoon I was Taking so left over casserole out side to my dog. Some how I just took a wrong step, I have been really clumsy lately. I was stepping down on the first step on the patio, and felt myself falling. Within an instant instincts kicked in and I pushed my body backwards to keep from falling forward. In doing so I twisted my right ankle which kind of pushed me froward a bit putting all my weight on it. By this time the food was alreadyout of my hands spilling everywhere (Casserole) MY left leg bent underneath me and I landded on it. MY right shoulderblade hit the corner of the brick doorway of the douse as I slid down. I tried to reach for the rail to brace my self but missed and slammed my head back On the brick as well, slid down the steps. There were only 5 thank goodness. I was in complete shock because this took all of a matter of seconds. I was laying out on my back porch crying from all the pain and the shock, mixed in with the hormones. I wanted to strangle my dog who was happily eating the food off of everything. I was no where near a phone because I had left it in my bedroom. I was worried about the baby first and foremost, and then Every time I tried to pull my self up my right ankle and left leg were in too much pain and would twist out underneath me. Hormonal I laid out there for 20 minutes or so crying. I was on my own to get myself out of this mess. I ended up army crawling using my upper body to pull myself back up into the house. Once there I had crawled to the other end of the house to get my phone. I have DH on speed dial so instinctly called him first. He works 10-15 min away. I knew my ankle was spranged at that point because that was the center of all the pain. DH was some how able to carry all 215lbs of me to the truck. We went to the emergency room, they sent me to L&D and paged my OB office. There first thing was to check on Baby. Thankfully I landed on my back/ tail bone for the entire thing. Baby wasn't moving but heart rate and everything seemed okay. They kept me monitored for 5 hours. It took her a while to move (I think she was in shock) and even then they were very little movements. That's why they wouldn't let me leave until they were sure she was alright. BP and heart rates were all normal. My head was swollen almost the size of a golf ball (DH claims) from where I hit it. So they kept running little diagnostic tests every so often on me to make sure it wasn't effecting me. They gave me a brace for my ankle, I already have crutches of my own at home so that was easy. We didn't end up getting home until 1:40 am.

The things that I came to realize/ learn while we were in the hospital, our birth plan is well not such a fool proof one. My mother is the primary person whom we will call to take care of the kids. We tried calling her to pick the kids up from school for us, and couldn't get a hold of her on her cell phone. I have her work number in my phone which was at our house. DH didn't have it. She works up the mountain 30-40 minutes away. She lives 10 minutes away. My daughters cousin's go to her same school so their dad was able to pick her up and take her home. Given by law my daughter still needs to be in a booster seat, which he no longer has any. My niece does have a key to our house so they were able to get in to get my car keys and get booster and carseat. DH called ahead to the preschool to let them know who was coming to pick up DS. They were giving DH a hard time saying they can't release DS since this uncle wasn't written down on the alternate pick up forms. Had I or DH came in in the morning face to face and told them this then they would. But they wouldn't take his word via phone. Given DH could give them birthdates, SS numbers, etc to prove he was DS' dad. Only my mom and my friend Lissa are on the pick up list. So DH had to go down to the school to Pick up DS, and hand him over to his uncle. While they were all there they put DS' uncle down on the pickup list and scan his ID for the future. I understand the safety concerns but what a head ache. What if I was in labor and DH would have to leave me.I also gave more thought of what I already had in my hospital bag, just in case and realized I changed my mind, I had packed too light, there are more things I'd like to have if I were going to have a long drawn out labor.

- MAKE SURE I CARRY MY PHONE EVERY WHERE WITH ME NOW EVEN AT HOME. there is nothing worse then being hurt and feeling helpless.

- Make sure the schools are aware of people that will be picking kids up.

-Have a plan B and C in case you can't get a hold of your plan A person, or they work far away. Now I know my plan A person works 40 min away. My new plan B person works at different locations sometimes over 1 hr away sometimes more. My new plan C person works 20 min. away. I hope LO comes when these people are at home because they all live 10, 15, and 20 minutes away.

-make sure DH has every number he may need in his phone

-keep aleast a disposable camera in diaper bag at all times, leave my kindle in the bag from here on out. I can access books from my phone in the mean time. Bring my neck pillow for sure. I tried writing some of this from the hospital from DH's phone after typing the long message it wasn't wanting to post it and I lost everything. So maybe I'll steal my daughter's net book when I go.

(it sucks that all this happened but in hind sight I'm glad it did because it made me see all the flaws in what I thought was a fool proof plan.)

dizzycooks · December 2011

What an absolutely horrible day that must have been!

I've been on the lazy side about my hospital bag too, my thoughts were that we would have all that early labor time to get things ready, but how do I know what I'm missing if I haven't tried collecting it yet??

I am glad you're ok!!

jineau · December 2011

Thank you. Yeah I was putting it off until maybe a week and a half a go, when I started feeling real contractions, sporadically but it kinda woke me up. I kinda hap haphazardly packed my bag thinking I'll pack light. In the past I have gone over board, but when your in the boring hospital for a long time it made me think of all the things I could be doing, to keep occupied labor or no labor. With all the holidays and festivities we have been using our camera and video camera amongst other stuff lately, so though it's on my list it's all spread out through our house. I know where everything is kept, but DH doesn't. So maybe I just need to make a designated area/ basket where I keep everything we still use daily but need to be packed last minute, and just get in the habit now to keep those items there so we aren't running around like crazy trying to gather stuff from our list.

PsyDr04 · December 2011

Hard lessons to learn, but most importantly, I am so glad you and LO are ok. Nothing is more important than that. You're probably going to be very sore in the next few days in places you didn't even know you had. Try to rest as much as you can (I know I'm stating the obvious) and take care of you and your precious cargo. Hope your body will recover as quickly as possible.

rosebud218 · December 2011

Oh wow, glad to hear little one and you are doing ok having the fall. What a scare.

jineau · December 2011

Yeah I'm taking it easy, keeping legs elevated, note pregnancy swelling doesn't feel good on a sore body or sprang ankle. So I'll be hanging out on the computer all day. keep me entertained. DH has been awesome this weekend with massages and cooking and just everything. DS still has school this week but DD is out. thankfully she's old enough to help out and not need me so much. It's amazing how loving and caring she's being just offering me anything. She keeps refilling my water for me and cuddling with me, watching movies. I LOVE HER SO MUCH!

d-squared · December 2011

Glad everyone is ok! Thanks for the advice, I didn't even think of a plan B or C. Need to get on the phone and starting lining people up.

mrs.larry · December 2011

what an ordeal. I'm glad you're home and everything is ok (aside from bumps and bruises, ouch!!)

this post has inspired me. I've been living in denial lately, but we really need to get all our contingency plans in order before something happens. I've been extremely stressed about how all of this is going to work. thanks for the kick in the pants to stop sticking my head in the sand.

Hope you feel better!!