The Day We Had Been Waiting For.

The day we had been waiting years for finally arrived. November 28th 2011 - our child's birthday.

It is such a crazy feeling to go to bed the night before knowing that it is the last time where it is just the two of you, to leave the house in the morning and know that when you come home everything will be different forever. We snapped a picture before we left for the hospital. It is hard to believe how big my stomach was! I remember looking at Sherman as we were walking up to the hospital and saying, "let's go have a baby." And smiling from the inside out with sheer joy, anticipation, and a strange sense of calm.



The birth of our son was the most surreal and amazing experience of my life. And I hope I never forget one second of that wonderful day.

The c-section went well although it was much more overwhelming than I had expected. I went into the OR incredibly calm, confident, and feeling very prepared. As I rolled in on that stretcher into the cool room I heard music playing and thought, this is just like an episode of Nip Tuck...but then I watched the huge number of staff start to each play their role in their own musical set and things quickly changed. I suddenly knew exactly how my patients feel when we first bombard them in the ER with all our tasks, questions, and procedures all at once. There were 4 OB/GYNS, 4 anesthesiologists. and 6 members of the pediatric care team in attendance plus nurses and techs. One thing about being in a teaching hospital is there are A LOT of care providers constantly talking things through. It is like being on an episode of Grey's Anatomy. They all were talking to me and each other and doing things all at the same time. - hooking me and baby up to monitors, administering the epidural and meds, placing a catheter. I heard the resident say he dropped the last quarter of my epidural dose and I felt my anxiety level rise. In my head, "please let it work." I felt my legs go numb and completely heavy and prayed for the best. Sherman was able to join me and be by my side after I was settled on the OR table, and he was as always an immediate calming presence.





It seemed like forever before our son was actually born. I kept waiting to hear his cry. I had waited so long for that reassuring sound and had heard that the c-section should be less than 10 minutes...it took much longer than that and again my anxiety rose up. I wanted to know he was safe, that he could breathe, swallow, cry. I couldn't see anything past the blue drape so I stared at Sherman looking for his reactions...between him and the anesthesiologist I pretty much had a play by play as to what was happening to my body. I felt tugging, pulling, and other weird sensations...I started to get short of breath and feel my heart race. The anesthesiologist told me to calm down, I asked if I was tachycardic and she said, "yes, your heart rate is 150. I know you are scared and worried about your baby, but it is going to be okay." I believed her.

Within a few more minutes, the excitement in the room built as Sherman stood up and started snapping pics. I knew the moment was close. Then I heard it. His perfect, shrill cry. Sherman looked at me with tear filled eyes and said, "he is perfect." I asked a few times if he was okay, "he is perfect," he repeated.



Our beautiful, HEALTHY son, Ronan Jameson Veh. 8 pounds, 15 ounces and 21.5 inches long, born at 12:36 PM.




They took our little boy straight to the warmer to the pediatric team for evaluation. I could just see his little head (full of hair) as they checked him all out. Sherman was able to go over and meet him and I watched from afar...crying, laughing, and trying to catch my breath.



After a while Sherman was finally able to hold him and bring him over to me to see him for the very first time. I cannot describe the overwhelming emotions that washed over me - love, joy, relief. I kissed him and just rubbed his little chubby face. He listened quietly as I talked to him. He was so incredibly beautiful I honestly couldn't believe it.



He had to leave shortly after that to go to the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) for observation of his airway and blood sugar monitoring. He stayed there for about 4 hours, but I was able to sneak in on my gurney on our way down to Mother Baby after recovery. I held him for the first time. I stared at his gorgeous face. Held his tiny hands. I tried to soak every detail in. Luckily he did wonderfully well in the NICU and he was able to join us in our room within an hour of us moving downstairs. Things looked very positive with him.

He is our perfect little miracle.