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Since the arrival of the baby, I have thought long and hard about how many folks were involved in not only taking care of me, but of making sure that my well-being translated into Sam Lucas being born as a healthy baby. As such, I'd like to take the opportunity to thank several people without whose contribution it would not have been possible to have young Sam come into the world, let alone doing so as healthy as he could be.
First and foremost, I'd like to thank the staff at the Perinatal Clinic in Coon Rapids. It was their staff of skilled employees that determined I was in definite labor and needed to be admitted to Mercy Hospital immediately. They made everything even easier by calling ahead of time and notifying the staff of my impending arrival to triage. Without their care and expertise, I would've gone on about my day, blissfully unaware.
I'd also like to thank the staff of nurses at Mercy Hospital. These ladies provided around-the-clock care for me from Friday until Sunday at approximately 2:45 p.m., at which time my water broke (in bed!) and I was determined to have been dilated 10 cms and ready to give birth. These ladies were tremendously skilled and kept me calm, even as I was freaking out about my water breaking--I thought I was voiding my bladder the entire time, until the nurse said: "Oh no, dear, your water just broke, don't worry, you're fine." It is that type of demeanor that makes these ladies worth their weight and expertise in gold. For first time moms like myself, they're a breath of fresh air and a reassuring voice that no matter how freaked out and out of control you may feel, it is all ok, and you're going to be fine.
I'd like to take the time also to thank the following doctors: Dr. Evan Friese, who provided the critical insulin at a time when I thought I was going to lose my mind because I wouldn't have it to begin taking it as prescribed. Dr. Friese came to my rescue by having the insulin prescription sent to my pharmacy, and available for pick-up that same night. To say that I owe a lot of my well-being during the last few months of pregnancy to Dr. Friese and his willingness to see my request for the prescription as urgent and necessary is a huge understatement. Thank you Dr. Friese!
I'd also like to thank the following obstetricians that provided medical care throughout my stay at Mercy Hospital, but who were not my main medical providers during my pregnancy. They are: Dr. Ronald Gourneau, Dr. Malinda Johnson, and Dr. Michael Slama. I'd further like to thank my main medical provider throughout my pregnancy, Dr. Anne Kern, for the care she provided throughout my pregnancy. She was rather wonderful.
Finally, I'd like to thank Dr. Sarah Schoel, whom I had seen previously during my early encounter with pre-term labor at 32 weeks, and who was an absolute joy to see. Her face alone reassured me that I would be ok and that things would be fine no matter what. She told me I could continue pushing for an additional half hour if I wanted to, or else we could move ahead with the c-section. I tried very much to continue, but the pushing became ineffective, and Dr. Schoel put me through the surgery. And although a c-section is literally major surgery, I could not have been in better hands. Together with the surgical team, which included Larry and Chris (two anesthesiologists), a battery of nurses and a small team from the neonatal unit, my c-section was literally done in 10 minutes. I am eternally grateful to these folks for their expertise, their reassurance and their tremendous care--I had no doubts about being in the very best of hands.
Last, but most certainly not least, I'd like to thank each and every one of you. Each of you, my dear friends, were a huge part of this journey, and your advice, especially those of you who said: "But, don't listen to me, the odds that you'll have any problems are very small!" were particularly reassuring. Further, given the chance to do it all over again, I'd still ask for the horror stories... I had some problems, but because I had heard worse, I was prepared for anything. You all know the saying: "Prepare for the worst and hope for the best." I'm of the opinion that if you do that, anything that happens, if it's somewhere in the middle, like it was for me, you'll be able to handle because you've heard it all. Granted, I probably didn't hear it all, but I heard enough to make me feel fairly prepared for any eventuality and be able to handle whatever came my way during this journey. So, for your frank and honest advice, thank you friends!
Finally, and most especially, I'd like to thank Hekkie. She's been such a tremendous support via email and via NV too, and she's totally taken with young Sam. He's especially lucky to have his adopted auntie Hekkie--because she sent him a care package with a really cute pair of panda bears, and assorted clothing--so, thanks a million Hekkie, it's all adorable and he's already worn almost everything--to say nothing of spitting on everything... *comes with the territory, I suppose* The striped blanket you sent is Sam's favorite... He's such a lucky little guy to have you in his life. And the card was absolutely right--it is a wonderful world because he's here.
And, in case I haven't mentioned it already--thanks!!
With much love,
Lucy, Scott, and Sam Lucas
