SARAH BIRTH MEMORIES

This is actually taken from my journal May 31, 1987.  I was at a military training camp, and had some down-time to ponder and write:

Sarah came into this world suddenly and unexpectedly on April 24^th, at 8:44 a.m.  Jeanne’s projected due date was June 12^th, but for the 4-6 weeks preceding she had been swelling at the ankles and had a little difficulty with breathing.  She had not seen her regular OB-GYN doctor, Jeannette Akhter, for several weeks, thinking that Dr. Akhter would be out of the country at the time Jeanne was due.  Instead she had seen a variety of doctors and assistants, all of whom told her to rest, elevate her feet, etc., but were not particularly concerned.

On Monday, April 20, Jeanne called Dr. Akhter to express her discomfort and see if she would prescribe a diuretic to reduce the body fluids.  Dr. Akhter took one look at Jeanne’s blood pressure tests and said she wanted to see her that afternoon.  She was not pleased with what she saw.  Jeanne’s blood pressure was dangerously high.  She sent her home for two days of 24-hour bed rest.

That night Jeanne felt her heart pounding and was having difficulty breathing.  Frightened, she called the Emergency Room at the hospital.  The doctor on duty told her to sleep sitting up, and call back if that didn’t help.  She managed to make it through the night, but called Dr. Akhter the next morning.  Dr. Akhter told her to come to the hospital right away, and to plan on staying.

At the hospital, the prognosis was not good.  Jeanne would have to stay in bed hooked up to a monitor until her blood pressure went down and stabilized.  Even if that happened, she might have to spend a couple of weeks in the hospital and probably the rest of her pregnancy in bed at home.  If the blood pressure did not go down significantly there would be the threat of a grand mal seizure, which posed a strong possibility of death to the baby, and a somewhat lesser threat to the mother.  If Jeanne’s condition persisted, they would have to take the baby early.

The next two days saw some reduction and stabilization of Jeanne’s blood pressure, but not enough.  On Thursday afternoon, Dr. Akhter decided to induce labor, but still wanted to try for a vaginal delivery.  She put Jeanne on a topical gel which softens the cervix, and on a drip I.V.  which contained a substance which would bring the blood pressure further under control.  Thursday evening Larry Lowe, Gary Kearl and I gave Jeanne a blessing, and all felt at peace.

Friday morning, Jeanne called at about 7:40 a.m. to tell me everything was ok, that by the time I had dropped off the kids at the Lowes' and done the usual morning things, it would be time to come to the hospital for the big event...no rush.

So I got the kids off on the bus to school, cleaned up the breakfast mess, talked briefly on the phone to Elaine Fairbanks, who had called, then dropped the kids over at the Lowes' and talked to Jenny for a few minutes.  I went from there to the hospital, arriving at about 8:55.  I went up to Jeanne’s floor and was met there by Dr. Akhter, who said “Congratulations…you have a daughter!” I must have looked shocked, because Dr. Akhter went on without pausing “Jeanne started having contractions and the baby’s heartbeat was flattening out.  We decided to get her consent to do an emergency C-section.”

Well.  In spite of all the excitement, it ended happily enough.  Sarah was 4 lbs. 8 oz. at birth.  She was 17.25 inches long, and in spite of her early arrival, was amazingly healthy.  She was never in an incubator, was under an air “hood”(plastic bubble) for only three hours, and was released in the minimum (for premature babies) 10 days.  She has been healthy ever since, and now weighs about 6 lbs.  Interestingly, the Doctor said that Jeanne’s high blood pressure had put enough stress on Sarah that her lungs were sufficiently developed for her early arrival.  Also, while we know that medical science has made great advances in the treatment of premature infants and we appreciate all that was done by the doctors, nurses, technicians, and others, I strongly feel that the circumstances that made it possible for Sarah to be born normal and healthy were aided by the multiple prayers and the two blessings that combined the faith and love of family and friends in Sarah’s and our behalves.  We will be eternally grateful for those prayers and the other acts of service and kindness which made our challenge easier.

Postscript:  Because of the nature of the C-section that was done (a very small lateral incision known as a “bikini cut”, rather than the usual vertical incision) Jeanne has returned rather dramatically to good health and has resumed all of her normal activities.  We are extremely grateful for every blessing wrought during this and subsequent events.

Post-post script:  The usual cost for intensive care is $3000.00 per day.  Since Sarah did not need an incubator, her initial charge was $1200.00, and after a few days, that was reduced to $400.00.  Jeanne, because of the nature of her Cesarean, was able to return home 4 days after delivery, about a week after being admitted.  The costs are still substantial, but we have been aided by good insurance.