Our children have never been able to participate in bring your kids to work day, because of the appropriateness of having children attending an epidural placement, assisting in a surgery, or administering narcotics. Well....there are exceptions to every rule.
Last night I received a phone call at 8:30pm. My pregnant friend whose husband is deployed timed her contractions at 5 minutes apart. It was my job to be with her while she labored and it was time to go. There was only one problem: Greg was on call last night. We determined that the chances of him getting called-in (he takes call at home now), were small, so I left the children in his care to help my friend.
We were wrong. After 2 hours of walking around the hospital, Greg called to inform us that was coming it. A ruptured appendix arrived in the ER, and a laboring woman (not my friend) needed an epidural. Okay......"we can do this," we determined. Greg and the kids were now on their way.
I took the kids, while Greg ran to help the woman in pain. Although, the kids were torn from there warm beds, groggy and grumpy, they managed the disruption of the night well. Upon arriving to the hospital, Micah did inform us, that he didn't mean to be "rude, but coming to the hospital was not part of his schedule." However, once the kids saw the snacks in the waiting room, they perked up. We popped in a movie for Sadie. Micah was content to play poptropica on the call room computer. Taylor did complain constantly about wanting to go home, but was overall pretty content.
When Greg was done with the procedure, he still needed to stay in the hospital until the appendectomy was completed. The kids accompanied him in the call room, while he finished his notes. My friend and I walked around the hospital for two more hours.
The late night ended after four hours of walking and sad mother-to-be who wasn't going to meet her little one that night. We were tired, it was now 2am, but the Jensen family reunion in the labor and delivery went well.
I just feel bad for my friend, who still has to labor and deliver her little one, without her husband.
8 years ago
4 comments:
That is a great story. I am sorry for your friend too, but it does sound like a fun night. What an honor for you to be the one she would like to be there in her hubby's stead.
You're a good friend. Poor girl--I can't imagine having a baby without Todd in the room. That's nice the kids did so well being dragged out of bed. I always loved hanging out in the doctor's lounge, though I'd never gone to bed first.
And Micah's quote in your most recent post is so sweet.
What a night. Glad you could manage everything and still be there for your friend.
what a woman- both of u!
after my last delivery I kept thinking how I couldn't have done it w/out Drew. So many things went wrong and having him there helped tremendously. I'm so glad he didn't deploy until months after the delivery.
I'm the lucky one.
Your friend is the courageous one!
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