Looking Back - Part 6

As the day progressed Eamon's respiratory status worsened. At first the Dr thought due to a c-section, amniotic fluid wasn't forced out by the birth, and that fluid was causing some trouble with his lungs. Totally normal.

Not normal, was the increased compromise of Eamon's ability to fill his lungs and saturate his blood with the proper amount of oxygen. We waited, all day long for Eamon to make an appearance. David could visit the NICU, but I was a prisoner to my bed. It was incredibly strange to be in a maternity room, visitors gathered, but no baby to hold.

Eamon's o2 requirement was steadily increasing, by nightfall c-pap (a machine that works to keep the lungs inflated) was necessary. I was finally allowed to be wheeled to my baby around 9 pm. It had been over 12 hours since his birth. They positioned me alongside an open table, Eamon was covered in wires, and I just cried. The nurse debriefed me on the set-up, but all I could think was I had to leave my very fragile baby with this stranger.

Talk about a roller coaster ride - an amazing birth, a stalled day, and now a plummeting crisis. The Drs were perplexed, why weren't his lungs working? I was assured that I would be updated throughout the night. David needed to go home to Maeve and Myles. I was settled back in my room to wait-out the night. And, oh what a brutal night it was. I was extremely uncomfortable, moving like a snail, and expected to start pumping. I called the NICU several times that night, the precious nurse would try to comfort me, describing all the love she was giving my boy.

Around 3am, I awoke in a terrible fright, sweating and absolutely panicked. In the dark I fumbled for the phone to check on Eamon. The nurse couldn't speak, too busy with the baby. I prayed, I cried, I read verses that had carried me before. It was cold and dark and I felt so alone. Around 6:30 am, the nurse finally appeared sitting close to me on the bed. She explained that Eamon became quite critical around 3 am, Dr. Mang was called in, and the need to intubate became apparent. They were extremely concerned, not understanding the source of his respiratory failure. A bit later, Dr Manginello arrived dressed for his grandson's christening. His words were alarming, but I was having a hard time processing them. I called for reinforcements, people began to pray, and we waited - again.