The Journey Begins

Madison Louise Baldwin,

I went to bed on January 31st 2012 feeling the same crazy anxiety I had been dealing with through my whole pregnancy.  I did my usual routine, took my medication, said my prayers and tried to fall asleep.  At around 11 p.m I was still awake trying to ignore the pesky pain in my back and focus on my favorite book instead.  Midnight came and went I got up because I was starting to feel sick again I remember thinking " urgg this is so annoying I need to get some rest I have to work tomorrow"  still sleep would not come and this sicken pain in my back was getting more persistent.  Around 4 a.m I start to think something really might be wrong and I should probably go to the hospital so I wake my husband and together we head to the emergency room.  I'm still thinking about how much it will suck to have to go to work with no sleep.

When we check into the emergency room the gentlemen at the desk asks us to have a seat and someone from labor and delivery will come take us back.  So I sit down then I realize these contractions are getting so much worse every second, with only a minute or so in between, ( I do not recall at what point I realized I was having contractions).  The gentlemen who checked us in hears our urgent voices and decides to take us back himself so we do not have to wait any longer.  As I walked down the hall he asks if I need a wheel chair I say no, I am having the worst pain and I am beginning to be nervous.  Yet still in my head I thought "they can stop labor right?"  Once in the room the nurse has me give a urine sample and change into a hospital gown, they hook me to a monitor and give me a button to push every time I have a contraction.  I felt like I needed to pee so I went in the bathroom, my husband had to help be off the toilet because I could not stand up on my own.  I could not sit down either I tried to breath through the pain all the while the pain got worse and the contractions closer together.  The nurse came in, started an IV and gave me pain meds and some anti biotics " the OB says you have an infection so this should help"  by now it is almost 6:00  " you can have more pain meds at 6:35" .  I started to actually scream when I had a contraction because they were so bad.  My husband and I both watched the clock anxiously waiting till I could have more drugs.

At exactly 6:35 I have a huge contraction and my watter broke, the ACNA came running in to see why I yelled and my husband said" something is wrong"  the CNA goes to get the RN.  as the RN runs in the room another huge contraction came on and I yelled "something Bad is happening" and out slid my precious baby girl.  In that one moment I knew my life would never be the same.  I heard the nurse say "I am so sorry...." she was talking but I did not hear my husband turned away so I would not see his tears I said something like " I'm sorry honey" then the first of our miracles happened. 

My brain finally registered that something was poking my in the thigh, I said to the nurse "she just kicked me" those four words spoken through my mouth by the spirit saved my baby's life.  the nurse looked a gain and said " oh my gosh" she sent the CNA to get stuff to cut the cord and rushed my sweet little miracle out of the hospital room. 

I laid in bed in shock at first then I started to cry "I did everything the doctor told me to do" The nurse came back and gave me a hug "I know you did sweaty, this is not your fault and she is a fighter" I called my sisters who all came running to my side because they are awesome like that.  and I waited, and waited at 9:00 am the CNA brought me the picture above so I could see her, they asked if there was something they could call her and My dear husband said "Madison her name is Madison"we were so blessed the respiratory therapist on call that morning had recently worked in a NICU and knew how to treat Micro Preemie babies, the pediatrician worked with premise in the past
 
 I saw her in person for the first time around 9:30 am as life flight rolled her to the helicopter they stopped in my room so I could tell her goodbye...I love you.... and please be ok

 Madison was life flighted to Ogden Regional Medical Centers NICU.  She was 24 weeks gestation so she came three and a half months early, She weighed 680 grams (1 pound 8 ounces) she was twelve inches long.  She is truly a miracle and a blessing.......