Madalyn's Birth Story

Sunday night, March 20th, I was woken up just about every hour from 12:00 to 4:00 with cramps and some really sharp pains. Each time the pain would go away then I would feel Madalyn moving around, so I wasn't too worried about it. I had decided that I would call my doctor the next day during my planning time just to ask about it to make sure things were ok. I was suppose to go to the doctor Tuesday anyway.

Then when I got up Monday morning, I still wasn't feeling well. I told Kevin that I had not slept well at all and I still didn't feel good. I was so glad that it was going to be my last week of school; I didn't know how much longer I could keep on going. So, I left for school and I got to school at 7:00 am. I went about my business getting myself ready to begin the day and a new week; my last week. I went to the teacher's lounge to make some copies and to do some things. A first grade teacher came in and asked how I was doing. (She had just had her first child 2 years ago.) I told her about my night and that I really wasn't feeling too well. She said that I needed to go to see the nurse and get her to check my blood pressure just to be sure things were ok. So I went to see the nurse, but she wasn't there yet. I went into the gym (all the kids meet in the gym in the morning until 7:45, then we go to the classroom). I ate breakfast (we get breakfast at school and one of my kids gets breakfast for me every morning and has it in the gym.) Then I went back to check and see if the nurse was here and she was. She checked my blood pressure and it was up and my pulse was fast and irregular. She told me that I didn't need to be at school today. That was at 7:40am. I went to find my principal and told her what was going on. She told me to go let the secretary know and for her to find a sub for me. Then I went back to her and asked her what she wanted me to do with my kids. She said to bring them to her and she would watch them until the sub go there. So I went back to the gym and got my kids together and told them I was going home and for them to go to the lunch room. I walked them down the hall and then went to my room to get a few things together for the sub and then left. Some of my kids were excited they were going to have a sub today and others were excited because they thought the baby was coming today.

8:00am-I called Kevin and told him that I was coming home and as soon as the doctor's office was opened I would call them and see if they want me to come in. He told me to call his mom to let her know what was going on, so she didn't plan anything else and could ride with me to the doctor because he couldn't go. Then I called my mom at work and told her what was going on. I got home and laid down on my left side (that's what they tell you to do to bring your blood pressure down). Mrs. Katie called and said that she was coming over to help me get Kevin and my bag packed for the hospital. She didn't want Kevin to have to just throw things together. In the mean time I had called the doctor. As soon as we had gotten the bags packed, we left for Augusta to see the doctor. We left the bags at home because we didn't think we would need them and if we did, then Kevin could bring them.

10:20 am-We arrived at the doctor's office. They checked my blood pressure and it was even higher this time. They had me lay down on the table in the room. They checked Madalyn's heart beat and checked my blood pressure again, and it had started to go down. Then they checked me and said I was a half cm dilated. But then my doctor noticed that her head wasn't down. They sent me across the hall to get a sonogram to check for sure, and yep, we found out Madalyn was breech. So, the doctor told me that instead of inducing me next week on Monday, March 28th, they would have to schedule a c-section. I asked if there was a chance that she could flip by next week and he said a slight chance. He said that they would call the hospital and let me know that afternoon what day and time they would do the c-section. He said that due to my swelling and blood pressure that I was on bed rest until then.

11:00 am-Mrs. Katie said that she would take me out to eat for a good last meal to Logan's. Logan's is located on the other side of Augusta to where the doctor's office was. I called Kevin and let him know what the doctor said and I sent my mom a text. I love Logan's rolls and salads; so I had a roll, a salad, a cheeseburger, and fries for lunch. I ate all of it. I was laughing and told Mrs. Katie that I couldn't believe that I ate all this food. Mrs. Katie paid and I told her that I was going to go to the bathroom before we started home. (we had an hour drive home). I got up out of the booth and turned towards the bathroom and my water broke. I turned back around and looked at Mrs. Katie and very calming said, "Mrs. Katie, my water just broke." I don't remember exactly what she said, but she quickly got up and grabbed me by the arm and we went out the door. My pants were completely soaken wet. I said, "I'm calling the doctor". And she called Kevin then she called my mom. She kept saying, "it's ok, it's gonna be ok, we will be fine". I was too shocked to really say anything. (and just in case you are wondering, no, we didn't tell anyone at Logan's what had happened and yes we just left the water on the floor-we didn't think to tell anyone. I know you are thinking oh my gosh, how could you do that? Well, getting to the hospital was what was on our minds at the time.)

12:30pm-We are leaving Logan's and calling and texting people to let me know my water broke. Most of the people didn't believe us at first.

12:45-1:00pm-we pull into the front of the hospital, and Mrs. Katie goes in with me. The women's floor is on the 3rd floor. She gets me into the triage room and my doctor had already called them about me, and they take me a room for me to get dressed in a lovely green hospital gown. Mrs. Katie had to leave to go move her car and park. So, I get dressed and I am still leaking water everywhere. They gave me a towel, which I didn't know I was suppose to sit on it. I used it to dry myself off, then I dropped it on the floor and mopped up the water that was on the floor. The nurse laughed at me when I told her I was still leaking and she asked me if I was sitting on the towel and I told her what I did. So, they got me another towel.

1:30pm-They have hooked me up to things; the heart monitor for Madalyn, got my IV in, etc. They come in a tell me that since I had just eaten such a big lunch, they had to wait to do the c-section. They said it would make me sick if they did it now and it would be 6 or 6:30 before they got to me. Well, Kevin made it to the hospital and we called my mom to tell her it would be later so she should have plenty of time to get to the hospital. Kevin said that as he was leaving Blackville at cop pulled up at him and rolled down his window and asked Kevin where was he going in such a hurry. Kevin told him that his wife is in Augusta and her water just broke and they are doing an emergency c-section. The cop told him to go, but try to keep it close to the speed limit as possible. Kevin was doing about 35 mph over the limit. Since they were not going to do the c-section soon, they moved me to another room, where they could continue to prep me.

2:00pm-Mrs. Katie leaves to go home to get my glasses (they wouldn't let me wear my contacts and I had forgotten to put them in my bag) and she was coming right back with Mr. Tim and they were also going to feed Abby and get her fixed for the night. I talked to my dad (he was at home sick with a fever in the bed; so he wasn't able to come. My cousin ,Mark was driving my mom down. Mark's daughter, my cousin, Brooke, is a student at Lander University. She had locked her keys in the car and Mark was already on his way to go help her in Greenwood when my mom called. So, he came by the house to pick my mom up.)

4:00 pm-My mom and Mark get to the hospital and Mrs. Katie and Mr. Tim get to the hospital.

4:30 pm-My doctor comes in and asks me "what in the world did you eat for lunch?" I told him and he said that he would have to remember that to tell people what to eat to get their water to break. He said that they were getting the OR ready for me and they were going to go ahead and take me. So, Mr. Tim prayed and then a swarm of people came in and started working on me. This part scared me; I started to get upset as they were working on me and taking me to the OR. Kevin couldn't come right then, he had to get dressed in his scrubs and they had to get me ready and do some things before he could come with me. Plus the fact that I couldn't see because my contacts were out then may things worse too. And I was scared of the c-section and what was going to happen. They put me on the table to sit on the edge and they prepared my back for my spinal tab. As soon as I got that, they laid me down and my legs started going numb. They stretched my arms out and strapped me down. I had to get a blanket to cover my arms and chest because I started shaking. They put a big blue sheet in front of my face and put oxygen in my nose and I couldn't see anything but blue. I could feel them doing stuff on my stomach, but didn't know what-not that I would want to know. The nurse asked me if I could feel that and I said yes. She said what does it feel like, and I said someone is tapping me lightly. She said no, they are pinching you very hard. Then a few minutes later, I said, it felt like you drew on me with a pen. They said, we did, but that was a long time ago. Then Kevin came in and he sat near my head, but he could only get so close to me due to all the machines I was hooked up to. I asked Kevin how did he like his outfit and he said he liked it. Then some of the nurses started saying they liked their outfits too. Kevin said that he wished he had watched ER last night so he would know more of what was going on. My doctor said he wished he had too. I told him that I hoped he did more than just watch ER. Kevin watched all that they were doing. Kevin was with me for about 5 minutes it seemed, when they said, here she comes. And the next thing we know we are hearing this baby cry.

5:19 pm-Madalyn Rae McCormick was born. The nurse handed her to Kevin and he showed her to me. And I couldn't see her because they hadn't put my glasses on me. One of the nurses did. My first comment was "she looks like you". Then Kevin went to the other side of the OR room with the nurses and watched them work on Madalyn. He came back and showed her to me one more time and then they left. When they finished getting me all back together, they rolled me into the recovery room. I was there about 1 1/2 hours, could have been longer. No one was allowed to go back there with me.

Madalyn's first picture. She just came out of my belly.

The proud dad.

Dr. M. McDonough and Kevin

The grandparents meeting Madalyn for the first time.

Madalyn Rae McCormick

born: March 21, 2011

time: 5:19 pm

weight: 6 lbs. 3 oz.

length: 19 1/2 inches

7:20 pm-They roll me to the fourth room of the day for me, my final home for the next few days. Mark and Brooke come in to speak to me before they had to leave. Brooke's roommate, had driven her to the hospital. Her roommate's uncle had had a massive heart attack and was at university so she saw him along with Madalyn. Mark had to take Brooke back to school and get her keys out of her car. They bring Madalyn to the room and a nurse goes over all this information; which I'm like not comprehending anything because I'm out of from the c-section and it had been such a whirlwind of a day; plus I'm hurting, etc. I held Madalyn for just a few minutes, then let the others hold her: Kevin, Mrs. Katie, Mr.Tim, Katelyn, Tori, and my mom. I asked them for something for pain and they gave me this shot, that I had a bad reaction too.

2:00 am-I finally get something for my pain that relieves it and I'm able to drift off to sleep.

Thursday, March 24th: we are getting ready to go home with our baby girl. Madalyn is wearing my dress that I came home from the hospital in. We had our first family of 3 picture made, then I grab a quick picture of Madalyn and me before we are wheeled out.

I was sitting in the front seat of the car and Kevin and my mom were having a very hard time getting the car seat to do right. They put Madalyn in the car seat...suddenly her head dropped forward, and then fell to the side and her little body went limp. Kevin and my mom quickly got her out of the car seat, and she wouldn't respond to them. I was already crying by this time and couldn't talk. Kevin grabbed Madalyn and we ran into the hospital and went up the the 3rd floor where the nursery was. We ran to the nursery and the nurses took her back right away. Just as soon as I was sitting down in a chair, they came out to get me and said she had started crying and she was ok. They hooked her to a machine to watch her oxygen levels and they stayed around 100 percent the whole time. After about an hour, we made our way once again out of the hospital and this time made it home. Madalyn never turned blue and we nor they know exactly what happened to her. But when she dropped her head, she had cut her own air way off. I cannot describe or put into words my feelings and emotions of that experience. It was horrible and I never want to repeat that again. Yes, I'm so thankful we were still at the hospital when it happened and we are so lucky those nurses took her back because we had already left the hospital and they didn't have to do that. Needless to say, we have found a new car seat that works much better for her.

This week God showed me that once again He is the one in control and He will take care of things and for me to lean on Him, to trust Him, and to have faith in Him. Many things that I was fearing about delivery and Madalyn all came true this week. I was afraid of when and where my water would break. I was afraid that I would be at school or at home and wouldn't make it to Augusta. (He allowed it to happen in Augusta). I was afraid of having a c-section and didn't want to have one. Apparently that was the safest way to get Madalyn here and he allowed me to come through the surgery just fine. I was nervous about the spinal tab-that didn't hurt at all. The IV was far worse. My last fear was that something would happen to Madalyn during birth; it didn't then but it didn't afterwards, but He allowed us to stil be at the hopsital. I am so thankfully to have a God that is so mighty and powerful and is the one in control. I know that I can lean on my own strength or power. Kevin and I are so blessed to have been given this precious gift. She has already shown us that she has a mind of her own by coming 14 days early and choosing her own birthday. :0)