Fear Files

Having My Baby Girl

Some background here: It's Dec 5th, 2012. I was due to deliver my second baby girl yesterday via C-Section, with tubal ligation afterward. It wasn't meant to be. I ended up coming down with a "cold" with coughing up phlegm. Turned out to develop into mild pneumonia, so I was prescribed antibiotics and an inhaler to break it up. I am to go back in tomorrow on the 6th to try again.

Last year, when my first daughter was born, I was placed into one heck of a haunted room.

They had just finished remodeling that part of the hospital and building onto it, to make it bigger, so they could take care of cases that they would otherwise have to send to a larger town to treat.

This hospital has been around since the early 1900s. We all know old buildings where lots of people die plus a remodeling equals activity! You would hear something heavy being dragged across the room, on wood flooring. Like a heavy metal desk or chair. The baby crib, when my daughter wasn't in it, would move across the room. There was a woman who would pace around and look out the window. She would come toward my daughter and my daughter would cry for me to pick her up and hold her. Something would knock on the window. You could hear babies freaking out day and night. A couple nurses were spooked to be in the new labor ward.

One particularly jumpy nurse would come in long enough to do what was necessary and glance around the room. I said, "Relax. It's okay. They're just upset because things have changed. It's like you suddenly coming home after work and finding all your furniture replaced and a couple walls knocked out, making a larger space. They won't hurt you. They're not angry, just confused and active." She asked, "You can see and hear them too?". I nodded. She gave a sigh of relief.

On the other hand, my daughter couldn't stand being in her crib so I could sleep. Needless to say, I did not sleep the whole 3 days. My hubby offered to cleanse the hospital. When he described what all he would have to do, he was turned down. Word quickly spread. The nurses asked us what could be done. My hubby told them to get the hospital chaplain to bless the hospital. We were discharged that day and never went back to visit or check up on things.

Now onto yesterday. The activity has calmed down, however it is still going on. After my iv cath was inserted and taped down and all, it came unscrewed and I was leaking. I notified a nurse. She laughed and said, "maybe it was a ghost, huh?". I said, "Yes, an old man.". She quickly dropped her smile and went quiet. One of my favorite nurses, Amy, one of the sweetest, most caring women you will ever meet was on duty for me. This baby, she was going to get to help with delivery and cleanup. I was relieved!

She filled me in that the chaplain did not believe them when they asked him to bless the hospital, telling him about the goings on and he recommended they all get mental help. That caused 2 nurses to resign. 1 more retired. The nurses who are left have to double and triple shift.

Two of the nurses who have experienced the most activity took it upon themselves to get a vial of holy water from their church and went around and prayed for and sprinkled the whole Labor and NICU ward. That is why the activity has decreased. Instead of feeling mixed emotions, I felt peace. Even though that old man was feeling like playing with my IV, it was still peaceful. I was relieved, because I wasn't feeling sadness, confusion and hearing the chatter of a lot of voices this time.

The baby's pediatrician that would take care of her the moment she is born, walked into the room and greeted me. She looked me straight in the eyes and said, "I won't see you until Thursday." and patted my hand and left the room. I was perplexed. I just looked at my husband asking for answers with my eyes. At this point, the surgery was still on and planned to take place at 11:00.

As everything progressed, my health plummeted. My white count skyrocketed. The anesthesiologist kept pushing for it to take place. My OB was worried about my health. He ordered an X ray and CBC. He listened to my lungs. My right lung was the one affected. I described the pain as the feeling of pluracy. He knew it was the onset of pneumonia. I was bringing up a lot of nasties with spasmodic coughing.

I asked Amy if she knew why the pediatrician said she'd see me Thursday. She leaned over and said, "Tom, the ghost that hangs around this area told her. He watches out for the moms and babies up here. You know our policy to use the restroom with the door open so you can keep an eye on the baby? Well, whenever a mother shuts the door, he opens it wide. When the mother falls asleep with her baby in her bed, he sounds the call button. If the tv is left on, he shuts it off. If the mother is watching something he doesn't approve of, he changes the station. Thinking it was a malfunction, they had electricians monitor everything, and replaced the tvs and it still happens. It's just Tom making his rounds. He loosened your IV to tell us that you aren't meant to go through this today."

My OB listened well to both the pediatrician and Amy. He took my difficult breathing and coughing seriously. He took their warning seriously. He sent me home, with proper meds to get better within the time frame. He let me know there is actually a two week window, and the baby is up high and not even close to position, so he will allow me up to one week if that is what it will take for me to heal.

How I came down ill was taking my daughter to the ER Saturday morning. My OB warned me against going to the ER unless it was a genuine emergency, because it can be disaterous late in pregnancy. Well, my daughter was having a high fever and 2 febrile seizures within an hour. I had no choice but to wake my hubby, load our babies into the car and drive to the hospital.

I will be hospitalized for 7 days, to ensure I heal correctly and can then be up to taking care of my 2 year old son and 1 year old daughter too.