Helen Marjorie Hemphill is Here...

She is here. Boy has it been quite a week. Never to be the same again. Here is a layout of how the birth of our baby came early, even earlier than planned.

Before Wednesday the 5th of Sept.

We were still on target to have her induced when Austin was coming home next. It would eliminate lots of problems and worries, was agreed by the Dr, and us. Austin's mom would be here by then and it felt like we were set to make this a go. I get a head cold that moves into my chest. So I have a cough that I can't take very much for. Also earlier in the week, Huricane Felix was set to hit Guatemala. That is right, the 5th in the afternoon was the planned target date. We had gotten memos from the company to stock up on suplies, where the Ruta de Salidas were, and to settle in for the storm. I was more worried about the Huricane than the birth in the following week. One week at a time.

Wednesday, the 5th. I find that I have my fetal wellbeing test. We had an appt the previous Thursday and my blood pressure was fine. It has been fine all through the pregnancy. I get in the test and my first reading is 160/110. My second reading is 150/100. We finish the test (baby passed with flying colors) The Dr from the Fetal wellbeing test, calls my Dr. and I have to go to his office to have them take the reading. It does not go down to my normal. Austin is called from the mina and has to drive the 6 hours with the security driver to get here. yep, this is the afternoon the huricane is supposed to hit. I am a mess. My Bloodpressure goes down to 145/90 and stays. We are not going to be doing a c-section tonight but I have to come back for tests. I am allowed to go to the Dr and all the rest of the time, bed rest. Oh man is that hard.

Sidenote: no huricane. It did not really hit Guatemala. There was fog, some rain but nothing like we thought.

Thursday the 6th, We go in for blood and urine tests. All great but I am still sitting at 140/90. So the Dr says I have Pre-Eclampcia. High bloodpressure is the classic sign for it and the only cure is baby out. We schedule C-Sec for Saturday Morning.

Sidenote: My neighbor is 40+ wks pregnant has not gone into labor, we find out that she is scheduled for Saturday morning c-sec as well since she has not dropped, nothing. How ironic.

Friday the 7th, we check in and all this has not sunk in. We spend our last night as just the two of us in the hospital.

Saturday, Birthday!!!! She is born at 9:19 Am. It took over two hours for the c-sec because it took them almost 1.5 hours for my epidural. Apparently my tendons in my back are quite strong and it took three Drs. to get it in there. The rest was quick. Rough recovery, some nausea and with my cough, I have a hard time. Dr. is worried that it will turn into the upper respetory infection.

Sunday, the 9th. Still feeling bad. The epidural wears off and I am in PAIN! The nausea is gone but I am still feeling like crap with the cough. I can bearly get up and move.

Monday, the 10th. I am feeling better. I still have to stay until Tuesday because of my cough and my pain. I get around a bit better but the hot flashes hit and I am in the middle of my own summer with no a/c.

Tuesday, Today!!!, the 11th. We manage to get checked out of the hospital. Get all the Drs. straightened out, and get the bill paid. (you have to pay in order to leave the hospital, they take cash, cheque, or tarjata (credit card).) We make it home and I have to say that was the best and worst week in my life ever. It felt like it took two years.

We have been taken pics all along but I have not sorted through all of them. Some of them are private and some are just fun ones of hte hospital. I will try to post more when I can. Here is one taken after a couple of days.

Helen Marjorie Hemphill

born Sept 8, 2007

Born on Sat, at 9:19 am.

born at 7 lbs, 6 ozs, 48 cm in length.

She looks like me and Austin, has his coloring, my blue eyes and blondish hair. Her hair is bit reddish in some areas, almost strawberry blondish but we shall wait and see.