Well, we go home (“Look at her smile! She’s sooo cute!”) this morning and I would like to say I’m ready, but we all know that’s a big fat lie. Why? Because no matter (“Her eyes! They’re so beautiful…”) how sick and tired of plastic pillows I am, or how old the hospital food tastes, the thought of leaving the nurses is almost more than I can handle.
My nurses have rocked.
Let me take a moment to pay homage to labor and delivery nurses everywhere. When a girl has a baby, every last scrap of physical dignity she possesses takes a giant leap into no man’s land. This is especially true with a c-section. How horrifying, to need someone around those first hours of recovery, to wipe your nose and change your undies.
I’ve had nurses in three states now, and there’s no doubt that the nursing staff here at Ogden Regional Hospital is the most fantastic, kind, and generous bunch I’ve ever met. They’re so fantastic with their time and attention that the thought of leaving them makes me want to weep. (Actually, I cried this morning when last night’s nurse left because she went above and beyond for me during her entire shift. Actually, I think she’s the third nurse I’ve cried over.)
Thank you to all the men and women out there in the health care field (particularly nurses) who are gentle with us weepy invalids. You make a mortifying experience bearable, and in many cases, provide just the right touch of emotional therapy to get us through those painful moments.
Tomorrow we go home, and no matter how much Jason loves me (and he certainly does, because there’s no way my water logged legs could possibly be considered “cute” right now), I shall miss the calm reassurance and ready friendship of the wonderful nurses I’ve met during my stay here.
Somehow I have the feeling Junie won’t have quite the same effect on my nerves.
Maybe you could just stuff a few nurses in your suitcase and bring them home with you?
Congratulations on your new little alarm clock, she’s a beauty!
When I had Moxie, I stayed in the hospital for 5 days. When people asked Jefe if it was because I had complications, he responded: “No. Our insurance lets her stay that long, and she wanted to get the maximum benefit of the nurses. And the food.”
I loved my hospital food. It was So. Good.
Welcome home Georgia! I can’t wait to have her come play with us!
I had some wonderful nurses when I had my third child. I actually went back a couple of months later just to take them some cookies and thank them. They even remembered me and my baby. So kind.
And I had one nurse with my fourth who pretty much set back my recovery significantly. I would have been better off to go home a day early – before she took over my care – than to have dealt with her neglect.
I had a male nurse in the operating room with number 4 who was so great; for one thing he was strong, so he could turn me over and hold me in place while the did the epidural, etc. It just helped me feel very secure having him there. I had another male nurse recently with my gall bladder, and again, there is something about that additional physical strength when you’re so vulnerable that is surprisingly comforting.
Doctors come and go – usually in five minutes’ time and with more attention paid to the chart than to you. It’s those nurses who help us get through those early post-C section days. God bless them, every one!
And fingers crossed for a smooth transition home. Annie, let people just kind of take over the practical stuff with your kids. You can be the story reader and the snuggler (as much as possible, recovering from surgery) so that they don’t feel neglected. But someone else really needs to get them bathed and dressed and fed for the next week or two. By the time I had my 4th c-section, I could tell I was dealing with an older body, one that needed a little more TLC to recover. It’s all temporary, unless you rush things, get an infection or PPD. I told you already, number four was in many ways my sweetest experience. But it was also the longest recovery for me. Pace yourself, ok?
Love you, dear friend. Wish I could be there to breathe in that baby and take care of you.
I’m SO happy you’ve had such wonderful care! That makes all the difference! Bless your heart & your return home! Love you!
I love how succint DeNae is. I am coming to see you this weekend! I am preparing to have your baby try to kill me.
I love DeNae’s idea of taking them cookies or some other treat in a few months. They’ll love that!
I love your comment about Junie because for me that’s one of the biggest reasons to have a baby in a hospital. I’m good at having kids, I could pop one out on a deserted island with little to no trouble but if I’m home I have to be mom, at the hospital I’m a patient. I stay for as long as I can.
I totally agree with you about nurses. My first daughter (third child) would not have made it out without my nurse. I’m glad you got your second girl!! So cute! After my c-section with my fourth child, they offered to let me go home on day 3…I opted to stay until the staples came out. I can’t believe you had four c-section. You are a rockin’ woman though!! Have fun with your cute family!
I’m glad you had a good experience with the nursing staff where you had your baby. I was not so lucky. The first night after I had my c-section, I asked the nurse to please turn out the light over my bed. I couldn’t reach it without getting out of bed, and as anyone who’s had a c-section knows, it’s a major ordeal to get out of bed that first day or two. Her response? A curt “Do it yourself”. I won’t be so crude as to quote here how I responded to this nurse, but she DID end up turning out the light. 🙂 My only regret is that I didn’t report her to the hospital administration.
I love nurses. They can make such a big difference in the entire experience. I am so glad that you are safe and well and that everything went well for you both. Have fun with your brand new, little piece of heaven on earth! congratulations!
Postpartum doulas are a beautiful thing, if you find one that meshes with what you need. Or a young girl in your ward who will work as a mother’s helper for a few hours a day for a couple weeks.
Congratulations!!!
Congratulations on your beautiful little girl! She’s the most beautiful newborn I’ve ever seen. I know what you mean about having to leave the nurses, I hate that part of going home. Good luck:)
Hooray for wonderful nurses. Like Denae, I had to go back and thank the nurse who helped my littles and I the most (she got me the gel bandages for my poor boobs that were getting the skin rubbed off by philanges too small. Is that TMI?).
Here’s to a quick c-section recovery!
CONGRATULATIONS.
Love the name….I was going to name my last child (if HE were a girl) Tess
HE is a Trenton
wonderful to have good loving nurses. I just had my hubby in the hospital for a hip replacement and one of the nurses was such a Hag.
I wanted to ask her WHY she even picked the profession of nurse, other then to make sick, uncomfortable people feel more miserable then they do
anyway, I am glad all went well. ENJOY
One big fat DITTO! It’s so nice to have loving nurses who make these small indignities that we suffer in the hospital (esp. C-Sections) bearable and totally routine! THEY ROCK!