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Friday, November 12, 2010
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
The Unexpected Delivery. . .
From chapter 12 of the book, Memories of Miracles:
It was during this delay we heard the blood curdling scream. Each nurse ran in a different direction trying to find the woman who had produced that terrible sound. It didn't take long for me to discover what had happened.
I ran into the Labor Room closest to me and through the open door I could see the woman from the adjoining room sitting on the toilet, rocking and moaning. On the floor was her foley catheter, the tube placed in the bladder used to keep the bladder empty and out of the way during surgery. It was on the floor with blood splattered all around and the golf-ball sized balloon filled with sterile water (used to hold the catheter in place) still intact.
The anesthesia resident, who had been sitting just outside the door, waiting for the C-Section, rushed in. He put the side rail down, helped me pick up Leteisha and put her in the bed. Then the next contraction started. As the head began to crown, he grabbed a pair of gloves to deliver the baby. In a matter of seconds Leteisha was holding a squirming, crying little boy.
Sometimes the unexpected part of the delivery is something that would normally be routine. That was the case when Leteisha came in to deliver.
Image via WikipediaShe had a C-Section with her first baby and had been told she would need one again with this pregnancy. She came into the unit late one night in early labor. After notifying her physician, we did everything to prepare for her repeat C-Section, but while we were prepping her, another woman came in for her physician. This woman was pregnant with her fifth baby and her labor was progressing rapidly, so the physician decided to do Leteisha's C-Section after this woman delivered.
Image via WikipediaShe had a C-Section with her first baby and had been told she would need one again with this pregnancy. She came into the unit late one night in early labor. After notifying her physician, we did everything to prepare for her repeat C-Section, but while we were prepping her, another woman came in for her physician. This woman was pregnant with her fifth baby and her labor was progressing rapidly, so the physician decided to do Leteisha's C-Section after this woman delivered.It was during this delay we heard the blood curdling scream. Each nurse ran in a different direction trying to find the woman who had produced that terrible sound. It didn't take long for me to discover what had happened.
I ran into the Labor Room closest to me and through the open door I could see the woman from the adjoining room sitting on the toilet, rocking and moaning. On the floor was her foley catheter, the tube placed in the bladder used to keep the bladder empty and out of the way during surgery. It was on the floor with blood splattered all around and the golf-ball sized balloon filled with sterile water (used to hold the catheter in place) still intact.
Obviously Leteisha had forcibly yanked out this catheter, thinking it was the source of her pain, causing the scream we had heard. It only took one glance for me to know that the catheter wasn't the only source of her pain. As the next contraction started, I could just barely see the top of the baby's head poised over the toilet. I knew I only had two minutes or less before the next contraction came, and the baby with it.
I tried asking Leteisha to walk back to her bed, but she was so frightened and in so much pain, she wasn't listening to anything I said, so I had to lift her off the toilet.
Now that I had her off the toilet I had to somehow convince her to walk, and all the while the seconds were ticking away. Any moment the next contraction would start, and no matter what her position, I would be delivering this baby.
I tried asking Leteisha to walk back to her bed, but she was so frightened and in so much pain, she wasn't listening to anything I said, so I had to lift her off the toilet.
Now that I had her off the toilet I had to somehow convince her to walk, and all the while the seconds were ticking away. Any moment the next contraction would start, and no matter what her position, I would be delivering this baby.
I half carried, half dragged her into her labor room and toward the bed. but when we got there, both side rails were up! She had climbed over the side rails, in active labor, with a catheter and an IV to get to the bathroom!
How was I going to get her back in bed? If I let go of her, she would collapse on the floor, and most surely deliver there. I couldn't let the rail down with one hand, I needed one hand to release the latch and one to push the rail down. The seconds were still ticking by -- the next contraction could be starting even now. So I did what any nurse would do...I screamed, "I NEED SOME HELP,NOW!"
How was I going to get her back in bed? If I let go of her, she would collapse on the floor, and most surely deliver there. I couldn't let the rail down with one hand, I needed one hand to release the latch and one to push the rail down. The seconds were still ticking by -- the next contraction could be starting even now. So I did what any nurse would do...I screamed, "I NEED SOME HELP,NOW!"
The anesthesia resident, who had been sitting just outside the door, waiting for the C-Section, rushed in. He put the side rail down, helped me pick up Leteisha and put her in the bed. Then the next contraction started. As the head began to crown, he grabbed a pair of gloves to deliver the baby. In a matter of seconds Leteisha was holding a squirming, crying little boy.
I had to laugh as the anesthesia resident came to me with his anesthesia papers in hand and asked, "How do I write that I went from doing a C-Section pre-op, to delivering the baby?" Obviously, this vaginal delivery was something none of us had expected.
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