FINALLY!!!

I'll be the first to admit that it is RIDICULOUS that Peyton is 5 weeks old and I am just finally posting!  Sorry... I'll try to catch everyone up. :)

We were planning a Caesarian Section for Peyton because of how things ended up with Ellie last time... My doctors basically said it's not gonna happen naturally.  As it turned out, Peyton managed to flip herself around in the last month and was in breech position anyway so even if we hadn't been planning the C, we would have been then.  

We arrived at the hospital on January 12th at 6:00 a.m. CET (Central European Time) and they wasted no time.  Since we had filled paperwork out earlier, we didn't have any paperwork to do... Kinda weird, not one signature.  They just put in the epidural within minutes of us arriving and started prepping for surgery.  Once they wheeled me into surgery, it was only a matter of minutes before she was out... so amazing!  Case was there by my side, watching me get my abdominal wall sliced through for the second time. :)  All I could feel was some numb pulling and tugging and then... a baby crying!  At home they take the baby to get cleaned up, weighed and measured immediately.  But here, they brought her straight to me... purple, slimy, wonderfully brand new. ;)  7 1/2 pounds, 21 1/2 inches.  She was born at 7:30 a.m. CET on January 12, 2009.  Interestingly, it was still the 11th at home in the States. :)

As I was being vacuumed out and sewn up, the nurses started to huddle together around Peyton.  They seemed to be concerned but we had no idea why.  After I was put back together, they wheeled me out to another room where Mom and Ellie were waiting and they brought Peyton to us.  It was wonderful being together with our new family for the first time!  

I've never seen Ellie so still or quiet.  I think she was overwhelmed by it all, but mostly she was just worried about ME.  She did NOT like seeing me in that hospital bed.  She's amazingly perceptive.  

After holding Peyton for a few minutes, they came and took her away.  Finally one of the nurses clued us in.  Peyton wasn't breathing all that well and wasn't getting enough oxygen on her own.  They assured us that it was just some fluid in her lungs (common with a Caesarian) and that she'd be fine within 12-24 hours.  However, they wanted to transfer both of us to another hospital with a NICU just to be safe.  The hospital we were at is more of a birthing clinic.  It's this gorgeous old mansion that's been converted.  The private suites are like hotel rooms with flat screens, etc.  I was a little bummed to be leaving, but of course just wanted to do what was best for Peyton.  

Next thing I know, some EMTs arrived in an ambulance and they were rolling Peyton away.  I hadn't understood that we'd be traveling separately.  :(  Of course, being a hormonal mess, I lost it.  So Casey and I waited.... and waited... and waited for my ambulance to come.  We waited for over TWO HOURS before they even came to get me!  Now, when they decided to move us, they disconnected my epidural from the medication, thinking we'd be leaving immediately, like Peyton.  When I was finally being loaded up to head to the other hospital just happened to be when the epidural started wearing off.  With every single bump in the road we encountered on the 20 minute drive to the new hospital, it took everything I had to not scream out in pain.  So miserable.  Anyway, after my septuagenarian drivers got lost trying to find the right building, we finally arrived at the new hospital.  

They wheeled me to a room and left us there to wait... and wait... and wait.  I sent Casey to go try to find Peyton.  It had been hours and we had no idea where she even was!  I stayed in the room (like I was going anywhere) and pressed my call button over and over as the pain got worse and worse.  I finally got a nurse to come in but she spoke very little English and said that she couldn't administer any medication to me until I had seen a doctor.  So I waited... and waited... and waited.  Another few hours passed as Casey tried to find Peyton and I tried to withstand the pain while waiting for a doctor.  Finally I saw someone and they gave me some meds... which did absolutely NOTHING for the pain!!!  I found out later that they were giving me ibuprofen... that's it!  A little bit of Advil after having had pretty major surgery?!?!  Long story short, by the time I got something that actually helped alleviate the pain at all, it was over 8 hours after surgery/the epidural.  Obviously the epidural had completely worn off by then... Ouch. :(  

Casey finally found someone who could take him to Peyton.  When we finally got to see her, we were disheartened and a bit overwhelmed at the sight of her.  

All she was receiving was a bit of supplemental oxygen, but it looked so much worse.  The doctors again assured us that it was just some fluid in her lungs and she would be better by morning.  Well, morning came and she was actually worse. :(  They had run every test they could think of, done ultrasounds, x-rays, CT scans, etc. and could not find one thing wrong with her.  The head pediatrician at the hospital actually said the words, "I have no clue what is wrong..."  Nice.  Just what every new parent wants to hear, especially in a foreign country so far from home!  Since they couldn't find anything, they decided to start antibiotics to see if it would help.  Also, that night Casey and a dear friend from church here gave Peyton a blessing.  Within 24 hours (day 3) she was doing MUCH better, only needing a small percentage of oxygen.  By day 4 she was off the oxygen altogether and by day 5 ready to go home except that they wouldn't let us leave until they had completed the 7-day run of antibiotics.  

I was going a bit stir crazy on my end.  I was in a room a few hallways away from Peyton.  Casey was back and forth between practice and the hospital and mom ("Nana B.") was at home with Ellie.  They would come to visit once a day but otherwise, all I got was German television and I was served only one hot meal a day!  Haha... Felt a bit like prison.  Breakfast and dinner were just some bread and weird European meats (cured, not cooked) with cheese.  The nursing care didn't get much better either.  Half of the time, no one would even respond when I pressed my call button. :(  I basically just sat around waiting for the NICU to call and say Peyton was ready to eat again.  Thank goodness the nurses at the NICU were FANTASTIC!  I'd much rather Peyton have great care than I.  

The time (finally!) came for us to leave when Peyton was one week old.  

They never could find anything wrong with her blood work, x-rays, etc. but concluded that she was born with some sort of infection... who knows?!  We came home on a Monday night and poor Casey had to leave the next morning for a road trip.  Luckily mom was here but they BOTH left a few days after that... Casey for another road trip and Mom for home.  I was a bit overwhelmed but made it through. :)  

Ellie was an angel until about day 6 in the hospital.  I think she just wanted me to come home and for things to be "normal" again.  That lasted another week after I got home, but now she is back to her normal funny, sweet self.  She is AMAZING with Peyton.  She is the least gentle toddler alive but is so tender with Peyton.  She loves being a big sister and just wants to hold and feed her all the time.  I am so blessed to have her!!!  

Peyton has had a pretty rough time since about 2 weeks old.  She is very colicky and if she's not eating or sleeping, she's pretty much fussing. :(  It's been tough but things are getting better and she sleeps pretty well... Just not usually happy when awake.  Ellie just can't understand why she won't stop crying all the time:

I'm going to conclude this so that I can try to move on and be more regular about posting.  We are so grateful that Peyton is healthy and home and feel immensely blessed.  Thank you to Nana B and everyone else who helped out... and to all of you who offered prayers and well wishes on our behalf.  We love you all!!!