The End of a Journey

34 weeks

It was a Wednesday, 4 o'clock in the afternoon of February 22, 2012 when I first felt the contractions. I thought it was nothing out of the usual since I was already in my last trimester. The fact that I was just watching Sec. Leila de Lima on the witness stand at the Impeachment trial made me think that this was caused by too much excitement and anticipation. 

At around 6pm, I woke up and felt it more. I decided not to stand up and decided to have dinner in bed at around 8pm. 

At almost 12 midnight, when my hubby and I were just finishing up with our novena prayer, I felt a very sharp and intense pain in my abdomen and back. We decided to go to the hospital.

34 weeks and 1 day

From our house, to the emergency room, it was around 2am when I was brought to the Labor Room at Cebu Doctor's Hospital. There my tummy was attached with doppler instruments to record my contractions. That was already a Thursday.

So, gradually my contractions decreased. I stayed in the Labor Room from that Thursday morning until Saturday noon. I had no contact with my husband who was staying in the regular room which I was admitted. Writing notes hand delivered by the nurses was our only means of communication in those three days. There was only one time when a nice PGI offered me her phone so I can call my hubby and update him of what is happening inside the LR. Luckily, she has a Sun Cellular number. I saw a lot of mothers coming in and out of the labor room which somehow made me feel scared if it would be my turn. Good thing, my doctor advised that I can go back to my regular room so as not to increase my anxiety since my contractions were now quite far apart. 

34 weeks and 3 days

It was a Saturday afternoon when I went to my regular room where my hubby and mother-in-law were waiting for me. I should be on total bed rest till I give birth, my doctor said. I was advised to monitor my contractions and call the attention of the nurses immediately as soon as I felt something.

34 weeks and 5 days

It was a worry-free weekend. I basically was able to eat what I wanted. The last thing I had was a Jollibee chocolate sundae and Anmum milk. It was then on a Monday morning, around 4 o'clock that I felt the first pang of contractions. It was intense, regular, and somehow close together. I immediately called the nurses' attention. After a few checks, it was not long till I was back on the Labor Room again. It was 5:30am. They continued to monitor my contractions till the resident doctor informed me that as soon as my contractions do not subside, I was scheduled for a Caesarian section at around 7:30am. 

And so, around 7 o' clock, I was prepped up for operation and transferred to the Operating Room. I distinctly remembered my husband waiting for me outside the Labor Room. I tried to keep a strong front, but I was a bit scared inside since I do not know how C-sections are done. At the OR, while feeling the pain of my contractions I was briefed on what was to happen. I was curled like a shrimp and the doctors injected anesthesia a few times on my spinal column. It was painful, somewhat "ngilo" but I was told not to move as every move the doctors did was critical and I might be paralyzed if they did something wrong. The last one was a skin anesthesia for me to feel numb when the doctor would (well excuse me for the term) "open" me up. Then, they did a check on my skin senses making sure that I won't feel anything. It was then when a doctor informed me that my Ob-gyne was already making her first incision (yes, I was conscious but I didn't feel anything). Then at 8:40am, I heard them say "Baby Out!". A few movements on my tummy and a minute later, at 8:41am, another shout said, "Baby Out!". Then I heard their cries. It was surreal. I shifted my head from left to right as my tummy was hidden from me by a green blanket. I saw them cleaning the baby and a tiny little hand raised up in the air for me to see. They put Baby B first beside me. I remembered saying "Hi Baby" in all my consciousness and then Baby A was put beside me afterward. I kissed them then they were brought out. The last thing I remembered was the doctor injecting anesthesia in my IV to make me sleep, and my tummy being wiped clean (at least that's how it felt like).

I woke up in the Recovery Room and around 1pm, I was brought back to my room where my hubby was waiting for me with several pictures of our newborn twin baby girls. 

That was February 27, 2012. The best day of our lives.