Birth Story

Every soul that comes into this world has a story.  This is yours...

My Aching Back
Wednesday - February 13th, 2013

What started out as a typical Wednesday began a chain of events that would change our lives forever. I went to the studio to teach my two morning classes.  We had a Dr.'s appointment for our regular 25 week check up that afternoon, so your Dad had come with me that morning.  We were really looking forward to that appointment to hear your heartbeat again.

The doctor measured my tummy.  25, right on schedule.  We listened to your heartbeat and the doctor said you sounded great.  You had been sitting very low on my right side since the night before.  I was concerned about how hard it felt, almost like you were stuck.  The doctor said that it was normal, that you probably just found a comfy spot and had your butt or shoulder nudged up against me.  He gave me instructions on how to count kicks and we left feeling relieved.

I taught my three evening classes, passing out costumes to all the dancers.  By the end of the evening I was very tired and couldn't wait to go home and lay down.  Monday and Tuesday had been long days as well.  As I was getting ready to leave I remembered that your Dad and I had come in together that morning and were sharing a car.  One thing your will learn about us Santiago, is that your parents do everything together.  I am not sure your Dad loves it as much as I do, but he plays along.  Anyway, Mary offered to take your Dad home so I didn't have to wait around for him.  I was so exhausted that I quickly accepted.

Once I got home I immediately laid down on the couch.  By the time your Dad came home and hour or so later my back was aching badly and I felt a heaviness in my abdomen.  Your dad massaged my back, I took 2 Tylenol, and I went to sleep on the couch.  I remember thinking that I probably overdid it that week, working 3 long days in a row.  We had a school vacation coming up and I thought to myself that I just had to get through the next 3 days and then I would have a long break to relax and take it easy.  That never happened.


Stay Pregnant
Thursday - February 14th, 2013

In the morning my back still hurt, but I thought I could make it through teaching the 3 classes I had that day.  I moved gently through the first class and got through it.  During the hour break before the next class the discomfort in my belly got worse.  I asked Virginia to help me with the next class and she demonstrated so I didn't have to move as much.  I was able to finish that class by myself and thought I would be able to make it through the last one.  15 minutes in I started to feel feverish and light-headed.  I called Virginia to take over for me while I went to the bathroom, and that's when I saw the color that no pregnant woman wants to see, red.

Your Dad and I immediately left for the hospital.  We started driving without a plan and after a few minutes of arguing about where we should go, we drove to Northside Cherokee.  We went to the E.R. and by then I was in a lot of pain.  They took me to the Labor & Delivery wing and took my vitals but couldn't find your heartbeat.  My lower stomach looked like I had swallowed a cantaloupe.  It was hard and raised up.  Little did I know that my uterus was contracting and the contractions were only a minute apart.

What I had thought was just aching for the past 24 hours had been contractions all along.  I was given morphine for pain, magnesium sulfate to slow the contractions, and a steroid to help your lungs mature faster.  When the contractions slowed down to 5 minutes apart they transported me in an ambulance to Northside Atlanta.

Even though it was scary, I never thought there was a danger of you coming so early.  Your Dad and I both figured that they would get the contractions to stop and I would be sent home on bed rest.  By the end of evening I felt comfortable and sent your Dad home to get a good night's rest.  Had we known what was in store for us, he never would have left.


The Broccoli Did It
Friday - February 15th, 2013

I awoke at 3:00 A.M. with painful contractions.  I was given more medication and able to rest until close to 8:00 A.M.  Your Auntie Denia came by and we sat and talked.  The contractions got closer together so they increased the dosage of magnesium sulfate.  While the lower dosages made me feel flushed and queasy, the increase made me burn up and cross-eyed.  I couldn't open both eyes or get comfortable.  Your Dad returned and the three of us tried to relax and watch T.V.

At lunchtime they brought me a tray of turkey, sweet mashed potatoes, and broccoli.  I wasn't extremely hungry but I was feeling terrible from the medicine and thought some food in my stomach would help to dilute it and alleviate some of the symptoms.  I brought a single piece of broccoli to my mouth.  I should have known by the way the smell turned my stomach, but as listening to my body is not something I am accustomed to doing, I took a bite and immediately knew it was not going to stay down for long.  Your Dad and Denia scrambled for the bed pan.

My stomach seized and I vomited violently several times.  The pressure in my stomach was too much and soon felt fluid gushing from underneath me.  It didn't feel like urine and with a swab test the doctors confirmed it, my water had broken.

A midst all the nausea, vertigo, hot flashes, and contractions I found myself being told that a delivery was on the horizon in the next day to a week.  I was foolish to think that will power alone could hold you in for another 7 days.

The rest of the day past with visits from Grandma and Grandpa Thurman and Uncle Ray.  We all sat around that small cramped room watching the contractions rise and fall on the monitor beside me.  Once everyone left I finally drifted off to sleep around 8:00 P.M.  I slept on and off throughout the night, but by 5:00 A.M. I needed more pain medicine.  That only lasted 3 hours.


Ready, Set, Breathe don't Push
Saturday - February 16, 2013

At 8:00 A.M. I confessed to the nurse I was feeling worse.  A half hour later she asked me to tell her when I felt pressure in my bottom.  By then I had already felt pressure with the last two contractions.  She told me to let her know when the pressure became constant and at that very moment it had.  They brought in the delivery doctor to check my cervix.  Barely touching me, she uttered the words that shocked us all, "we're delivering."

I was wheeled through the hallways to the operating room as sweat began to collect on my forehead.  Your Dad was stopped and told to put on scrubs over his clothes.  As I was waiting for him the pain was increasing and I felt like I needed to push.  With him back at my side, I was yelling that I needed to push but the NICU team had not all arrived yet.  Breathe, don't push I was told over and over.  My patience weaned.  'Tell them to hurry"  and "Can I push now, I need to push" I screamed.  Finally they turned me over on my back and told me to grab the backs of my legs.  4 pushes later and you were here.

I lay absolutely silent and shaking as they took you to the other side of the room.  You did not cry, but I heard someone say that they saw your try to take a breath on your own and that it was a good sign.  They allowed your Dad to go over and see you.  When he returned he had tears in his eyes.  I listened for any piece of information to let me know how you were doing.  After several minutes they brought you over to me all bundled up.  I only got to look at you for a few moments.  I tried to absorb as many details as quickly as I could: your eyelashes, eyebrows, mouth, chin, and Samoan nose.  I whispered "I love you" and they whisked you away.

They moved me up from my holding room into a Labor & Delivery room.  We waited and waited, growing more worried as each hour passed without hearing from the NICU doctor.  Finally around 1:00 P.M. he came to see us.  The gravity in his voice and lack of encouraging words scared me.  He explained that your lungs, heart, brain...everything was underdeveloped and we would have to just wait and see.  I hated the powerlessness I felt to do anything for you.

We went to visit you for the first time.  You looked so fragile with deep red skin, your chest expanding and contracting with so much effort.  The nurse said we could touch you but we were too afraid of disturbing you.  We wanted you to focus every ounce of your little body on growing and healing.

It is not what we expected; not what we planned.  But you are here and we love you so much.

Santiago Toso Sateler

2/16/13 8:55 A.M.

1 lb 14 oz, 13.5 in

Head 9 in, Chest 8 in
Born at 25 weeks 5 days