Kelsey Family: McKinley May Kelsey

Sunday, July 9, 2017

McKinley May Kelsey

At 37 weeks pregnant I started getting really itchy feet and hands (mainly at night). Other parts of my body would itch a little bit here and there and a little throughout the day, but around dinner time my hands and feet itched so bad that I was constantly scratching them and I couldn't sleep well at night. I started to get a little worried after about four days of intense itching and after I did some research about pregnant ladies and itchy hands and feet.

I had a doctor's appointment at 38 weeks (Monday) so I just held out until then. At my appointment I mentioned my symptoms to the midwife as she was typing on the keyboard. As soon as I told her she stopped what she was doing and got really stiff. She turned around with bulging eyes and said, "I'll be right back." She went and talked with a doctor and came back worried that I might have Cholestasis. I assumed I had that too when I read up on it with my research a couple of days before that. Cholestasis is basically when bile from the liver doesn't flow normally. It isn't a risk to me but can be for the baby. It can cause still birth. If you are diagnosed with Cholestasis they will usually induce at full term (37 weeks). The midwife made me go and get my blood drawn, gave me some medication, and I had to get a non-stress test done. I started taking the medication they gave me but it was made me really nauseous.

On Thursday I had to go in for another non-stress test and meet with a doctor. Apparently I was having a lot of contractions and the nurse was surprised that I had no clue I was having them. When I met with the doctor she told me that the blood test came back with elevated levels but that they wouldn't know for sure if I had Cholestasis for another week because it takes about 10 days to get the results. The doctor basically said that because I was already full term and it appeared that I probably had Cholestasis that they wanted to play it safe and induce me as soon as possible. She told me to go right up to labor and delivery. I was a little freaked out because 1) Blakely was with Nathan in his office 2) I didn't have anything with me and 3) the kids were going to be coming home from school in two hours. Luckily the doctor agreed to let me go home and get things in order.

I'm not sure what the rush was all about because I got there about 3:30 and they didn't start anything until after 8:00 pm. REALLY?!? I just sat there really bored! Nathan even went home to help with homework, dinner, and getting the kids ready for bed.

Around 8:30 they put a "balloon" inside me to help dilate me. Luckily that was all it took to put me in labor. Eventually I asked for an epidural because I was starting to get back labor and I was hoping I could take a nap. Not long after, I got sick and threw up. The nurse came in and asked if I wanted something to help with the nausea. I consented not knowing the side effects...As she is administering the medicine in my IV she says, "This might make you feel tired." It wasn't even 10 seconds later that my eyes got super heavy and I couldn't keep them open for anything. I definitely got the nap I wanted but I was seriously worried that I was going to be fast asleep for the birth.

Around 6:15 am I started to feel some pressure and was worried that the baby might be crowning. I asked Nathan if he could see anything. He said no, but I asked him to push the call button (I couldn't reach it) so they could check me and see if I was fully dilated. As soon as the nurse opened the door I said, "She's coming!" With no pushes she came sliding right out! The nurse called for help and others came running into the room. McKinley May Kelsey was born at 6:17 am. She was 7 lbs 4 oz and 19 in long. The poor nurse was teased all day long because others said she looked like a deer in headlights when she called for help. Apparently this was her first week as an RN.