Blogging through Baby day

This is the best way I know to keep everyone abreast of what's going on today. I know that many of you are curious and concerned about Jo and the as-of-yet unnamed baby girl - so I thought I'd take the opportunity throughout the day to blog through developments as they happen. What I'll be doing is continually updating this post rather than creating a new post for every development. Check back often as you get curious.

7:45AM - Excited
Awake, alert, showered, dressed and ready to face an exciting day. Last night Jo gave me one final gift before our daughter arrives. She told me to sleep in the basement. I know part of this was because she wanted the freedom to watch television in bed when she was up multiple times throughout the night as she has been for the past month or so - but the larger part was that she wanted me to have an uninterrupted night of sleep for the first time in weeks (and the last time in months I imagine). I woke this morning feeling well-rested and alert for the first time in recent memory.

Right now everyone is dressed, the house is cleaned, the cars are packed with overnight bags for Jo and I and overnight bags for the boys as they will soon be dropped off at a friend's place for the next couple of days while we're in Regina. Last night I finally installed the new infant car seat into the vehicle we're taking to Regina and I'm sitting here now with my Starbucks Cappuccino (thank you Tassimo) waiting for the phone to ring to get things moving.

We are scheduled for an induction today, and with Joanna's cyst issues she is high on the priority list for one - but in the world of maternity wards where anything can change in a moments notice, nothing is guaranteed until it happens. We've been told to expect a phone call from the hospital sometime before or around 9:00 telling us what time to make an appearance. I'm also waiting for a call from Sasktel telling us when someone is coming around to install a new internet gateway/router to correct a problem with our not-so-high-speed internet. The race is on to see who calls first.

We'll keep you posted.

9:55AM - Frustrated
When 9:25 rolled around and we hadn't heard from the hospital yet (or Sasktel for that matter) we decided we should call and make sure we hadn't slipped through the cracks. Jo called and was told that she shouldn't expect to be induced today. No real explanation was given other than it being implied that they wouldn't have time for her. Now Jo is upset, the boys are cranky because they've been looking forward all morning to go and play at our friend's house and I'm trying to control my frustration with the fact that nobody seems to be taking Jo's condition seriously.

I know I have no right to presume I know what I'm talking about here - the teenager life guarding at our local rec centre has more medical training than I do - but it certainly feels like those in our medical system either don't understand the amount of pain and discomfort my wife is in - and has been in for a long time now - or they simply don't care. I know all the pat-answers about how pregnancy is difficult and how every pregnancy is different but the people giving those pat answers don't see Joanna suffering day in and day out. They don't see the fact that on her best day she's in chronic pain, and on her worst day she can't even function. They don't see the fact that over the last month she's been getting maybe four hours of sleep per night - and even that is regularly interrupted. They don't see the how crushing it has been emotionally to be told for close to three weeks now that things are progressing well and that she should have the baby any day - and still this morning to wake up pregnant. They don't understand how much we needed this induction to happen today - for our family's emotional well-being (forgetting for a moment how much Joanna needed it for her physical well-being). We have had so many people over the course of this journey who have been so compassionate and understanding and helpful to Joanna and our family - why is it that those who have the power to bring this season to a close seem to be so reluctant to do anything.

I know I'm probably being grossly unfair to the staff at the hospital in Regina who made the decision to bump us today; in all likelihood there was a good reason from their perspective why our situation wasn't a high enough priority. They can only base their judgments on what they know - I just wish they understood more what the delay is doing to us. This is going to be a difficult day. I can only pray that tomorrow goes better.

5:35PM - Acceptance

Well after processing a whole world of emotions today I have come to terms with the waiting game again. Some time, some chocolate a visit from a friend and the generosity of some other friends (thanks for the yummy supper) have helped us get through the day. Along the way I thank God for small blessings - like another day to focus on parenting the two wonderful children that we have without the distraction of the third; like taking a day off work and resting up for what will undoubtedly be a busy season ahead with a newborn; like learning from my boys how to make blue body paint out of sidewalk chalk and a sprinkler.

We'll go through the preparations again tonight and get ourselves ready for the big day tomorrow and pray that in this case the second time is a charm and that July seventh is the birth date of our baby girl.

See you all tomorrow,
Chris