Olivia Cassidy's Birthday, May 18, 2010

(This photo is Olivia and my aunt Michaela's hand.  Its a good size reference)

I'll try to make this long and detailed story as short and as interesting as possible. I went to the OB Triage on Monday, May 17th on doctors orders because I simply didn't feel well. I did not have any distinctive or "red flag" symptoms other then the fact that my entire body ached, and, I knew I did not feel like my pregnant happy self, and I am a person who LOVES being pregnant. I also want to mention that when I took Brayden to his pre-preschool on Monday afternoon, I felt as tho I was figuratively hit over the head by a two by four saying, "CALL THE DOCTOR, NOW!" I'm sharing this seemingly insignificant bit of information because whether it was God, intuition, My Mom, anything....this moment in time may possibly be why Olivia and I are alive today. Well, that and my loving husbands relentless nagging. :)

After being admitted to the OB Triage after a two hour waiting period, it was quickly diagnosed that I had preeclampsia; a disease I developed late in my pregnancy with Brayden that resulted in his 10 day early induction. The doctor knew with fair certainty that because I was so early in my pregnancy (26 weeks 5 days gestation) my preeclampsia would very rapidly develop into HELLP Syndrome. The doctor was spot on. With in 6 hours of me being admitted, it was concluded that my pregnancy had turned so toxic that it could and would likely kill both Olivia and I if we did not deliver her immediately. I was able to get ahold of Jeremy who was deployed to the middle east. Jeremy then instructed me (because it had to come from me) to call Red Cross and inform them of the medical emergency in an attempt to get Jeremy home. We had hoped that he would make it in time for the delivery. However, at 1:00 a.m. I was rushed into an emergency C-section, and little Olivia Cassidy Stone was born at 1:39 a.m. at 1 lb. 9 oz.

(Olivia holding my still super swollen hand)

She was and is a fighter from the moment she entered this world. She was taken immediately to the NICU where they stabalized her and helped her breathe and I began my slow recovery from the operation. All the while, Brayden was at home with my Uncle Terry, and my Aunt Michaela was in Southern California trying to get a red eye flight back to San Francisco. My Aunt Michaela, my Cousin Erin, and my best friend Mari all arrived on Tuesday to our rescue. Incredibly, Jeremy arrived Wednesday night, and he and Brayden have been happily attached at the hip since. I have many complaints about the Army, however, they were able to get Jeremy home from the middle east in 48 hours. This is huge considering 21 of those hours was spent traveling!

(The glowing lights in this pic are called Billy Ruben lights.  They help Olivia to break down her red blood cells.  They also give photos a cool affect :)