Well, prior to May 3rd I had been in the hospital for 2 weekends with extreme pains in my stomach. Worried about the baby I stayed a few nights each weekend. The doctors did blood work, and 2 ultrasounds but they could not find anything that was causing my pains in my stomach. So on May 3rd, 2006 I went into the hospital for a routine Non-Stress Test at 10:30am. The nurse looked at the strip and noticed that I was contracting every 2 mins. She had asked me if I felt them I said that I did but they only felt like mild period cramps. So she called my doctor and he came rushing over to find out that I was already 4cm dilated. This being a concern seeing how I was due June 3rd, 2006. So they told me I was to stay at the hospital and see how things progress. He checked in on me a few hours later and looked at me and said, "You don't even look like you are in labor". I giggled at the time and told him I didnt feel like I was. So by about 2:00pm I was put into a birthing room and hooked up to that lovely little Non-stress test machine. By this time my contractions were getting a little more present but I was able to deal with them quite well. (No screaming from me.) So just before 3pm another doctor came into to check my cervix to see how far along I was, and her mouth dropped and told me I was 9-10cm, soooo... She broke my water. And let me tell you, there was ALOT of water, even she could not believe how much water came out. Just after the doctor broke my water my husband showed up. After she broke my water, the contractions really started to happen! Whoa. But, by 3:15pm I was pushing. I did not have time for ANY drugs. The cord was wrapped around my little girls head, but as I pushed her out, they thankfully were able to cut the cord before she was entirely out. She was born at 3:44pm that day, she came out white. She was not breathing but had a hearth beat and thankfully the specialist was able to get her breathing. (PHEW) Now after she came out it was my turn to get the placenta out. As difficult as it was to get it out, (because it was attached through the uterus wall) I pushed the placenta out, and as soon as that happend they realized that I would not stop bleeding. That same lovely female doctor who broke my water, (who I absolutely love to this day, and saved my life) tried to get the rest of the placenta out ******lly, but could not because it was so painful for me. So they rushed me down to the O.R. by 4pm. By the time I got down there I lost 2/3's of my blood. They still could not reach the rest of the placenta ******lly so they gave me a c-section cut and had to take out my uterus. Thankfully they were able to leave in my ovaries. I had lost so much blood that they had to give me 14 units of blood, (in the human body there is only 7 units of blood) I bled that much and also I was not cloting properly. They had to staple me up after 6 hours of surgery and hope that I would stop bleeding. They could not keep me under any longer because I had had enough drugs to keep me out. (Also my baby girl Brooke-Lynn did just fine! And is doing very well to this day) So I woke up around 1:30 am. I awoke to a breathing tube down my throat, and one IV on my right arm, 2 IV's on my left arm and a central line on the right side of my neck and a catheder. I can remember fighting the breathing machine and coughing. Oh my gosh, THAT HURT! I had NO clue that I had a hysterectomy done. I waved over to someone to come over and signaled for pen and paper. I wrote down "What happend to me?" The nurse told me that she could not tell me and that I would have to wait for my doctor to come. I laid there scared to fall asleep because of the breathing tube, and felt that I would not wake up if I fell asleep, I laid there for 6 HOURS. That was the longest, hardest six hours of my life. Laying there not having a clue what the **** happend to me. Feeling my neck that had a cloth over it, thinking I had a tube inserted through my neck. Looking at my hands that were covered in IV's. That was intense. So finally around 6 am or so, they took out my breathing tube, that was a grose feeling. By around 7:30am May 4th, my doctor showed up and she grabbed my hand. "You gave us quite a scare," she said. She proceeded to tell me what happend, as I welled up I asked "Do I have to take hormone therapy?" Thankfully I do not. So after she left I was brought up to a Critical Care Unit where I stayed for a day and a half. Wow, let me tell you, they do not hesitate to give you morphine (laughs). I was in alot of pain not being able to even lift my head off the bed. But thankfully I was able to see my precious little girl the next day after surgery, thanks to my husband for bringing her up to me. That was hard, laying in bed not being able to go see your little bundle of joy whenever you want. My husband had to bring her to me because the nursery here was just too busy to bring her to me. That and no one offered to bring her to me. (She was also hooked up to a heart monitor just to be on the safe side. She was a little yellow but never had to go under light therapy) So late friday evening they took me down to the birthing side of the maternity unit (as our hospital was full on the other side) where I slept for that night. By Saturday morning, they want me to get up to get some underwear on and to wash up (sponge bath) and brush my teeth. My mouth just about dropped when she told me I had to stand. I could barely lift my head, how do they want me to stand. So as slow as it was I stood up breifly then sat back down and finally got to brush my teeth. By saturday afternoon I was moved into my OWN room on the maternity side with all the other mothers. My husband, and my family were in the room that I was now staying in, when they found out all the news that had happend to me the night of my surgery. They had endured SO much and went through so many emotions, but I would NOT let them cry around me. I was thankful to be alive that I did not want them to cry and remember the bad thoughts. I wanted them to remember that I am here and that the baby was healthy and thats all that matters. I tried to be so strong for them, and at the time I felt SO strong and so happy to be alive. It was an amazing experience to come out alive from. But I had my days and nights where I just cried to think that I would be missing all of this, missing out on life. It was a tramatic experience and at times I did not even want people to ask me how I was feeling to avoid crying. I would rather deal with my emotions alone and not with some murse that I barely know. There was only 2 nurses that I broke down to and they are just the sweetest girls! To think, the doctors told me, if I was not in the town I am in, or the next biggest city (Vancouver, British Columbia, CANADA) me and the baby would have both died. (We live in Kelowna, British Columbia CANADA) So I did not want to see my family upset, because I am here and alive. The healing process from the surgery was quite painful. It was a struggle to get out of bed for quite a few days. But by Tuesday the 8th, I had gotten my catheder out, down to 2 IV's, the central line was out of my neck and I was able to move around and walk to short distances. The funny thing is, when the nurse first told me to stand, I thought she was NUTS! Now I had a great urge to get moving, and to get better and heal quick for my baby. 9 days after my surgery I was home. My baby had to remain in the hospital as she was to young and premature to come home then. She had to have a feeding tube down her nose because she was just too tierd to eat her bottle all on her own. But she finally came home after 15 days in the hospital. Brooke-Lynn and I are doing amazing and I thank god (even though I am not a religious person) everyday for us being here well and happy.