My two partners, Audrey and Lori, both ended up going out of town for a week at the same time, leaving me home with a full load of clients and praying like crazy that it would work out. And I guess it HAS worked out -- somewhat -- in the sense that at least I haven't had two in labor at the same time yet!!! My schedule over the last few days:
Friday night into Saturday AM -- up until 4 AM waiting for a thoughtless teenager (who shall remain nameless) to decide to come home after going out with friends for the evening...... that in itself is a whole 'nother story!!
Saturday AM -- woken up at 6:45 AM by the puppy, who desperately needed a potty break! Then up for several hours working on finishing up the packing for my youngest daughter, as she was leaving for camp (River Valley Ranch) on Sunday after church. I was moving at a leisurely pace -- partially because I was pretty on top of getting things ready early and partially because I was tired from lack of sleep!! In the early afternoon, I got a call that a client might be in labor -- uh, oh -- time to go get a nap -- QUICK!!! Off to bed for several hours, then up to work on the packing again. At which point I got a call from the midwife: "Need you here -- NOW!!! So I dropped everything, threw the not-yet-complete packing list at my husband, and ran out the door!!
Got the birth center; the mom was completely dialated and beginning to push -- YIPPEE!!! Baby was born shortly after 9 PM, no problems at all. Client went home shortly after midnight and I was home and in bed by around 2:30 AM. Now I was pretty tired........
But....... I had to get up first thing in the AM for church. On any other Sunday, I might've considered staying home and sleeping off the birth; but on this day, the plan was to leave directly from church to take our daughter to camp. So -- off we went to church, then directly to camp, which is about a 1 hour, 20 minute drive north of us, right on the MD/PA state line. We arrived around 2 pm, got her checked in, bed made up, and all that kind of stuff, and then drove back home. I actually nodded off in the car several times on the way home -- I was pretty tired.
Arrived home around 6 pm, and at 6:30 pm (I'm NOT kidding!!), I got a call that ANOTHER client might be in labor........oh, my....... off to the sofa to lay down and rest. Please, God -- could this MAYBE be a false alarm??!! Nope -- at 10:30 I got the call to come to the birth center -- and to PLEASE hurry...... I arrived at the birth center at 11:10 PM. The client's car was parked all cross-ways across the driveway; the backdoor to the center was unlocked and ajar; the entrance foyer at the bottom of the steps was strewn with clothing and messy chux pads -- OH, NO!!! I went running up the stairs, only to hear the midwife calling out, "Hey, Pam!! She had the baby a few minutes ago!!" Again, thankfully, all was well, though it was an incredibly fast turn of events!! Mom, dad, and baby went home around 2AM. But the midwife and I were VERY tired and feeling a bit punchy, and it took us quite a while to get things cleaned up and organized. After that, we sat around and talked for about 45 minutes. Why??? I don't know...... I think we were both too tired to be thinking straight!!
I reached home around 5:30 AM and since I knew my husband would be getting up shortly, I decided to rest on the sofa and not wake him up. When he left for work, I got up and went to bed. Unfortunately, I was woken by a phone call at 9:45 AM from my oldest daughter, who needed a ride home from class..... blah......... I told her I'd get there whenever I could and she'd just better sit tight!! I ended up not picking her up until almost noon -- I just could NOT get myself moving.
After coming home and eating and trying to wake myself out of the stupor I was in, I got a phone call at 2:30 that -- can you believe it?? -- ANOTHER client might be in labor???? HELP -- I'm drowning..... Off to bed for another nap. I think I slept about 4 hours before getting up, eating dinner, and just trying to take it easy.
The call from the midwife to come to this birth (at the client's home in Alexandria, Virginia) came around 9 PM. Off to Virginia again -- 3rd trip to Alexandria in three days. My car ought to be able to make that trip on autopilot, don't you think?? Beautiful baby girl was born at 4:30 AM today; mom and baby are doing well.
And me??? I am BEYOND tired...... is there a stronger word than "exhausted"??!! I got about 4 1/2 hours of sleep this AM into the mid-afternoon. Hopefully, I can to bed early tonight and try to get my body back into the correct time zone!!!
Unfortunately, I still have a client who is now 4 days overdue! PLEASE, God -- no more births, at least not tonight!!!
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