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May 4
On the night of May 4th my sister was having a graduation party at my parents’ house. The party was well attended and ultimately ended with a plethora of laughs we will not forget. Just for the sake of a story I will share one before we move.
It was a warm spring night and everyone was having a good time. Carrie and I were off to the side chatting amongst friends, Sis was with us and while I forget what we were speaking about, Sis needed to show us something.
The screen door to my parents stayed open much of the night due to the traffic in and out. As Sis hurried inside, she was distracted by a friend and engaged in a side conversation. Not too long after, Sis concluded her conversation and remembered with glee what she previously ventured off to do. With excitement, she rushed off and up one stair to the house where she was met with a violent stop! As the now annihilated screen door fell to the ground, my sister was dazed with confusion. After the few seconds had passed, true to my sister’s character, laughed heartily. Yes, she was okay, the door however was never latched again.
After nine months of anticipation nearly a week past a “due date” my nerves were at a peak. My sister’s encounter with a screen door helped to ease my nerves and ultimately make for a hearty laugh. As the night wore on Carrie and I joked about having the baby tonight and more seriously made sure we had a game plan together for Averi just in case it happened in the middle of the night.
Carrie’s doctor was located in Fort Collins where we lived for the past three years. We were adamant about having the baby there, due to the experience we had there with Averi just a couple years prior. A main concern of ours was making sure we were able to make it the 45 minutes it takes to get from Cheyenne to Fort Collins.
During one of our visits we voiced our concern about making it to the hospital on time and having the baby on the side of the road. She said convincingly, “1 in 500 chance of something like that happening. TV makes that seems like it happens a lot.” She also reminded us that it took Averi about 12 hours to arrive and two hours of active labor. Our minds were immediately put to ease but it was still fun to joke about the thought.
What we forgot was, this pregnancy had been nothing easy and there was not one thing that seemed certain. From the start, we knew this pregnancy was going to be a far cry from Averi. Carrie’s pregnancy with Averi was a breeze, I often times forgot she was pregnant. Bo on the other hand made us dread going to the doctor nearly every time, because every time it seemed as though there was some sort of cause for concern.
As my sister’s graduation party came to an end, we said our goodbyes and drove back to our apartment which was about a half mile away. On our drive home I asked Carrie jokingly if she was going to have a baby right now, she replied with a forceful “I wish.”
It seems like everyone has their own advice on how to make the baby come out sooner. While many of them seem foolish, there were a few worth giving a go. From bouncing on an exercise ball to eating spicy food, none of them seemed to work. We had given up, we set up an induction date and got our minds prepared for that.
After we arrived at our apartment, put Averi to sleep and we both slowly dozed off, Carrie woke up.
May 5
4:50am
“Brad….Brad…… Brad,” Carrie whispered.
“What?” I replied back, still half asleep.
Carrie stayed very calm, “I think I am having contractions…”
Just a week before, we thought it may be time. We made the drive down to Fort Collins and slowly the feeling went away and was later confirmed by our doctor.
I nonchalantly replied, “How far apart are you?”
“About 8 minutes.”
“What! How long have they been going on for?”
“They just started about 4:30”
I was keeping my cool because Carrie seemed to be okay. I called my mom and she was soon on her way.
After I called my mom, I began to get things ready to go. I listened in on Carrie as she was going through her contractions, everything sounded normal. “WHAT the HELL!” I said to myself. “Carrie your contractions are only about FIVE MINUTES APART! LET’S GO” She said, “I know, I have to go the bathroom real quick.”
5:05am
PLOP!!!
My first thought was, “Did she just have the baby in the toilet!” My second thought was damn, eww!
“Carrie….” I asked hesitantly. “What the hell was that!?!”
“My water broke.” She replied casually.
5:10am
My mom showed up and the look on my face said it all. My mom, as non-panicky as she could, said “hurry up and leave.”
Carrie grabbed a blanket, I grabbed our overnight bag and we headed to the car. As soon as she sits down, another contraction ensues.
5:20
We are approximately at the state line. Carrie and I are having second thoughts about the long drive ahead. With her contractions right at about five minutes apart the thought seemed very right, however between the thoughts and discussion and mix in another contraction, we were at the halfway point. We proceeded.
Carrie was doing great, breathing through her pain and keeping her cool. With every contraction my right foot seemed to get heavier. The first half of the drive went as smooth as it could go.
5:30 The Second Half
As you could imagine there are not many people on the road at 5:30am. This is key when driving a contraction having woman.
Carrie’s breathing soon became more intense and her contractions became more painful. She rolled her window down to get some air. I looked down at my speedometer and realized my foot was more nervous than I thought and I was going as fast as I have gone in a vehicle.
5:35
Carrie’s breathing soon evolved into, well the only way I can truly describe it as is, “an elongated teeth clinching, like your pushing a truck out of mud, while someone is stabbing you in your quad……grunt.” With her shoulders pressed into the seat, her feet pressed against the floorboard and knees straight she let the aforementioned sound loose. My foot got heavier. I didn’t dare say a word.
5:40
Carrie’s body was half way out of the car at this point as she screamed to the mountains as I drove. She mentioned during all this that I may have to pullover.
Months earlier I facetiously noted I should bring some plastic bags to put over the seats, this thought was the first thing that popped into my head. My second thought was man I hope there aren’t any news crews strolling by if I do have to deliver this kid on the side of the road.
5:45
We were driving at an incredible pace. (Warning ensuing tangent ahead)Many of you that know me, I rarely speed, even if I have to. I can’t imagine getting pulled over, paying a fine and potentially have to pay more in insurance just because I was going to be late or because I wanted to get somewhere faster.
With that said, for most of the drive the last thing I wanted to do is get pulled over and have the baby on the side of the road. My other thought was damn, I am just going to have to keep going and they will have to arrest me at the hospital and I will have to meet my little guy next week.
While these thoughts roll through my head, right before the exit, a sheriff was driving north as we rumbled south. Carrie’s upper half was still screaming outside the window, she wasn’t exactly inconspicuous.
The sheriff stayed on his path and as we exited another officer soon followed. With Carrie’s body outside of the window, it is hard to imagine those sheriffs didn't see her but if they did I could imagine their thoughts may have been something like, “yikes, I will leave that for the next guy,” or “she is having a baby, it is too early for that madness.”
I sped along Prospect, running one red light. There are two train tracks with decent dips, I thought for sure Carrie would be having a baby soon after these bumps.
5:50
We were on the home stretch and only about a mile from the hospital. Carrie was ready and more importantly, Bo was ready. Before we left, Carrie had called our doctor letting them know of our anticipated arrival.
I sped up to the emergency room and jumped out of the car. As I ran around the car to open Carrie’s door, a security guard nonchalantly wheeled a wheel chair towards the car. I am not sure his pace could have been any slower. Carrie got out of the car.
She hunched over as another contraction took over her body and with breathless previous mentioned grunt screamed, “HE’S COMING OUT!!!!”
During the contraction two nurses sprinted out the ER doors, Carrie straight-legged plopped down in the wheel chair. “I CAN FEEL HIS HEAD COMING OUT!”
The nurses rushed Carrie inside. I stood out by the car, the security guard and I exchanged a look of, “What the F#$% just happened?”
I knew Carrie was in good hands and from experience I knew this part may take a while, so I casually got into the car and went to find a parking space. I didn’t want to come out to park the car again later, therefore I parked in the main parking lot, a little ways down to limit the chance of door dings.
5:55
On my way back in I walked briskly towards the ER entrance. During my walk in I sent texts out to update our family. As I entered through the automatic door at the ER, I was greeted by a staff member and they questioned me about Carrie, insurance and that good stuff.
In the background, I heard some hearty screams going on.
I heard Carrie’s scream echo down the hall as one of the nurses escorted me to Carrie’s whereabouts. I said to the nurse, “that’s my wife, I think I can find my way.” That was the last scream I heard. I looked to my left and through a slightly opened curtain, I saw a glimpse of panicky nurses rushing around. Another employee grabbed me before I entered, I was growing impatient with these questions as my wife lie in pain and my new son begins to make his way into the world.
6:00
I entered the room where Carrie lies motionless. In the room there were about 6-9 nurses and doctors. Carrie was in the middle of the room and there she lay with complete exhaustion. Her eyes were closed, her head lay still looking to the right.
“What just happened?” I murmured to myself. A nurse walked by, “Congratulations Dad!” “Thanks???” I said.
I immediately tend to Carrie’s side, she opens her eyes and smiles briefly before shutting down again. I look up and across the room was a small bed of some sort with, what I assume to be a heating lamp. Under that lamp was a toddler.
“How is she doing?” I asked.
“She is fine and did great. The birth was fast so his head is a little bruised but he is a cutie! What’s his name?” a nurse asked me.
“Who?” I questioned half-jokingly.
With a giant smile, “Your new little boy” and gestured with her head towards the toddler.
I laughed. “Damn that kid is huge! Of course that is my kid.”
Bo rushed into the world. He was 9.2 pounds and 21 inches long.
Not too much later, we all made our way up to the maternity ward. I walked along side Carrie while trying to get a glimpse of my new little guy. His forehead was a bluish color because of the quick delivery. In his little hat and blanket wrapped body, he slept.
As we walked I text everyone again and let them know the good news. When we got to the elevator, I kissed Carrie on her head and with enormous admiration, I said “Good job, kid. I love you.”
