Contractions where are you? Part Two.

So we made it to the right hospital, got checked in (they were waiting and ready for us) and were settled into the birthing suite. My contractions were still non-existent so the nurses and doctors weren't really in any rush to do much. They did the first test to just be sure that my water had broken, which of course it had and then we just settled in to wait for labor to progress. Time actually went by really fast and at one point I looked at the clock and could not believe that we had been there for four hours already. My family was driving really fast and making good time and with labor not moving that quickly we were pretty confident that they would make it in time.
Around 8:30pm my contractions had started to kick in but I was still barely wincing from the pain. My doctor had checked me and I was just over 3 cm dilated. He got the IV going with a very slow pitocin drip to start moving labor along but assured me that this would not make things go too fast and cause my family to miss the delivery. Quickly after the IV was in my contractions got much stronger and I asked for the epidural. They put in the orders for the epidural and got the process started.
However, my doctor quickly realized that somehow all of my prenatal blood work had been lost; they did not have a platelet count or any information on my blood work up at all. How do you lose pre-natal records when everything is done on the computer? I was COMPLETELY STUNNED! Apparently you cannot get an epidural without knowing an accurate platelet count. My doctor came out and let me know that we had to put the epidural on hold until the folks from the lab could get there to draw my blood. I started to panic at this point a little because the contractions were really getting bad and I just didn't know how much longer I could truly, physically continue to handle the pain.
You know hospitals, things never quite move as quickly as doctor's and nurses say they will and these folks from the lab were no different. When the woman finally came walking in, acting very nonchalant and like she had all the time in the world I really wanted to bite her head off. It was after 9:30pm when they had finished taking my blood. The doctor said he would need to check me to see how dilated I was before he could have the epidural put in. He checked and then came up and stood right next to me head. He whispered into me ear "You are 9 cm. The worst of the pain is almost over. I don't think you need the epidural. Let's do this without drugs." I almost had a heart attack. He could tell by my reaction that this was not something I was excited about so he went on "The pushing part is a breeze compared to what you have already been through. You are strong and I know that you can do this. Let's do this!" My mom and Chris were pretty quiet but I remember looking at my sister and seeing her eyes light up. She got very excited and between her and the doctor I got a very quick pep-talk about the benefits and thrills of going natural. I don't even remember making the decision I just remember time kind of running out because all of a sudden I HAD to push. It was too late for any other kind of pain meds so away I went with having Avery pain med free!

*We are home now (got home yesterday around 1:00pm, less than 48 hours in the hospital!) and last night was a very sleepless night. Avery wanted to snack all night long, not be set down and just basically not cooperate. And of course in our little apartment every time she would cry Sam heard her and would wake up. My mom is on her way over with Panera and to help us take care of these two sleepy girls this morning.
God bless help from family!