Tuesday, September 15, 2009

How Chase Came Into The World via Car


My middle son, Chase, turned 18 today. Wow! That just doesn't seem right. It occurred to me that this may very well be his last birthday at home. He is planning on attending a college in Enterprise, Alabama to learn how to build airplanes. Those plans are not set in stone yet, so we'll have to see about that. Anyway, I thought I would share the story about how Chase came into this world.

Chase was born in the car on the way to the hospital in the very early morning hours of September 15, 1991. I remember that we were watching the Miss America pageant, and I started feeling an ever-so-slight tightening in my stomach. Not sure that it was actually beginning to happen, I decided to go take a bath. By the time I had finished, I was pretty sure that I could safely say I was having contractions. I went into the living room and told my husband. I don't know where Justin was at the time. I think he was spending the night with Kevin's parents. Anyway, we called my mother because she had planned to go to the hospital with us. It seems like we waited on her FOREVER!!! In the meantime, my contractions were getting stronger and closer together. My neighbor called the hospital to let them know that we were on our way. My contractions were about 2 minutes apart! The hospital was in Gadsden, which is about 40 miles away. My mother finally made it to our apartment. It seems that my niece had been spending the night with her, and she had trouble waking up my sister when she took her home.

So, I was sitting up front with my husband, and my mother was in the back. I REALLY wanted to lie down, and the seat did not let back. We made a short pit stop at a store and I change seats with my mother. Just a little way down the road from there, my water broke, and I remember feeling such a wonderful release. The relaxation only lasted a few short moments, and then the contractions came with a vengeance!! I had grabbed my pillow before we left, and I remember just squeezing it so hard as the contractions came and went, came and went. I could REALLY tell that I was progressing in my labor. Luckily I had worn some stretchy maternity shorts! I had to pull them off! My mother looked back there and asked why I did that, and I told her that I thought the baby was coming. She said, "No. It's not!" But, my husband glanced back there, while driving, and said, "Yes! It is!"

A little farther on down the road, we were stopped by a policeman, either because my husband was speeding, or because he was running all the traffic lights, I'm not sure. My mother was screaming out the window, "Help us!" There is no telling WHAT went through that policeman's mind! lol My first thought was, "Oh good. We have someone who can help us!" But, this was not to be the case. I heard my husband, Kevin, say, "MY WIFE'S HAVING A BABY!! WE CAN HAVE IT HERE, OR WE CAN HAVE IT AT THE HOSPITAL!!" At this point, the policeman said, "Follow me!"

As we were being escorted to the hospital via policeman, I knew I could not hold out any longer. I had to push. Anyone who has ever gone through natural childbirth will know what I'm talking about. You just can't help it! So, I kept pushing, and my baby was born right there in the back car seat. It was dark, so I could not see what was going on. My mother was leaning over the back of her seat and asked what she needed to do. I told her to clean out his mouth. I remember reaching down there in the darkness, and I grabbed a tiny wrist. I remember shaking his wrist to be sure that he was okay. I could hear him softly grunting. I just kept shaking his wrist gently. It was shortly thereafter that we arrived at the hospital emergency room. I remember the ER doctor coming out there and straddling the little hump in the back floorboard and cutting the cord. He pulled the pillow case off of my pillow, wrapped up the baby, and took him into the hospital. Then, they came and got me.

They took me into an operating room where I waited on my doctor, whom they had called, to arrive. He came and took care of the un-pleasantries. I remember that I was shaking so bad. I thought I was cold, but I'm not sure if it was that or the shock of what had just happened. They brought me one of those heated blankets, and it felt so good. We were famous at that hospital that day. I had a healthy 8.5 pound boy. We named him Ryan Chase Rowell and decided to call him Chase.

And today he is 18 years old. It doesn't seem that long ago that all this happened.

I really wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

6 comments:

betty-NZ said...

Oh, my, what a story!! They come when they're ready, no matter what! Happy Birthday, Chase!

~Thought's By Dena~/ JDs Gift Shack said...

First of all Happy 18th to your son!!! And second wow what a way to come into this world!!!!!!

Sue said...

Wowzers! That is quite a birth story. I'm so glad he was healthy and everything turned out so positive!

Thanks for sharing that and Happy Birthday Chase!

Valerie said...

Oh my goodness, what a beginning!
I have a son who turned 18 this month too. His name is Justin, but he wasn't born in the car - thank the Lord - as he was 10 pounds 10 oz! I don't think I could have done that one alone. Very cool story and legacy! May he enjoy the new chapter of life he is now entering!

Unknown said...

Wow, what a story! Glad everything worked out okay!

Lucy said...

Wow! I'm sure it was scary at the time, but what a great story now!