Birth Story of the Rory G

I wrote this about 12 hours after the C-section. There are spelling and grammatical errors


5:00am I am already awake and shut off the alarm before it goes off. I wake up Marc. It is a surreal feeling gathering up the hospital bag knowing that when we come back we would be three. We were told to be at the hospital at 6:30am . I am admitted and the Cervidel (drug used to open your cervix ) is inserted. I have to wait 12 hours and am put on an IV . This is difficult because it limits my ability to walk around . I not allowed to drink or eat anything only ice chips. I was in mild discomfort and having contractions throughout the day. At 7:00pm the doctor came and took the cervedil out and checked my progress. None. He said . Kate you need a C-section. I started to cry hysterically and Marc tried to question him aggressively (as those of you know Marc well can imagine) . And the doctor said “You need to trust my judgement!” So the doctor went to his apartment 9 blocks away to have dinner and would come back at 10:00pm for the C-section. Toward the last few hours on the cervidel I had been in more and more pain and I thought once they took the cervidel out the pain would stop. As soon as the doctor left I started to have more and more pain . Marc went to tell the nurse but it was right in the shift change. He came back and I started to really feel pain . He went back but the new nurse did not seem to believe anything was really going on and said she would be in to check on me shortly. After 1 hour at around 9:00pm Marc went out and did he best Shirley McClain (Terms of Endearment) impersonation. She came in took one look at the monitor and said :”Oh my God you are in active labor, This never happens.” She ran to call my doctor and told him she would just have a resident check me . Well he didn’t really believe I was in active labor and said that he would be there shortly to confirm it. All I kept thinking was how long does it take to walk 9 blocks !!! He came in and said “Well Kate you are in active labor , I know how important a natural birth is to you, lets see where this takes us” He broke my water as I recited Hail Marys and the Prayer to Saint Anthony. Somewhere in the mists of this I found out my doctor was a Republican and thought George Bush was doing a good job. I just kept thinking a Republican is going to deliver my baby , if only I had known sooner LOL. My contractions started coming fast 1 minute apart lasting 2 minutes . I could not get a hold of them . All the books I read said they ramped up to this point not started here. Wasn’t this transition (The last stage of labor) How long can this go on. The doctor ordered the epidermal because it was to intense. I tried the lamaze breathing HEE HEE HO my ass ! The epidural only really took on the left side , So I really still had the pain just on the right.. 12:00am 3 centimeters not bad for 4 hours . Doctor would check me again at 3 am . I labored through the next 3 hours . The Nurse said at the pace of my contractions I should have the baby easily by noon. Ok I thought I can do this . I am going to do this ! 3:30am doctor came and checked . Kate you have made so progress you are still at 3 , your baby is to high and it is time for the C-section . What ?! Marc was angry “she has been in active labor for hours we have to give her a chance!” What about Pitocin ? (This is a drug used to induce labor) The doctor just calmly looked at Marc and said her contraction are as hard and quick as they are going to get they can’t get any closer together or stronger , her uterus is exhausted her blood pressure is failing . Marc was trying to be my advocate but I just looked over at him exhausted and said I can’t do it honey I am sorry. It was a sad sad moment . They prepped me for surgery and I started to have a panic attack I have never really had any surgery done . I remember saying to the nurse I don’t think I can do this I am too weak. They separated Marc and I as I was wheeled in the the OR . I remember telling the doctor that I was a belly dancer on the weekends and don’t ruin my career. He asked if I was serious ! No ! I make inappropriate jokes to get me through . That is my MO. In the operating room someone asked what kind of insurance to I have . UMMM !! Hello I pre-registered at this Hospital like 3 months ago you have me strapped down like Jesus on the cross and our asking me what kind of insurance I have? I wish I would have been more with to say “Oh I don’t have any HAHAHHA” but by this time I was numb with a spinal block. Not to feel your legs is horrible but as a runner it was one of the worst things I could imagine. So before they let Marc in they told me that in 10 minutes I would meet my baby and the whole procedure would take 1 hour 15 minutes. Because the nurse said my doctor is anal and that he stitches everything ., Normally a C-section takes 30 minutes not him . But hey I would rather have that . So Marc walks in and they begin. There is a sheet in front of us so we can’t see anything . I ask Marc what time is it and he tell me 4:27am on his watch . Marc tries to keep my mind off things by telling me stories, How we met ? , First time in Maine together, the cabin, Then I ask him what time is it ? 4:34am and I say “We are going to meet our daughter in 3 minutes . And he said “What are you talking about?” I said “The nurse told me 10 minutes in she would be born.” All he said was “Oh my God” He was so happy. Then my doctor shouted “You are about to give birth “ (This was really nice to say because it makes you feel like it doesn’t matter about C-section) I felt a lot of pulling and tugging and then Marc and I heard her cry . And he and I clinked our foreheads together and started crying ourselves hard. I kept asking to see her but they keep telling me not yet. The nurse was reassuring but I knew something was wrong . She had mucus in her lungs and I could hear them pounding on her back . I was so out of it and Marc could not see anything and they would not let him move from were he was. Finally after 20 minutes they let us see her . She was beautiful . 8 /9 on apar . They asked Marc to take her out of the room while they finished me up.

"I'm the decider"

In the past week this seems to be Rory's motto. No she does not support Bush's plan to send 20,000 more troops . (By the way his plan is actually to send 21,500 , but who is counting , certainly not him) Rory seems to be in a very fussy stage. In fact as I type Marc is jogging in place with her in the baby Bjorn. She has been up since 7am and it is 8pm now. Not crying the whole time but enough of it . We do all the 5 S's from "Happiest Baby on the Block DVD' and this works until 10 minutes after we think we have her to sleep and put her in either bassinet, rocker , carseat we have tried it all. I feel like it started when her schedule became messed up this morning. Our power suddenly went out (again) I looked outside and Con ED was there. I went to the basement apartment where our landlords live and there was landlord's dad. They all know I have a newborn and have been working on the power for about 3 months now. The power goes out about once a week sometimes for the day . So this being the coldest day of the year I was upset. He acted as if he should not have either let me know and said it would be back on in a few minutes and acted as him I was just a crazy new mom. So after 1 hour and the temp dropping 7 degrees. I went back downstairs . No one was there so now I throw on my shoes to go outside. Con Ed is pulling away and I am chasing him down the street. Wait ! Wait ! I still dont have power ! The Con Ed guy says he turned on all the breakers but agrees to come back and take a look. She we go back in . he asks me if I have a key to the basement apartment . Umm NO! Oh then I can't do anything . So now I had to find me landlord. All the while Rory is screaming. It takes a while but the landlord comes back and acts like it is the electricians fault. So the temp in our apartment was at 55 degrees by the time the heat went on. I really hate this place . I want to move but the thought of packing up everything and moving yet again is unthinkable. Oh and it is not just this one thing . It has been this way since we moved in August. when it rains water comes in the windows , drafts through the house , recycling issues where they blamed us for a ticket but we recycle correctly and it was there shit that got the ticket. They paid it but blamed us and said that next time we would have to pay. And they wrote a nasty letter and then dug through our trash on recycling day to make sure we did it right ! They had not moved in yet and we put to potted mums on the front steps outside and were told we could not do that . They still had not moved in downstairs and we put up Christmas lights and where told by the mother in law that her daughter (she is landlords wife) was devastated because she wanted to put up the lights . BUT NO ONE BUT US LivE HERE! they moved in when we were in the hospital after Christmas. Wow this blog turned in to a huge Bitch session thanks for listening.

2nd week home

Rory turned 3 weeks yesterday !! She is changing so much everyday. It is really amazing. I will post the birth story soon.

Running is going slow , ran about 24 miles this week. The great fun was running on the track during a interval practice 2 miles in a 7:45 pace. I still have about 10-15 pounds (Depends on what time of year) to lose which is a bit depressing . and Breastfeeding is A LOT harder then I thought. I think i am to selfish to breastfeed but I am doing it one day at a time.

1st week home

12/31 Rory comes home. Kate walks 1/2 mile. We all watch the ball drop with Anderson Cooper.

1/1/06 Rory feeding well. Kate walks 1 1/2 miles

1/2/06 Kate walks 2 1/2 miles .

1/3/06 Rory goes to pediatrician gained all birth weight back. Kate walks 2 1/2 miles , 20 crunches , 20 side to side exercises.

1/4/06 Kate walks 10 minutes run 1 min x 5

1/5/06 Rory and Kate get A+ from lactation consultant . Kate walks 1 1/2 miles (may have pushed it day before)

1/6/06 Kate walks 1 1/2 miles runs 2 minutes (not confident enough yet)

1/7/06 Kate RUNS 1 1/4 mile (slow) then walked 1 mile and ran any another 1/4 mile . YEAH!!!

Rory Grace

13 days late, 24 hours of labor , emergency C-section 4:37am 12/27 Rory Grace arrived :) She is amazing . I am still in the hospital but hope to be going home tomorrow. I will post birth story later. I have not been able to post becasue I was and still am in a lot of pain.


She had some trouble breathing (mucus in the lungs) in the beginning and I did not get to see her for 20 minutes then they had to finish stiching me up. In the recovery room the wonderful nurse (she knew it was important to me to breast feed and really tried ) tried to get her to latch on to my breast but we were both so tired and I could not feel anything . So we got off to a slow start with that . I am breast feeding now and my nipples are so red, dired and cracked. I have lansinoh and am using ice packs but I am dieing here. If anyone has any advice I would love it . Sorry if it is TMI for anyone. Like I said I will write the birth story soon . Maybe with a pint of Guiness tomorrow night :) (FYI Guiness is supposed to be great in bringing in your breast milk so I am doing it for the baby.)

Being induced

They can't let me go any longer and I am being induced 12/26 at 6:30am. The process is 4 steps and can take as long as 48-72 hours. I am scared. This is not how I wanted things to go. I worked hard this whole pregnancy to maximize my chances of having a natural birth. I have tried everything to get things going. I don't think Marc ever thought he would have so much sex with a 9 month pregnant woman. Anyway I am really depressed.

Why she won't come out ..

Why would she now that we might lose the Senate ? Ok I am being a bit dramatic but I am grasping at straws as to what the hold up is. I have done everything to get her out. I am open to any suggestions but trust me I have probably done it. I am now running every other day to try and give my body more rest. They will induce me in the next week if nothing changes :( because I keep getting pretty bad headaches.

Very Depressed Astoria new york

Sorry it has been so long

Nothing to report. Stats for this week :P

Pregnancy: 1 week left
Running Miles: 24
Dilation: 0

Whoever said running throughout your pregnancy shaved a few days off your due date obviously works for the Bush administration.

SO EXCITED !!!!!!!!

I work in a job that puts be in close proximity with a lot of celebrities. I am not star struck and have never been really excited by a particular guest or appearance on any show I have worked on. Except maybe the time I met Mr. Rogers. So imagine my surprise when I got back to my desk after a morning meeting to find a email from PAULA RADCLIFFE! From what appears to be a personal email account. On Aug 2nd I posted on her message board that I was 2 weeks ahead of her pregnancy wise and that I wish she would post more about running while pregnant. I had read that she was still doing 2 runs a day but I wanted details. What was the mileage and pace ? Was she still racing for fun ? YOu should have seen my crazed enthusiasm as I ran around the office with the printed email in my hand showing anyone that would listen. I was met by a chorus of "Who?" But I don't care because PAULA RADCLIFFE wrote me !! Ok so, It is only 3 sentences and does not address the questions I asked her but SHE STILL WROTE ME :) Below is the email copy and pasted. For some reason eblogger won't let me post her website on here .

Here is the email I deleted her email address , have to protect my new BFF.

Make sure you listen to your body and don't run if you don't feel like it ! And keep your doctors in the loop on what you are doing.
Good luck,

Rory's first Red Carpet

Ok dont have a red carpet picture yet . Still have to get them off my phone . THis is a picture of me in the hotel lobby with our staff . I look a bit stressed because not all the limos are there and we need to get going . And that is my job to make sure we are on time .







Ok some of you may be wondering "Who is Rory?" . Rory is the name of my baby girl that is inside me . Yes it is a girl and her name is Rory Grace. She is amazingly talented and beautiful at just 25 weeks gestation.

Now for the Red Carpet part. The show I work on was nominated for 4 Emmys so off we flew to LA for the red carpet. It was a lot of fun. I have a ton of pictures on my camera phone that I got by security by pretending to be concerned that the metal detector may hurt my baby. I will post a picture in the next week. I look a bit enormous in my Emmy dress. Rory and I took our time down the red carpet. When ever one of the Emmy workers tried to usher us "rift raft " along I would hold my belly and tell them in a breathless voice that I was going as fast as I could . To which they apologized and ran and got me a bottle of water. HAHAHHAHAHA. Please before I got there I had done a 5 mile run along Sunset Blvd. Anyway I promise to use pregnancy power for good and not evil. We lost. But all and all it was a great moment in my life. Going down the Red Carpet with my baby girl :) I did not make it to the Comedy Central after party. After 8 hours in stiletto heals and in the 100 degree heat I collapsed on the hotel bed. Only to catch the 5am to Boston and then a drive up to Maine for a week YEAH!!! Not a bad weekend for a 6 month pregnant chic.

Last Race

Until next year. Ran the Club Team Championships 5 miler. It was a lot of fun. The field was fast which made me go faster then I had orginally thought I would . I ended up with a 39:48 just under an 8 minute pace. Marc did really well coming getting back in the grove with a 30:58.

8 days NO power

My home of 10 years Astoria , New York has been in the dark now for 8 days. (don't listen to what 1010 wins says that as of this morning power is restored. There was no power on our block) It has been a really tough few days. Yesterday we had about 15 Con Ed workers on our block, really nice guys that promised us electricity that night . Unfortunately that did not happen. They began jack hammering at 1:30am in the mornign to create a tunnel to lay cable. Saying that the when they attempted to get electricity from the other side of the block there was no enough. At 3:30am the police were summoned by some neighbors and Con Ed had to stop until 7am. It was extremely loud and you can't shut your windows because it was so hot. And everyone had to work today. This morning I heard our neighbor in her 80's who does not speak a lot of English. Tried to ask nicely to the COn Ed workers when the power might be restored. She said quote "When , When Please I despair " To which the COn Ed worker said "Look Lady you could be in Lebanon ... It will get done when it gets done" This caused my Irish to suddenly flare . I went outside red faced and angry yelling at the con Ed guy. All she was asking was when . She has had not electricity for 8 days ! The Red Cross stops by everyday to give her one meal but that is it !


This is why I have high blood pressure ...

Why do I feel so guilty running ?

Lately this is how I feel. Even though my doctor is well aware of what I am doing. However when I was there on Tuesday he asked how many miles I was still getting in. When I replied still about 30-35 . He raised his eyebrow and said "You are still able to do that" . As if maybe he said yes to my running request in the beginning figuring that I would eventually drop it. He then told me that sounded more like Marathon training . Hello!! did I not tell you the last 5 appointments my weekly mileage. It was like all of a sudden it was this shocker. Everytime I feel guilty I scour the internet for information. There is really not a lot . The Europeans really seem to advocate running while pregnant more then the Americans and I wonder why. I have read some wonderful articles by Ingrid Kristiansen (2-time Boston Marathon winner (1986,89); won New York City Marathon in 1989; former world record holder in the marathon). And Elaine Cooper (winner of the London Marathon) . Both ran throughout and even competed in races while pregnant. I know these are elite athletes but I am not doing anything close to what they did . IN fact Ingrid ran 200km a week until her 5th month. Also what is getting worse as it becomes more obvious that I am pregnant is non-runners yelling for me to stop running. I watch their eyes as I run toward them lock on to my belly and I wait to hear their comments . Not all people . Some say "YOu go girl" but the ones that yell . "you shouldn't be running , that is not good for the baby ect hurt my feelings. At least give me till after the birth to say I am a bad mom. That is all just venting. This is a picture of baby's first race a 5k in Dublin , OHio . I was 5 weeks pregnant and I could not figured out why I was not able to breathe this whole race. I found out 2 days later :)

Baby's first half marathon

Not quite but we did 6+ miles of the Bronx Half . I always intended to jump out at the half way point and that is exactly what I did. It was really hot. Well for me anyway but I never do well in the heat. I managed an 8:30 pace and was really happy with it. I felt part of my team again and it was great to see everyone race to the finish. Marc started back with a 1:30 which is great for only being back training 1 week.

On a sad note one of our teammates Roberto is moving to LA this next Sunday. We will miss marathon training with him. Email me if you want the info of his going away party.

Tagged

Is it bad luck to not respond after being blog tagged. I would rather not find out. Thanks to Josh

4 Jobs I've Had
Short order cook
Radio Call in screener
Rosie O'Donnells writers asst
Star Jones Party Planner (true story)

4 Movies I Watch Over and Over
Star Wars 1,2,3
All James Bond (Never Say Never is my favorite)
Pillow Talk
Legally Blonde (I have no idea ... I love that shit)




4 Places I Have Lived
Ohio
Pennsylvania
LA
New York City

4 Television Shows I Watch

Gilmore Girls
Everwood
Anderson Cooper 360 (I miss Aaron Brown)
Meet the Press

4 Places I Have Been On Vacation
Paris
Geneva
Clearwater, FL
Nova Scotia

4 Websites I Visit Every Day
CNN
Hellgate Road runners
Dustin days of our lives page
Variety of blogs

4 Favorite Foods
I am pregnant everything is my favorite

4 Places I'd Rather Be Right Now
Tour de France
Vatican (that is in Rome)
Clearwater, Fl
Grenada


4 Favorite Bands/Musicians (also very hard... I enjoy a wide variety of music)

Nelly
Kayne West
Elliott Smith
Enya

4 Bloggers I'll Tag (sorry)


Creative Genius
Derek
Andrew
Anonymous (only you know who you are)

Kate got her groove back and so much more

Sorry for not blogging lately. It is hard for me to talk or type and not be toldly honest. Apparently when I was getting my groove back and my hamstring pull "worked on" I also got knocked up. Yup I am 12 weeks pregnant. So let me fill you in on the last 8 weeks. First some of you know we have been having trouble getting pregnant. Hence Marc's surgery . The doctor said there was a 50% chance the surgery would work but that not to except results for 3 months. So after just one month when I was a bit late I took a test and saw 2 lines the second was very very faint. Marc was sure it was a false positive because of what the doctor said. You should have seen him with the instructions in one hand and the box in another the stick in front of him on the coffee table. We just had waited so long that we couldn't believe it. So that is my update. I will be blogging more. Oh and I am still running I am doing about 30-35 miles a week . I have not raced yet but I may get in a race for fun.

Why my hamstring feels better or How Kate got her groove Back

If you want to hear why I think my hamstring feels better keep reading . If you don't want to hear about my love life Stop reading . No seriously Stop . STOP!! You people are sick . But here you go... I have been icing , stretching strengthening and some massage for the past week. My husband let's call him Marc ( who has totally signed a release agreement saying I can post this) had surgery 4 weeks ago. This particular surgery meant NO work, NO running and absolute NO lets say "Smooching" but on Friday we got the green light from the Doctor . And away we went, rented a cabin outside New Paltz for some relaxing, running and of course some smooching . What I am saying for those injured is ease up on isometric, isokinetic, eccentric, dynamic and plyometric and tune up on the smoochometric.


* I am not a doctor
* Always practice smooching safely and responsibly

Bring on the advice

To the Brittany Spears tune:

Oops I did it again
I ramped up my mileage
I did it to fast
Oh baby
Now I am injured
it is my hamstring
What should I do ?
I am so depressed

Ever since the half my hamstring have felt tight. I got a massage and was still able to run and bike. Last night however during our track work out I knew something was seriously wrong. I could not run fast . I was hoping to do all 4 miles in or around 6 minute pace . I have been feeling stronger. But as I tried to lengthen my stride and lift my legs I felt pain in the back of my thigh. Depressed I trotted home and went immediately to the internet. Not a tear but most definitely a strain or pull? Anyway I am stretching it ... Icing it. I still plan on doing the stationary bike at the gym tonight. I am lucky in that I have only been injured twice in my 20 years of running (first 5k age 10 24:32) . Once the IT band in college and once before the Philly marathon in ought 4 some tissue damage in the knee. So this is new . So please pour on the advice. Thank you

Gauntlet

... has been thrown. By the man pictured to the left . For the sake of privacy lets call him "Josh". In recent weeks "Josh", already a friend, has become my new running nemeisis. In the friendliest of ways of course. He is the Joker to my Batman, the Bill O'Reily to my Al Franken , the Sadam to my Bush? Ok you get my point but in case you dont see other examples in the following paragraph.


He is: The Donald to my Martha, Tybalt to my Mercutio, a streudel to my Atkins, Judas to my Jesus, Sunnis to my Shiite, A bunch of shrapnel to my Bob Woodward.

So i accept your challenge and I suggest this stage in 2 weeks the Scotland Run. :)
On another note I can barely walk today after the half.

Danny Boy

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone! This is one of my favorite days of the year. I am dressed in green from head to toe. I came in early to the office played some Irish Music and shared soda bread with other Irish colleagues. I would love after work to head to an Irish pub and tell stories until the wee hours of morn, but The Brooklyn half is tomorrow.

It also makes me miss my favorite person to spend this day with my Pop-Pop. Daniel Joseph Mckinney would have been 89 years old on May 19th. He was one of my best friends as well as my grandpa. He was born in Brooklyn into a family of cops. He could get you laughing with a wink and smile. He told the best stories. And he drank serveral martinis a day. In fact the night he died he had 2 martinis and went to bed and that was it. He was the stero-typical Irish guy.

So I missed him so much that yesterday I asked him to send me a sign. I thought maybe he would send me a dream or something. I awoke disappointed, no dream. But as I was leaving for work I opened the hall closet and out fell his old tape measure onto to my foot. Ouch! This is so him he loved practical jokes. I just picture him saying "you want a sign here you go!" SO corny I know but it is all I got. Sorry the picture of him is so bad it is the only one I have on line .