The Story of Knox

I wanted to write about his birth before I forget it all, especially with all we have going on and this is my journal of sorts. We were scheduled to have him c-section because of my placenta problems at 38 weeks. Dave and I had ongoing bets about how big he would be. Dave thought he'd be under 7 lbs and I was for sure he'd be over 7 lbs. My c-section was scheduled for Sunday at 5:00pm. It was a rough morning, we were so excited, nervous, and anxious and waiting all day was killing us. We left the house a half hour early and just drove around because we couldn't just sit around anymore. When we got to hospital, we realized we were the only c-section scheduled so they rushed us right in. It was all just a blur because they were moving us so quickly. They couldn't get my IV in or started and it took about 30 minutes to get in my spinal block. Apparently my body didn't want to cooperate. We started early and before we were even scheduled to begin, Knox was born at 4:48pm and he was a big guy! Over 8 lbs and so long, especially coming from parents who have no height genes whatsoever! I of course couldn't see him but Dave ran over and everyone kept saying he was just huge! No one expected him to be that big, I can't believe the size of kid I'll have full term.

Immediately there was something wrong with his cry. They say a lot of times c-section babies have more fluid in their lungs so they told me not to worry. They showed me his face, and then took him away to NICU. They said he'd only be there for observation and not to worry. After they'd wheeled me to my room I still hadn't seen my baby and wanted to so badly. I made Dave get me into a wheelchair and he took me down to the NICU. He looked like a baby minus the oxygen tube and they let me hold him. It was the greatest 30 minutes of my life even though I was on mega drugs. It still seemed like things would be okay and that he'd pull through once he had the fluid out of his lungs.

That night was a rough one for Knox. We had a pediatrician come visit us at about 5am to tell us he had a pneomothorax which is like a collapsed lung. There was a leak in his lung and air was filling up his chest cavity. They had to intabate him and insert chest tubes to kind of chase the air and keep him stable. They also thought he may have pneumonia. It was much worse then any of us ever would have thought and the doctors say that they have no idea how he got it. The pediatrician says he sees it maybe a handful of times a year. We went to see our boy right after we talked to the pediatrician and realized he was much sicker then we realized.

The past fews days have been filled with ups and downs. We think he's making progress but then he'll take a turn for the worse. It's like 2 steps forward, 1 step back. It's been hard to leave him at the hospital but I'm sure I'll be spending more then enough time there. It's been so hard only being able to hold him once but I'm so glad I got in that wheelchair after surgery and spent that time with him. It will be awhile before I'll get to hold him again. The neonatologist said to expect him there a minimum of 2 weeks. I have to say, the NICU at IMC is incredible. We know our boy is in the best hands possible.

I wanted to post a picture of him every few days so I can see the progress he's making, hopefully as tubes begin to come out and he can begin to look like a baby again. He is sedated and so he doesn't move a lot or make noise. We're so looking forward to those little baby noises and big loud cries. We love our little boy so much, and we pray he gets better quickly!