A Little Buchei: Christopher Malek Buchei

We waited 37 weeks and 2 days to find out that it was a boy!! I couldn't believe it. He was here. It's a boy. I have no blue. But, it's a boy. I have a girl. But, it's a boy. IT'S A BOY!!! I cried. A lot. Happy tears. It's a boy. He was so worth the wait.
So...how did he get here?
Well, I got a call on the Thursday after Christmas and was told that my OBGYN had gone out of town for a family members death, so she wouldn't be able to make it to my appointment for the following Monday. But, since I'm high risk, I had to be seen by a different doctor. So, we set the appointment. Didn't think much of it. Just another appointment.
Well, on Monday, December 29, 2014, I went to the doctor. Brandon and Mallorie were both with me, as they usually were. But, this appointment proved to be a bit different. My blood pressure was higher than it had ever been and the doctor was really concerned. She expressed her concerns to me, and told me the risks of continuing my pregnancy. She put me on STRICT bed rest! I had to do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING for 2 days. She said come back on Wednesday, which would be New Year's Eve, and we'd check my blood pressure again. I was also to monitor it periodically at home for the time that I would be on bed rest, and if she wasn't satisfied with my numbers, then we'd "call it quits." Her words, not mine.
I was terrified. I was 37 weeks pregnant, and I wanted a VBAC more than anything. But, I wanted my baby to be healthy.
So, I monitored my blood pressure at home. It wasn't great, but it also wasn't always terrible. Sometimes it would be normal, and rarely it would be too high. At least that's what I thought. I thought things were fine. Brandon gave me a blessing that things would work out for the best. We prayed A LOT. We prayed for a VBAC if that was God's plan, but we prayed more importantly for the health of the baby and for my health.
So, Wednesday came. We were kind of okay having a baby that day, but didn't really think it would happen. My numbers didn't seem to be too critical. So, we go to the doctor and they check my blood pressure. The nurse said it seemed ok. I must've looked disappointed because she looked at me and said she'd talk to the doctor. I'm not sure why I looked disappointed to her. Don't get me wrong. I was DONE being pregnant, but my desire for a VBAC was so intense, I didn't want my baby to come without my body being ready. So, they check it again, and then this time they don't tell me what it is. They just say to wait in a room, the doctor needed to now see me. We knew at this point, our baby would be coming. We weren't supposed to be seeing the doctor. We were only supposed to be seeing nurses for my blood pressure check.
She came in. And said those words. "You're having a baby today. You can't be pregnant for any longer. It's not healthy." My heart sank. It meant an automatic C-section. It meant having to send my daughter to a babysitter, and I wasn't ready for her to not be my only child. It was a lot for me to take it, but I didn't cry. At least not until the doctor left the room. We called both sets of parents. My mom told us that she would shower and then get on the road with my dad and my brother and his family. Since I had eaten breakfast that morning we were told that I wouldn't be able to go into surgery until at the earliest 6:00 p.m. It was currently 11:30 a.m. Plenty of time for my parents to get to Corpus Christi from San Antonio.
We asked if we could go home to gather things and to find a babysitter for Mallorie (the one we had previously asked was sick). But, she said no. She said with my blood pressure being what it was she wasn't comfortable with me even leaving the hospital. So, I was wheeled to labor and delivery. Seriously. Wheeled. I wasn't even allowed to walk!!!
I told Brandon to take Mallorie home and let her nap. We still had HOURS until this baby was coming. So, he did. My family eventually got on the road with plenty of time also.
OR SO WE THOUGHT!!!!
Surprise...the plans had been changed. They asked a doctor to come in and do the surgery at 4:30 before he started his rounds at 5.
WOWZERS!!! I had no family here at this point, and no husband by my side, and they told me this around 2 p.m. So, I call Brandon and let him know what's going on, and then call my parents.
3:45 comes and there's no sign of my parents or husband, and the nurses are telling me that I'm going back to the OR at 4:00 to get prepped. I call Brandon, and he's on his way to the hospital with Mallorie. We were never able to get her to a sitter since my surgery time had changed while she was napping. He's on his way. What a relief, but he has our daughter, and my parents aren't at the hospital yet to take her.
So, they wheel me back to the OR without my husband, and I'm terrified. I can't do this by myself. I don't want to do this by myself. I don't want to find out the gender of this baby without my partner by my side.
As I'm getting my spinal tap, I'm bawling. Because first of all, that is one of the most painful things I've ever had done to me, and second, they're not waiting for my husband. And, to make matters worse, my anesthesiologist kept telling me I shouldn't be crying. BITE ME!!! I'm allowed to cry!!!Eventually, Brandon makes it. I have no clue how, or when. But, I just remember looking over and him being there at one point! Within seconds, I hear screaming. It's a boy!!! More tears. More anesthesiologist telling me I had no reason to cry and that I shouldn't be. It was incredible. They held him up to my face and Brandon took a picture, and then they wheeled me to my recovery curtain. My mom came in and I shared the news with her, and then Brandon and my dad came back. I asked for a blessing, but I honestly can't tell you a word that was said. I was so completely drugged up, all I wanted to do was sleep.
We make it back to my recovery room eventually and we share the news with all of our family via text or phone call. He wasn't named yet, but we were at least able to announce his arrival.
It was 6 hours before I was allowed to see or hold my sweet baby again. It was truly the hardest 6 hours of my life. And, we weren't being told why we weren't allowed to see him, they were just keeping him away. We were finally told that he had trouble controlling his body temperature, and then once they got that under control, he was breathing too rapidly. But, finally at 10:30 p.m. they brought him to my room. He was perfect. He was a boy. And, he was mine.
My surgery didn't go as planned, so we dealt with some rough news, but he is here. I can't complain about that right? I am blessed to be a mother. I have these two perfect children, and I couldn't ask for a greater calling than being their mother.

Christopher Malek Buchei

Born Decemeber 31, 2014

6 lbs. 7 oz.

19 3/4" long

4:33 p.m.