"Boys Day Out" Recap
8 hours ago
3.19.2012
1.25.2012
10.02.2011
8.01.2011
7.23.2011
7.16.2011
#2!!
3:30 pm July 14 2011
"I'm having contractions…this is it!” text message from Michelle.
I was expecting a call home soon but my day ended as usual and I was on my way home at five. Michelle was patiently waiting for each contraction (which had yet to reach an intense pain) and Carter was watching “Milo and Otis”.
Michelle called her Mom who left home (near Sacramento) at six and showed up at our place around 9 with Maggie and Kim, Michelle’s younger sisters. After a few minutes we went for a walk. Carter ran the whole time instructing us to stay on the sidewalk and admire the moon. Teresa, Michelle’s mom had the stopwatch on her phone and responded with minutes and seconds as Michelle called out her starts and stops. We returned home only for a few minutes before Michelle’s pain indicated (demanded) departure. We were at the hospital in 15 minutes. Michelle kept her composure, answering the “front desk” questions while contractions came every 2 minutes (I know every 2 min because Teresa kept an eye on the clock to be able to respond to Michelle’s request). an hour in the observations room determined admittance qualification.
The next 3 hours went by very quickly and details will be spared. I will say that Michelle has wanted to try an all natural birth and succeeded. In that delivery room I felt a great “call to duty”, an unquenchable responsibility and a determination to rise to the occasion…yet I could do nothing. I tried, but when it came down to it all I could do was watch. During the final moments, though, I watched Michelle’s mom Teresa hold Michelle with complete understanding and perfect motherly instinct. I watched as one demonstrated and one became a perfect mother.
So why couldn’t I do that? Today, the day after, I remembered a situation I was in that might illustrate the answer. I was working with Kjell Alsaker and we were carrying a water heater to the truck from a basement. I had my left hand under the main cylinder but my right fingers were wrapped around the little connecter nozzle sticking out of the casing on top. Once outside we set it down to get a better grip. While we lowered it to the ground the nozzle sunk back into the casing…with my fingers still wrapped around it. I was in a great deal of pain and told Kjell to do something. Kjell was very concerned and asked what I wanted him to do. He couldn’t do anything.
Now, if Dad had been carrying the other side of the water heater he would have hurried over, held my stuck hand firmly and on the count of three we would pull it out.
“All the world's a stage…a stage where every man must play a part…” Shakespeare
"I'm having contractions…this is it!” text message from Michelle.
I was expecting a call home soon but my day ended as usual and I was on my way home at five. Michelle was patiently waiting for each contraction (which had yet to reach an intense pain) and Carter was watching “Milo and Otis”.
Michelle called her Mom who left home (near Sacramento) at six and showed up at our place around 9 with Maggie and Kim, Michelle’s younger sisters. After a few minutes we went for a walk. Carter ran the whole time instructing us to stay on the sidewalk and admire the moon. Teresa, Michelle’s mom had the stopwatch on her phone and responded with minutes and seconds as Michelle called out her starts and stops. We returned home only for a few minutes before Michelle’s pain indicated (demanded) departure. We were at the hospital in 15 minutes. Michelle kept her composure, answering the “front desk” questions while contractions came every 2 minutes (I know every 2 min because Teresa kept an eye on the clock to be able to respond to Michelle’s request). an hour in the observations room determined admittance qualification.
The next 3 hours went by very quickly and details will be spared. I will say that Michelle has wanted to try an all natural birth and succeeded. In that delivery room I felt a great “call to duty”, an unquenchable responsibility and a determination to rise to the occasion…yet I could do nothing. I tried, but when it came down to it all I could do was watch. During the final moments, though, I watched Michelle’s mom Teresa hold Michelle with complete understanding and perfect motherly instinct. I watched as one demonstrated and one became a perfect mother.
So why couldn’t I do that? Today, the day after, I remembered a situation I was in that might illustrate the answer. I was working with Kjell Alsaker and we were carrying a water heater to the truck from a basement. I had my left hand under the main cylinder but my right fingers were wrapped around the little connecter nozzle sticking out of the casing on top. Once outside we set it down to get a better grip. While we lowered it to the ground the nozzle sunk back into the casing…with my fingers still wrapped around it. I was in a great deal of pain and told Kjell to do something. Kjell was very concerned and asked what I wanted him to do. He couldn’t do anything.
Now, if Dad had been carrying the other side of the water heater he would have hurried over, held my stuck hand firmly and on the count of three we would pull it out.
“All the world's a stage…a stage where every man must play a part…” Shakespeare
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