I was about eighteen weeks along with my last baby and had developed a terrible septicemia from my central line. It came on very suddenly and left me in the hospital with a high fever and hallucinations. I spent several days with ice packs all around me and IV antibiotics terrified I would lose my baby.
When I finally recovered, I was really weak and depressed. My dear friend Sharon, who is also an OB nurse and doula that I have worked with for years came to visit. She said, "We've got to get you out of here. Where do you want to go?" I said, "Honestly I just want to remember what this is all about. Can you take me to see the babies?" I wasn't on the OB floor because of the infection -- but that was all cleared up now. I was just getting strong enough to go home.
She put on her name tag, grabbed a wheelchair and acted like she was supposed to be taking me somewhere. I got in the chair, but my IV pump wouldn't attach properly to the pole on the wheelchair -- so we were trying to wheel the pole alongside the wheelchair. We got out in the hall and I said, "Why don't I just hold the pump in my lap." So she undid the pump from the pole and handed it to me ------ only when she handed me the pump, the spike pulled out of the IV bag! So there we were in the hall, with IV fluids spraying everywhere like a kids water toy! We were both panicking and laughing at the same time me saying "Spike it!" and her saying "Where's the spike?" We were both getting soaked! Anyway, we finally got it back together and attached the pump back to the pole. She wheeled me down to mother baby as fast as she could leaving a nice wet spot on the carpet in the hall! When we got there we looked at the babes who were in the nursery through the window. It was such an upper for me!!! I know I looked absolutely wretched - but those babes warmed my aching soul.
Sharon got me back up to my floor where my nurse was waiting and none too happy with us
I was told in no uncertain terms that it was against the rules for me to leave the floor again! A little later, when I was almost asleep, I heard my nurse come in. She looked at my pump for a while and was clearly confused at how the pump could say I still had a couple more hours until my bag would finish infusing when it was obviously almost empty! I never told!
I know we were very naughty
but I still laugh when I imagine the security video that existed for a while that showed the two of us in the hall bent over in hysteria with water spraying in every direction! I really needed a laugh and I got one!
I hope this lifts your spirits too!
Love, Holly xxx
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