New Years Resolution / Hudson's Birth Story

Is it really 2014 already? It seems like just yesterday we were ringing in 2013. My blogging has for sure suffered over the last couple years. My last post updated where we had been over the year and announced we would be expecting a new addition to our family in December. Well guess what, it's now January 2014 and my new addition is now 1 month old and currently snoozing away in a baby sling. Please meet Hudson Owen Jaramillo, born December 4, 2013.

I really wasn't going to have a New Year's Resolution this year, but today I was thinking about how I couldn't believe Hudson is 1 month old. Which is really funny because during those first few weeks Todd and I would say to each other "has he really only been home for 2 weeks now? It feels like months!" You really lose your sense of time when your days and nights all blend together. Now that things have (somewhat) calmed down as we pass the 4 week mark, I have a few (very brief) moments of which I have two hands and can do a little something for myself. The other day I was looking through Facebook and saw that a friend had posted their New Year's Resolution was to take more pictures, I thought "that's a good one" and then remembered our long lost ghost child of a blog. So my 2014 resolution is going to be to document our lives better. I know that with a newborn the days can seem long (and let's not even talk about the nights) but in 11 months we are going to be putting up Christmas decorations and planning a first birthday party and I am going to say "what happened to my little baby?"

So without further adieu, the first blog post of 2014 is Hudson's birth story:

Hudson was born at 9:28 AM on December 4th, it was a Wednesday  morning. To say that he surprised us with his arrival would be an understatement. I really had no idea that I was even close to going into labor. That Monday I had some Braxton Hicks contractions, but they didn't stay consistent, weren't painful and totally stopped Monday night. Tuesday, the day I went into labor I didn't even feel practice contractions.

Todd and I had driven separately to work that day, we usually carpool but since he had to go to court for work we decided to just drive our own cars. I got home at about 5 PM and decided I was too hungry to wait for Todd. Thanksgiving had just happened so I made myself a nice big plate of turkey, mashed potatoes and green been casserole. While waiting for my food to cook, I decided to take a belly photo to show off my lovely belly hanging over my pajama pants and sticking out of my shirt. Little did I know, this would be the last belly photo I would take. 

Ready to pop

I devoured my food and was just finishing up when Todd got home at about 6:30 He made a quick work phone call and was just sitting down to watch some TV when I stood up from the table to stretch out and POP...my water broke. At first I just kind of stood there dumbfounded before I called over to Todd "I think my water just broke." When the fluid didn't stop leaking I knew for sure it was time to go to the hospital. We ran around the house throwing a few more things into our bags and off to hospital we went.

The entire drive over there we both were just kind of in shock, we kept saying to each other "I can't believe this really happening." During this I finally started to feel some contractions, nothing too painful but I could tell this baby was for sure making his way out. We got to the hospital at about 8 pm. We were supposed to check in through then ER but Todd accidentally parked over by the outpatient services. We of course didn't realize until we were up to the doors, but I was not about to walk back to the car leaking the entire way and instead just waddled myself down to the ER entrance while Todd moved the car. When we walked in the lady at the registration desk said "is it time?" Then called out "we have a maternity down here!"

Our first stop on the maternity ward was the triage area. We actually were very lucky that my water broke that night because you automatically get admitted when your water breaks and it was a full house at the hospital that night. Every room was full but we got to jump to the front of the line. We hung out in triage for about 30 minutes and during that time my contractions started to get really strong and pretty close together.

 I would also like to note that triage was the only time I moderately snapped at Todd. He was helping me breathe through some contractions and his breathes just happened to be really close to my face. I very nicely said he was breathing on me and to please stop...Todd remembers this a little differently. If you ask him, I yelled it.

By the time we were admitted into our room, the contractions started to come on really strong. My first labor and delivery nurse that had been working with us in triage said "the smile you had in triage is gone." This where I got my first lesson about motherhood: Nothing will go according to your plan. In the weeks before labor, Todd and I had tried to make everything perfect. We made checklists for our hospital bag and wrote up a labor and delivery plan. When we showed the plan to our first nurse (of course we had to do it on a cell phone because we thought had more time before birth and kept revising the plan and neither of us actually had printed out a copy) she had the unfortunate job of explaining to me that when you water breaks, your labor plan really goes out the window. This meant no walking around, no soaking in the hospital tubs (one of the main reasons we chose that hospital) and I probably would have to get Pitocin because we were on a little bit of a time crunch since I was more prone to infection. 

Even though my delivery was going to be completely different from what I pumped myself up for, the most important thing was that Hudson would be born healthy. I didn't dwell or argue with the nurse, but decided to roll with the punches and stay positive.

Before the epidural

I made it to about 5 cm dilated before I decided that I couldn't hang and asked the nurse for an epidural. In the past I had really wanted to be all natural with my birth but a few things changed my mind. The first was that the nurse had told me I would probably have to get Pitocin and that is extremely painful to go without an epidural. The second was that about 5cm dilated I started to get the shakes really badly. In our labor and delivery class, the nurses told us that you really can get an epidural as long as you are able to control yourself enough to sit still through contractions while the anesthesiologist did his thing. I could feel myself slipping over into the uncontrollable side of things and knew it was now or never.

Our nurse was fantastic and even was able to jump me ahead of another lady to get my epidural. I have to say, it was amazing. The anesthesiologist who did was so great, I only felt a small pinprick and then ahhhh heaven. Once you get the epidural you get something called a peanut ball, it's a Yoga ball but looks like a peanut, and you rotate from side to side. 

The rotating was the only stressful part about labor. Hudson is a very particular baby, he would get comfortable on one side and when I switched sides he would freak out and I would have to take really long slow breathes until he would acclimate. The only time I had to take oxygen was right after the epidural when I tried to lay on my right side and Hudson was not having any of it. Even with the oxygen and breathing I had to switch sides because his heart rate would just not cooperate. Like I said, Hudson is a VERY particular baby.

After the epidural, zonked out!

After the epidural I would just nap and the rotate sides about every 2 hours. The nurse kept coming in to check me and at one point said they were going to start Pitocin if I didn't keep dilating, she came back about and hour later and luckily I kept trucking right along. I never had to get the Pitocin. I was very lucky that my body just kept on dilating and moving right along. I think it might have been because until we got closer to actually delivering Hudson, I didn't take any extra doses of the epidural. I just let the machine medicate me so I never was too numb. 

At about 7:45 am my nurse came in to check on me and said that I was completely dilated and 100% effaced, however Hudson was not facing the right way and still needed to work his way down the birth canal. She said they were going to have me "labor down" for about an hour and to not take any more extra hits of the epidural so I would be able to feel when it came time to push. Let me tell you, this nurse was amazing. She seriously knew exactly what she was talking about. I would have her deliver all my babies.

Around 8:50 am my nurse came in and told me we were just going to practice doing some pushes. She seemed really nonchalant about the whole thing and just said she wanted Todd to practice bracing me and me practice pushing so we would be ready for the real deal. We did the practice pushes for about 15 minutes until I got the hang of it and I was able to feel my body telling me when it was time to push. I kept doing what I thought were practice pushes until my nurse told me the next time I pushed to reach down and feel. It was the most amazing moment to reach down and be able to feel my baby's head starting to work its way out. I don't know what it triggered in me, but it made the whole thing seem real and the prospect of finally meeting our son so close. It was like I had some kind of mommy super strength and after a few more pushes the nurse said "I am just going to get a few things ready." 

Now I was prepared to push for at least one hour so I still didn't think we were doing anything other than practice pushes. A few more pushes later and the nurse is on her pager calling the doctor down. Before I knew it the doctor and two more nurses came into the room and we were delivering our baby. I don't remember feeling any pain as I was pushing, just sheer determination and some pressure. After a total of 35 minutes of pushing everyone told me to stop and our baby literally popped out.

At 9:28 am Hudson Owen Jaramillo made his entrance to the world. He came out screaming, latched right on the boob and them promptly pooped all over me.  I look back at these photos and I still get teary eyed. I don't think there are any words that can describe how this moment felt. Hearing Hudson's cry for the first time and seeing his perfect face...I am at a loss of words. I don't know if there is any time in your life when you meet someone for the first time and automatically can't imagine life without them. 

I have to say, I had a very easy labor and delivery, which I guess makes up for how hard our first month of parenting as been, but more on that in another post. We were in labor for only about 10 hours, most of which I slept for, and I only had to push for 35 minutes. I think a big part of it was because the hospital staff were so amazing. From my first nurse who had to break the bad news about ditching our birth plan to the nurse who helped me with our "practice pushes" everyone was so kind and made me feel empowered about childbirth. My experience was not what I had expected (honestly it was better) but at the end of it we have a beautiful healthy baby boy who we just adore. 

 So there you go, first (hopefully on many) post of 2014. I am very excited to journal this first year of motherhood. Hudson is already a month old and I feel like I already have a million things to blog about. 

Cheers to a new year!

-Mrs.J

Back in a big way

Well hi there blog! Long time no see…like over two years long. Guess life has been a little busy for us here at House of Jaramillo. The last few years seem to have zoomed by. Time flies when you are having fun, huh?

There have been a few major life changes here at House of Jaramillo since we last blogged (which, wowza what a downer that one was!) I graduated from ASU with a degree in Public Relations from ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism. Then, about two years ago I started a new job working at a home health care agency. After being there about half a year I got an opportunity to become their Medicare biller. Totally not what I went to school for, but the experience I have gotten there I wouldn’t be able to even buy at a trade school so even though it was 360 from Public relations, I am  happy I ended up going down that road.. It has given me skills that I pretty much could take to any hospital or doctor’s office so I feel like I have a little job security. I don’t regret what I got my degree in at all. It really is amazing how often I use my PR skills, even in a job that doesn't really require them. I also made some really great friends at school; I wouldn't change that part in my life for anything.

Todd also started a new job in December of 2012. He moved from the Arizona Department of Education to the Arizona Department of Health Services. This was extremely exciting for our family because he had worked incredibly hard on his Masters and graduated with a Masters in Health Care Administration from A.T. Still in August of 2012. It felt like all his hard work paid off when he was able to start working in the health care field, which is something he had wanted to do for a very long time. The commute to downtown Phoenix is still a pain, but we are able to carpool half way so it works out.

The last year also saw us starting some home improvement projects. Summer of 2012 we put in a pool and it has probably been the best upgrade to the house so far. We only got to swim in a few months last year so this spring we were anxiously checking the temperature until we could get in. While most people in Phoenix were probably dreading the 100 degree weather, I couldn’t wait to spend my day pool side.

Todd also started doing some projects inside the house. One of our amazing neighbors (thank you Tim!!!) spent a week helping Todd rip out our cheap linoleum and install tile. They did the kitchen/dining room together and then Todd was able to do our entry way and half bathroom by himself. My parents also came down to help us update our laundry room. My mom helped me paint and then Todd and my dad installed cabinets and a counter. We still have some more work to be done, but once everything is finished we will post some pictures.

I guess our biggest news of 2013 would be that we are expecting a little Baby Jaramillo in December! 

We couldn't be more excited for our biggest addition to our family. We have been taking weekly belly photos and I will do a complete recap of my first trimester soon.  It will be interesting to see how the “baby” of the family (Nunu) will adapt to the new addition. She has been pretty spoiled and enjoying her only child status.

Life has been good but busy for the last few years and we are only getting started! Stay tuned because we are back in a very big way.

-Mrs.J

Remembering…

Well if you haven’t noticed, I have been a little MIA on the blog for a while…Okay, for a long time. I guess I haven’t really wanted to write about what has been going on because it wasn’t that great.

Over the July 4^th weekend our little Scioscia lost her battle with Feline Leukemia and moved on to a better place with the assistance of our vet. It was hard for us…really hard… like I still cry now thinking about it hard, but we both feel at peace with the choice we made. She never was in pain but her quality of life had just deteriorated to a point that it was just not worth making her stay around and fight, because she would have.

It was so peaceful and we stayed with her the entire time. If you ever have to make the choice of putting a pet down, stay with them. My family did this with out beloved dog of 12 years, Emma, and now with our little Scioscia. I held her the entire time and told her that we loved her, that God had a strong body waiting for her and that we would see her again. The vet prepared us for some of the biological things that can happen with death, but Scioscia just laid her head down and fell asleep in seconds. I think when you prepare your pet and tell them that you will be ok, they are able to let go of their physical body. Their loyalty is a hard thing to break.

We buried her in her favorite place in the backyard, between the two queen palm trees in the corner. It is nice to have a place to look at and remember her. I feel in my heart that there is life after death and there is no doubt in my mind that even little animals get to go there after their time on this earth. I remember after finding out that Scioscia was sick God telling me “The reason I gave Scioscia to you was because I wanted to her to have as much love as possible during her short time on this earth.” I will never forget hearing those words and I am pretty sure that if God wanted Todd and me to love the heck out of Scioscia, we did a good job.

I think anytime you lose a pet, a friend or a family member it makes you question what comes after this earth life. Everyone once in a while I still have a panicked moment of “what if I never get to see her again?” but then something comes over me, something calm and reassuring. It fills me with warmth and lets me know that our brief time on this earth is not all there is.

When Scioscia died, I think she let both Todd and I know that she had moved on in a way that would speak loudly to us.

For Todd it was with the Angels winning their game the day she died. Not only did the Angels win, but their game was televised, something that rarely happens in Arizona. He told me that night he was sure it was Scioscia telling him she was alright now.

I had found some comfort in a poem called Rainbow Bridge:

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together.... 

The afternoon after Scioscia died I was spending time with my sisters when my sister Laura called me outside and pointed to the sky. There, for just a brief few minutes, the most incredible full rainbow filled the sky. All I could say was “she is telling me that she is in heaven.”

To our wonderful Scioscia,

You will never be forgotten. Your time on this earth was so brief but you filled our life with such joy. If we had the choice to do it all again, even knowing the grief we would feel, we would do it in a heartbeat. Thank you for loving us so unconditionally.

We love you,

-Todd and Heidi

May 6...

If you are my friend on Facebook you probably have a little bit of an idea why May 6^th has been one of the worst days of my life to date. It was one of the most emotional draining days I have ever had and all I can say is good riddance it is in the past.

Friday was a little bit of a busy day for House of Jaramillo. Todd was scheduled to have his second go at shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum and a rotator cuff.  He decided since we both would be home for a three-day weekend, it would be the perfect day to schedule Scioscia’s teeth cleaning at the bet.

The day started out normal; I dropped Todd off and then ran home, picked up Scioscia and took her to the vet. After spending a little time with Todd in pre-op I gave him a kiss and settled down in the waiting room.  About 45 minutes after leaving Todd, the vet called me and said Scioscia had lost about a pound and she was a little worried about the weight loss. She said she wanted to check Scioscia for Feline Leukemia. At first I hesitated, I hadn’t noticed anything strange about Scioscia’s behavior and thought the vet was just trying to get some extra money. I even had her ask another tech that had seen Scioscia before if she thought she looked too skinny. Scioscia regularly fluctuates between 4 and 5 pounds when we take her to the vet.  Even though the tech didn’t notice too much of a difference, the vet was still convinced something wasn’t right. I agreed to let her do the test.

About 15 minutes later I got the worst call of my life. “Heidi, this is Scioscia’s vet, she is testing positive for Feline Leukemia.”

My heart started to race. How could this be possible? Just an hour earlier she was rubbing up on my legs begging me to give her the breakfast she so very much loved. Now she was the vet with leukemia? I felt so alone sitting in the OR waiting room. I tried to hold back tears as the vet explained in non-emotional medical terms what this meant for Scioscia…

“weak immune system….tumors”

She said it was important that they still clean Scioscia’s teeth to help clear out any bacteria. I hung up and sat numb for a moment trying to process what she had just said. I so desperately wanted Todd to be right by my side knowing what questions to ask and telling me it would be ok. Even though he was only yards away, I felt like we weren’t even on the same planet.

I called my mom and could hardly get the words “leukemia” out before the tears started to choke out. I called my sisters, both immediately said they were leaving work to come sit with me. I declined telling them by the time they got to the hospital Todd would be out of surgery.

I tried to get comfortable in the couch I had been sitting in. I suddenly felt panicked. Sitting in that waiting room, nothing seemed safe anymore. The certainty I felt that everything was going to go smoothly turned into paranoia.

“What if things are not ok with Todd in surgery? What if the leukemia makes it so Scioscia can’t handle the anesthesia? How am I going to tell Todd about Scioscia?”

I felt cold and it seemed my whole body was shaking. The seconds seemed to stretch for hours as I battled the big pit of sadness that opened in my stomach.  I tried desperately to hold back tears. Sitting in a hospital waiting room isn’t the place you want to be crying.

My fear only increased when the receptionist received call saying they needed Mrs. Jaramillo in a consultation room. I had just seen the doctor come out and talk to someone and couldn’t figure out why I needed to be in a consultation room. Sitting in the empty room I prayed for strength to just make it through the next few hours.  I am sure the relief was apparent through my red-teary eyes when the doctor told me Todd’s surgery went great and they were just stitching him up.  

“It shouldn’t be long until he is awake and you can see him.”

I waited. A half-hour passed. I waited. An hour passed, patients came with their families, the anesthesiologist grabbed lunch. Nobody came to tell me about Todd.

I thought about Scioscia and cried. I thought about telling Todd about Scioscia and cried. I thought about why Todd wasn’t out of surgery and cried. I felt completely wound up.

Finally a nurse came to tell me that the anesthesia was making Todd very sick and he still was not fully awake. I waited another half hour before I could actually go back to see him.

I held my breath as I turned the corner into Todd’s recovery room. The poor thing was completely green and his eyes were barely able to stay open. I sat with him for about 15 minutes feeding him ice chips; the truth about Scioscia was hanging over me.

“Todd, when you are more coherent I really need to tell you something”

He didn’t really process what I said. A half hour later when he started to get some color back into him and between the nurse coming and going out of his room I let it out.

“It’s about Scioscia. The vet called me and she has leukemia.”

I packed up Todd in silence. The combination of anesthesia and nausea didn’t lend for a great discussion about what our game plan was.  We loaded Todd into the Jeep; I sobbed the whole way home.

Immediately at home I started to jump into research mode. I scoured the internet for any and all information I could get about Feline Leukemia. I cried when I read about the tumors. I cried when I read how it can be spread to other cats.

I called the vet at 4:30 to tell them I was coming to pick up Scioscia. I couldn’t wait for their call. I felt like I needed her with me right then.

So here is where we stand now. There is no cure for Feline Leukemia. Scioscia will not live as long as other cats. I have accepted those truths. However, I have hope in the fact that Leukemia is not a death sentence like it used to be. By Sunday night I already had my game plan in motion and a number of holistic herbs and supplements ready to ship on Monday.  My goal is keep her immune system as strong as possible. Cats don’t actually die from the Leukemia, but from other infections that their immune systems can’t fight off. If I can keep her healthy and stress free, there is a good chance that we have a few years left with little Scioscia. The vet was actually surprised Scioscia had lived this long without proper treatment. She is my little fighter.

When I was taking my shower of Friday, God spoke to me loud and clear. (Yes, God usually talks to me when I am in the shower/tub. I think it must be the time he knows I won’t be distracted and able to pick up the message)

 “The reason I gave Scioscia to you was because she deserved the most love possible during her short time on this earth”

It was the first time I felt peace and calm the entire day. I know that loving Scioscia unconditionally is very much something Todd and I can do for her.

I will update you on how the treatment is going,

-Mrs. J