Memoir Notes

10 October 2006

Barely Making It to the Hospital - Evan Is Here!

Evan Scott Cole (probably going to be the name) was born at about 12:45 PM today... IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM HALLWAY! Less than an hour and a half of labor.

Melinda called me at work around 11:20 saying maybe I should get done what I have to at work and then head on home, so I was planning on doing so, to leave around 12:30 or 1. Then she called again around 12 and only said, "Come home now." I immediately closed my computer, packed up, and rushed past Eric on my way out. "Where are you going?" "To have a baby."

I rushed like crazy home. It's about a half and hour to get home and another 15 minutes to get to the hospital. Melinda was waiting in the van, and we rushed like crazy (but still being safe) to the hospital. On the way, I called the doctor and told them to meet us in the emergency room. They said to come by the office first. I said, "No way."

Melinda was fervently praying in the car, "Please, please let the contractions go away until we get to the hospital... Oh, thank you, thank you... Oh, no! Please, let them go away... ok, ok, thank you, thank you... Oh, no! Not again! Please, please... etc."

When we finally got to the emergency room, I ran inside yelling, "My wife is having a baby in the car. This is our fifth kid [to emphasize that I wasn't just a first time dad freaking out], and they come fast!" Then I ran back outside. Melinda was screaming. Her water just broke, and the baby was on his way out.

The nurses were, in my opinion, not coming out to the car fast enough. I was yelling at them to hurry up. They told Melinda to get on the stretcher, but she was afraid she'd sit on the baby's head, as it was starting to come out. That was 12:43.

Before we got inside the emergency room, his head was out. I tore off her pants, and the staff was shocked to see that what she was screaming about was true. She was only partially in a room when the nurse, Jeff Hunter, pulled the rest of the baby out.

This was obviously not a common occurrence, as the staff didn't seem to really know what to do. Thank goodness they were there to help, though, as I certainly did not want to deliver him myself.

But we made it, and all are well. 7lbs. 6oz. 20". And lots of excited siblings.

10/10/2006