November 8th, 7 am ish:
Receive a text message from Lance that Kayla is in the hospital with possible contractions, her due date is January 18th so she is only 29 weeks and 6 days.
Head to the hospital and the cute couple is in good spirits, she isn't in pain, just being monitored. There for a couple hours and they send her home with the message: drink water.
She proceeds to drink 100 ounces that day, she is a very good patient.
November 9th, 7 am:
Receive a text message that Kayla is back in the hospital and being transported via ambulance to a hospital that can handle a 30 week baby if it comes to that. She had more contractions and what they believed to be amniotic fluid leaking.
Arrive at the hospital worried but optimistic since Lance and Kayla are superstars and handle everything so incredibly well.
 |
| Kayla's Mom, Heidi, at her daughter's bedside :) |
Another test showed it wasn't amniotic fluid that was leaking, so that's great. Also, they are restricting her liquid intake as pressure on the bladder can increase contractions...
 |
| Ultra sound to check baby Ames and his fluid levels |
Ultra sound was performed and she mentioned the fluid looked low...
At this point our brains are whirling with medical technology and also all the contradictory advice and information.
Drink water.
Don't drink too much water.
You're leaking amniotic fluid.
It's not amniotic fluid.
Your fluid looks low.
WHAT IS HAPPENING?
Bless Kayla's heart, this was all way too much for a new expectant mother to handle. This absolutely broke her down.
 |
| Tender moment between the two scared parents to be |
After the ultra sound was finished the tech/nurse/lady confirmed her fluids actually did look good. This was a relief but we were all so frustrated with the roller coaster of emotions they sent us on.
For the next couple hours we just waited. Kayla continued having small contractions even though she was on magnesium....which is suppose to stop them. She had also been given a steroid shot to help Ames' lungs develop in case he came.
Schuyler came and gave her a beautiful blessing. It was emotional and such a special blessing.
Things became so uneventful that we eventually all started heading home around 5 pm. The nurses were optimistic that we would be able to keep baby boy in for awhile longer and Kayla might even be able to go home in a few days.
 |
| Reassured and happy |
So we left. Because they assured us and answered our million questions.
And then it all changed.
9 pm I get a call from Lance that still gives me chills...
"Kayla's having an emergency c-section...bleeding...lots of blood....they're taking her now."
I tried to sound calm to Lance and assured him it would all be fine and I would be right there.
I wasn't feeling calm at all and soon began shaking, but there was no time to freak out. Brian and I called the family to let them know and soon my Dad was on his way with Abby and Cassidy, then Jenny and my Mom headed up as well.
I called my friend Amanda as I drove to the hospital and I must've sounded pretty bad because she said she was going to meet me at the hospital.
I got to the hospital and walked into their room.
They were no longer there, of course, but it caught me off guard. The room was deserted, the bed and machines were gone. There were no family members sitting on the window seal, looking concerned but optimistic. The nurses weren't in there checking vitals or assuring us that everything was fine.
I looked in the bathroom and was reminded of Lance's ramblings in his phone call, "...bleeding...lots of blood..."
All their bags were still there, laptop, phone, purse, everything. The nurse came in and told me they would no longer be in this room but weren't sure where they would be.
I started packing it all up and through tears called my Mom. I was apparently incoherent as I relayed the information to my Mom.
It was just all so sudden. When had everything taken a turn? How was Kayla? Was she in pain? Was she scared? How was she feeling about all this?
What about Lance, how was he handling this stress and lack of control over what was happening to his wife and son? And Ames?? How was that tiny baby who was barely 30 weeks old?!
I walked with the nurse as she wheeled their cart of belongings to an unknown destination. She informed me that Kayla was probably still in recovery and Lance was probably with the baby.
The baby? He was here?!
That meant Kayla was alone. I asked if I could please go sit with her but she told me no, that they recover alone for at least an hour.
She led me to the waiting room and left.
The waiting room was full of strangers and I tried to hold back tears as I found a chair to sit in. I felt helpless and so scared for the new little family, I desperately wished I could help comfort them in some way.
Amanda came and sat by my side and let me get some emotions out, her support meant the world to me.
When Heidi, Monroe, and Kim arrived (Kayla's family) I really lost it. My heart went out to Heidi, her baby girl was going through something so traumatic and she wanted so badly to be there for her.
The waiting was agony. Family members started pouring in and we all kept waiting to hear something. Anything.
Never did a doctor or nurse appear.
One family in the lobby got exciting news that twin baby girls arrived. I was so happy for them.
I was so scared for Lance and Kayla.
And then we got this...
Ames Wilde Armstrong
3 lbs 4 oz
16 inches long
We all looked at the pictures for hours, or it felt like hours. He was here. He was adorable, and from what we got in the quick text from Lance, Kayla and baby were doing well.
This brought some comfort to us and we continued praying.
Again, we waited. Knowing Lance had way more important things to tend to, wishing a nurse would come tell us anything.
Finally Lance came out and gave us a quick summary. Her placenta had ruptured and she began bleeding, hemorrhaging. They did a spinal block and then got Ames out safely and heard him cry, a beautiful, healthy cry. After Kayla was cleaned out (there was a lot of blood) and stitched up she got to go see Ames in all his machines.
Lance could only take one person in at a time. Heidi went back with him to see her daughter and get her first look at her grandchild. A brand new Grandma who was so anxious to meet her grandson.
 |
| Yaya with her newest Grandbaby |
Heidi went with Kayla to her recovery room while Lance stayed with Ames in the NICU and let us each go in and see him. The grandparents got first dibs on seeing the new bundle of joy so I joined Heidi and went to see Kayla.
Now, I really, REALLY, don't want to share this little tidbit but I have a feeling I will get some flack if I don't. Also, I made people laugh in a very scary situation so I'm trying to view it as my way of easing the tension. And if you can't laugh at yourself, what can you do?
So anyway, I'm in the room with Kayla and her Mom and Cassidy (my youngest sister) and we are listening to her tell us kind of what happened. She said she never felt pain but when she started bleeding the nurses rushed in and everything happened so fast.
At this point I just remember feeling very hot and then I saw spots and then....
I woke up in a chair.
The nurse was giving me a wash cloth and Heidi was rubbing my shoulder and Kayla was offering me ice chips.
Oh.
My.
Gosh.
Can I tell you how mortified I was? Kayla, who just had the most traumatic event of her life occur, who just had a very big surgery, who just had a 30 week old baby and then got wheeled away from him...was offering ME ice chips.
I wanted to crawl in a hole. I felt like the biggest idiot ever. I mean, who DOES that?!
Apparently I turned pretty pale, took off my jacket and then fell. Part way on Kayla's bed, part way on the table.
Yeah, classy Lindsey. Real top notch.
I swore them all to secrecy and then like a true sister, the first thing Cassidy does is run and tell my Dad. Gotta love sisters :)
Not really sure why I fainted, it was 2 am and it had been a long day with little food so maybe it was a combo.
Then before I went home, Lance took me into to see his son, his SON. My little brother was a Dad now! I didn't quite prepare myself for seeing Ames for the first time and when I took a look at that frail, helpless body with so many machines and wires coming out of him, I lost it. I wanted so badly to take his pain away, to make it all better. I also hated seeing Lance like this, he was a Father but he didn't get to hold his own son or comfort him the way he wanted to so badly. I kept thinking about Kayla and wanted so much for her to be cuddling her baby.
But there was a different story unfolding. A birth story that was the opposite of everything they knew and wanted.
Despite that, Lance and Kayla smiled.
Smiled at their beautiful son and the miracle he was. Smiled at all of their loved ones who were dying to comfort and support them in any way they could. Smiled at God for getting them here safely. Smiled at each other and their new job in life: Parenthood.
Lance and Kayla,
It's so hard to know what to say to you guys.
I want to tell you how sorry I am that this is how it all played out. I want to hug you guys and assure you that everything is going to be great.
I want to express my admiration for how you two have courageously taken this new challenge and bonded even more. For not only loving each other and supporting each other, but for your unconditional love and devotion to your son.
I want to help you in any way and every way. It's selfish really, I feel better when I help you, like somehow that makes this experience a tiny bit more bearable for you guys.
But it's not about me and what I want.
My prayers are for you guys and what you all need, for Ames to get bigger and stronger while staying healthy, for you guys to find comfort, peace, and strength in a treacherous journey, and for guidance to how we can best help.
Proud does not begin to describe how I feel about you guys. You may be younger than me but I look up to both of you and strive to find courage and strength in my life just like you guys have shown through this whole thing.
I love you, always have always will.
Please let me know when you need us, always standing by.
Love,
Your #1 sister ;) and favorite Aunt,
Lindsey Lulu
