Island Fever 5: Family Ch. 08

"Lindsay is blowing my phone up," Pamela said once we returned to the hospital room. Pamela was tapping away on her cell phone, most likely in response. "It's killing Lindsay and the others that they cannot be here for Krissy. She keeps texting me, continuously."

I frowned. "Well, you know how it goes, Pamela. I don't want everyone here at once. Krissy already has five visitors. She doesn't need four or five more."

"Who would watch the other babies if everyone was here?"

Kristanna nodded at Devon. "That's true. I suppose we could ask Alison, but that would not be right of us to put her in charge of five kids at once. She's still new to us and the family. Not right at all."

"And who knows how long it will exactly be before Ariel is born?" Devon added.

"Your hair looks pretty," Pamela said to Kristanna, reaching out and running her fingers through those long, golden tresses.

"Thanks."

"Looks gorgeous," Pamela added, now fanning it out in her hand. "You're such a beautiful, pregnant girl."

"Thanks," Kristanna repeated with a tiny squeal.

"You're the most beautiful girl in the whole, wide world."

Kristanna pointed a menacing, yet playful finger at Pamela. "You're gonna make me cry. Trust me, I will cry." Kristanna giggled at her own words. "You call me beautiful, but I look like Humpty Dumpty right now more than anything with this big, massive belly. And I feel like a truck!"

"Trucks are cool," Devon offered. "I love trucks."

When Kristanna was dilated to a five (out of ten), she was back in bed, this time for good.

"How are you feeling?" her mother asked.

"Good," she nodded. "Contractions are getting stronger and more frequent, just waiting for the epidural."

A long, thin needle that is inserted into the spine to disperse numbing medication, the epidural arrived just in time as Kristanna's pain and discomfort really began to shoot up. She sat up and hunched over in bed, and I gently held her wrists at her ankles and planted kisses along her forehead and face as the medication was administered through the needle. It was not a pleasant experience for her at all.

Once Kristanna was dilated to a 9.5, the doctor and his team of assistants and nurses entered the room and made the final preparations to deliver our baby into the world. A mere 15 minutes later, a miracle happened.

Kristanna was mostly cool, calm and collected as she went through the final stages of labor. I had one hand behind her neck for support, the other holding her right, while Pamela latched onto her left. Kristanna kept her eyes closed and, quite surprisingly, did not make a lot of noise during the process. Devon was the videographer with her tablet, while Kristof and Rande stood by and lent whatever moral support and words of encouragement they could to help their daughter.

"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine ... ten," the nurse coached Kristanna along. "Perfect!"

"Good job!" Pamela exclaimed.

"Now again," the nurse said. "Deep breath, think about your baby. Push. A one, a two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten ... PUSH! C'mon, push harder! Okay now. Relax. Relax, take a deep breath."

The pain must have been excruciating for Kristanna, but she simply lay there in bed, her eyes closed, the same hard, stoic look upon her face. And not a sound. She had been through childbirth before and seemed focused on not letting the discomfort get to her. My wife was one tough cookie.

"One, two ... there's your baby's head! Three, four ... oh, it's so pretty! Look at all that hair! Five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten." Surprisingly, Kristanna kept her eyes closed, wanting to stay focused.

"Beautiful, good job," the nurse nodded. "Exhale, come on, exhale. Good job. Try one more time. Try and relax your face, Kristanna. All your pressure, all your focus down there. One, two, three..."

Once Ariel's head was fully out and exposed, Kristanna's body violently jerked and she screamed out at the absolute top of her lungs as the rest of our baby came out with what seemed like relative ease. The nurses and assistants all converged on the baby at once with the doctor, near Kristanna's feet, doing a quick examination. When a loud, newborn cry was heard, Kristanna covered her eyes with her hands and lost it.

"One-eleven in the morning, March 14, 2016," the nurse announced, signifying the date and time of birth.

Not only did we have the euphoria of a new child in our lives, but that cry - loud and powerful as it was - indicated that Ariel's lungs and respiratory system were strong, and in good shape. One of our biggest concerns in having Ariel born prematurely was whether or not she would be able to breathe on her own. Many premature babies are unable to cry once they are born because they don't have the lung capacity to even make the sound. But that cry was an excellent sign.

"Can I hold her? PLEASE?" Kristanna then begged the physician, obviously recalling the conversation from earlier when he explained to us that Ariel may be taken to the NICU immediately. "Please let me hold my baby! PLEASE..."

The primary nurse looked at the doctor, who gave a simple nod of the head. Suddenly, Ariel - still loud and fussy - was placed atop Kristanna's shoulder and chest, and she hugged the newborn, showering her with love and affection. "She's so cute!" Kristanna mewed. "Oh, thank you!"

"Cry, girl!" Pamela laughed at Ariel. "Let it all out! Crank it up, cry even louder!"

"We love to hear newborn babies cry," a nurse commented. "Means their lungs are nice and strong."

"I love you, Ariel!" Kristanna sobbed at her. "Oh God, are you okay? I know it wasn't time yet. Are you breathing okay? Oh, Mommy is here to protect you!"

"She looks good, and healthy!" Devon observed.

"Jeremy, we have another baby!" Kristanna whined at me, as I leaned down and kissed her forehead. "I love you!" she added, finding my lips for a quick kiss. "I love you! Oh my God! This is our daughter! Our DAUGHTER! I cannot believe that we have a DAUGHTER now, too!"

"I love you too, honey," I responded, my insides warm and glowing as I gazed down at my wife and our new baby girl.

"Congratulations!" Pamela exclaimed at us.

"Because Ariel was born prematurely, we have to take her away and run some specialized tests to ensure that she is healthy," Dr. Reitan reminded us. "I hate to do this to you, Mrs. [Last Name], but it is necessary. Remember, this is for the safety and well-being of your child."

Kristanna was in shambles when the nurse pulled Ariel away from her and put her in a mobile incubator device.

"Can't Jeremy hold her for a bit, at least?" Pamela asked.

"No," I said, shaking my head at Pamela. "Take her away, make sure she is all good and ready to go. It's important that Ariel gets checked out quickly."

When the doctor and several of his entourage left the room with our baby, Kristanna screamed out in total frustration, her arms and legs thrashing about wildly. Pamela immediately climbed onto the bed beside her and hugged her tightly as Kristanna went through a temper tantrum the likes of which I had never seen from her before. Kristanna was FURIOUS. She wanted to rip that doctot apart for taking our baby away.

"It's going to be okay," Pamela said, clutching Kristanna to her, her lips just inches from her ear. "Ariel is going to be fine. Settle down, honey. Just settle down."

"I only got to hold her for 30 seconds..." Kristanna cried in the aftermath of her outburst. "If even that..."

"Shhhhh," Pamela consoled her. "Shhhhh, honey. It's for the best. Ariel will check out perfectly fine, and she will be back in your arms - where she belongs - in no time."

"But what if she's not?" Kristanna cried.

"Dr. Reitan wanted me to give you some medication that will help ease your stress," one of the remaining nurses told Kristanna, already preparing a new I-V bag. "Do not worry, we will have your daughter back to you in and your arms as soon as we possibly can."

"How long do you think that will be?" Kristanna's father, Kristof, asked.

"I do not know," the nurse responded. "That is up to the doctor. It all depends on the health and well-being of the baby. Once we know anything, you all will know. Now, let me finish preparing this medicine, and we will check you out, Mrs. [Last Name], and get you cleaned up."

Kristanna continued openly sobbing, her face buried upon the warmth and care of Pamela's shoulder, as I took a step back and sighed. Powerless. I felt powerless. There was nothing that I could do to help Kristanna or alleviate her anxiety and suffering. There was nothing that I could to aid and direct Ariel toward the path of total wellness.

All I could do was wait.

* * *

Upset, I was pacing throughout the hospital room, my arms folded, some three hours later at 4:25am. Kristanna had finally fallen asleep - due to exhaustion - about 40 minutes ago. Pamela was seated at the foot of the bed but she too, was asleep, hunched over the mattress with her upper half resting upon it. She was clutching one of Kristanna's feet with her right hand. Devon had been texting Lindsay back and forth all night, while Kristof and Rande were still barely awake. I was hoping for the best, but fearing the worst.

A new doctor - a pediatrician - then entered the room and introduced himself, and said he had news concerning Ariel. Devon was quick to wake Kristanna and Pamela, both of whom literally jumped and hit the ceiling when told that we would finally be given our very first update on Ariel.

Dr. Eriksen explained that Dr. Reitan, who delivered the baby, graded her at a 6 (out of 10) on the Apgar Score, a visual test given to all newborn babies shortly after they are born. The pediatrician, Dr. Eriksen, said that a score of 8 was considered normal, and there was no reason for us to be alarmed that she did not receive a 10. Very few newborns, he told us, got a perfect score. Nor was there any reason for us to be alarmed that she got a 6.

Because Ariel did not score incredibly low, such as a 3 or a 4, Kristanna was able to briefly hold her before she was taken to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for proper testing and observation. The pediatrician said that Ariel was breathing incredibly well on her own; she did not need any oxygen support or resuscitation whatsoever, which was obviously what all of us wanted to hear. It was the best possible scenario, at least for her breathing.

However, Ariel was suffering from a moderate case of infantile jaundice, a condition that resulted from an excess of bilirubin, a yellow-coated pigment of red blood cells in her bloodstream. Because her liver had yet to fully mature and develop, it was unable to flush through and weed out the bilirubin on its own quite yet. Dr. Eriksen told us not to worry; her liver would be fine given time. It was just not fully mature yet. But, with the jaundice diagnosis, Ariel's skin and eyes - her entire body - was discolored, yellow. If left untreated, jaundice could lead to brain damage.

The good news was that if all went according to plan, Ariel would be able to go home with us in four or five days. The bad news, however, was that she would have to spend the next 48 hours in the NICU undergoing treatment for jaundice. Dr. Eriksen said that Ariel was in a specialized chamber with bili lights being shone down upon her.

Bili lights are a form of phototherapy. The light would pass through Ariel's skin, he told us, and break down the bilirubin into a form that her body could easily eliminate. Once taken care of, the yellowish tint of her skin and eyes would safely dissipate, and she would look normal. There was no risk, and nothing for us to worry about, he said.

"Jaundice is a common issue even in full-term babies who are born perfectly healthy," he added. "It is not always treated with bili lights, though, because a full-term baby's liver can usually do all the work itself. With your child, though, she needs a little help. A little push, is all. Inside the uterus, while in development, the mother's liver takes care of cleansing the bilirubin from the baby."

"Otherwise, Mr. and Mrs. [Last Name], all I can say is ... congratulations. Your daughter is in good health and seems to be doing fine. She is retaining body temperature quite nicely on her own and has the strength to bottle or breast feed when that time comes."

"Can I see her?" Kristanna begged.

"You can, but it will have to wait a bit," Dr. Eriksen responded, to which Kristanna growled and cried out in total frustration. "The nurse is getting you some food while we speak because your sugar levels seem to be low at the moment. We fret and worry about the health and wellness of your baby, Mrs. [Last Name], but we also do the same for you. And you should, too. Remember, you just went through a childbirth. Your body needs time to rest and recover."

"How much does Ariel weigh?" Kristanna inquired, wiping away a tear. "No one has even told us."

The doctor quickly flipped through his notes. "4 pounds, 13 ounces. On the light side, but common for a premature baby. Nothing to be alarmed about at this point in time. Good news is that she has not lost any weight since being born, which is another concern for premature babies."

* * *

"Oh my God..." Kristanna mewed once I wheeled her into the NICU at 6:30am, a mixture of love and grief upon her face, as she caught her first glimpse of Ariel. Indeed, Ariel was in a small glass chamber and had protective patches covering her eyes. It almost looked like a tanning bed, with blue lights beaming down upon her otherwise exposed body.

"Isn't she cold?" Kristanna wildly fretted as I guided her wheelchair up to the machine. "Where's her blankets?" My wife tried to stand up, but I held her back in the wheelchair. She was in no shape right now to stand on her own. "Jeremy, let me go! Ariel looks cold in there!"

The nurse with us explained that Ariel's temperature and all of her vital signs were being closely monitored and, in the chamber, there was no need for a blanket because it was heated. The bili lights needed to make contact with as much of Ariel's skin as possible, thus no blanket or even a diaper, and the eye patches were there to protect from irritation to the light. She was being turned and flipped periodically by the nurses so no part of her body was left untreated.

Ariel even had an I-V in her arm; the nurse said it was to help protect against dehydration while undergoing the bili light therapy. Kristanna, of course, asked if she could hold Ariel - even if just for a few seconds. The nurse told her no, not yet, but we were more than welcome to reach through the opening of the machine on its side and gently touch her.

"Oh, hi there!" Kristanna swooned, slipping her right arm through the opening and tickling Ariel's chin with a single finger. Suddenly beaming, Kristanna and all of her senses seemed to come to life. "How are you, honey?" Ariel was gently squirming about within the chamber. "I'm your mommy, and he's your daddy. Say, hi Daddy! Oh, we're going to get you out of this place as soon as we can. I promise!" Ariel latched onto Kristanna's finger with a balled-up fist, which brought forth a new onslaught of tears from my wife. I put an arm around her and kissed the top of her head for support.

"Look, Jeremy!" Kristanna sobbed. "Ariel is holding my finger. She doesn't want to let it go!"

"She loves you," I simply told Kristanna.

"Oh God..." Yes, Kristanna lost it again.

"Let that mother hold her child for a bit!" a man's voice came from some 30 feet away. I looked up, and noticed what appeared to be the head physician of the NICU looking our way while tending to another small infant. "It's okay, Veronika. Let Mrs. [Last Name] have a few moments with her daughter. I think she deserves it. It would be good for the baby, too."

"Thank you!" Kristanna cried at the man, overcome with raw emotion, as the nurse dutifully removed Ariel from the machine and swaddled her up into a pair of blankets. Next stop was Mommy's arms; Kristanna peeled back a portion of her hospital gown so she could hold Ariel's little face to her shoulder, skin-to-skin. At the same time, the nurse removed the eye patches and placed a small beanie hat atop Ariel's head. Indeed, there was a definite yellow tint all over her.

"She's so tiny!" Kristanna gushed, gently bouncing her within her arms. "Jeremy, look at that face! Look at it!" Kristanna began peppering Ariel with kisses. "Oh, you're Mommy's little angel! Mommy's little miracle baby!" Ariel's eyelids nudged open, giving us our first real glimpse of them. "Her eyes are open! Look, Jeremy! Oh, you don't like that light, don't you, honey? Yeah ... it's a little too bright in here." Kristanna shielded the overheard light from Ariel's face, adding, "You have such pretty eyes!" She splayed kisses along both of those eyes, saying, "You are so precious!"

I simply stood there, videotaping the entire exchange with Devon's tablet. I could have held Ariel, but I felt she was best suited to be in her mother's arms. After all, there was only a very short window where Ariel could miss her treatment. Kristanna needed to hold Ariel for every available second.

"Oh, I love you, Ariel!" Kristanna continued. "Daddy and I are gonna take you home soon! Oh, you are so pretty! So very precious! Mommy loves you!"

"Mrs. [Last Name]?" the nurse frowned. "It's time."

Kristanna looked up at me and, again crying, shook her head. "I don't want to let Ariel go. I can't!"

"But you have to," I simply said, as the nurse gently took Ariel back and returned her to the glass chamber. Off came the two blankets and the little beanie hat, and on went the protective eye patches.

"I'm so sorry!" Kristanna sobbed at our daughter, wiping away an influx of tears. "I just want to take you home with me, hug and kiss on you for days at a time! I'm so sorry you were born early and that you have to go through all of this!"

"It's time we take you back to your room, Mrs. [Last Name]," the nurse told Kristanna, who became even more upset with those words. "You need another round of medicine, and you need rest. We will have your daughter back to you as soon as possible."

* * *

By the time it was 10:00am, I was running on absolute fumes. With everything that had happened to me in the past 48 hours - first marrying Scarlett, then having sex with Alison that same night and having to answer for it in the morning to an unhappy Scarlett, followed by Kristanna's sudden, unexpected trip to the hospital and the fear, the worry, of a rushed, high-risk birth, I did not even know how I was still awake.

After returning to her room from the NICU, Kristanna spent the majority of the morning crying in bed as she got more medicine pumped into her. Devon, as well as Kristof and Rande, had gone home to get some rest. Pamela was still here, though, as was I. Pamela was nestled in bed beside Kristanna, trying to sleep. No one was prying her away from Kristanna.

"Your rule, Jeremy, about a limited number of wives being able to visit during a hospitalization just flat-out sucks," Lindsay proclaimed, as she entered the room with Piper, my 15-month-old daughter with Pamela, hitched in one arm. "It sucks. It really does. I have been up all night, worried to death about Kristanna, and you did not want me to come here because Pamela and Devon were already here." Lindsay rolled her eyes and added, "Can't have too many wives fawning over someone all at once; can't draw attention to ourselves! Oh no, don't want people coming to conclusions about our life, our marriage, our family!"

"Settle down, Lindsay," Kristanna frowned. "And, hi."

"Dada!" Piper screeched upon seeing me. Lindsay set her down and the toddler came bounding over to me and hugged my legs. I had not seen Piper in nearly 36 hours. I leaned over and picked her up, then motioned toward Pamela.