December 30th, 2010

Okay, I have a few moments before the generator goes off tonight to finally tell this story. Things have been absolutely crazy since (the day before) Soleil was born. And not just from having a new child in the home but also with travel and getting our first team at ELIKYA and everything. But I don’t want to let any more time go by and end up forgetting parts. So without further ado…

Michelle and I had been anticipating for several days that our baby girl would be born by December 29th. One of two things would happen. Michelle would either go into labor before that date or she would be induced. December 30th was only 7 days past her due date but several of the surgical staff at the Gamboula Hospital were leaving at the end of the week for Bangui. In the event that a C-Section would be required it would be best to have them on hand. So at around 8:20 AM on December 29th with no signs of labor starting anytime soon, Dr. Tim had her hooked up to an IV and started on Pitocin to induce labor. Leann Turk, one of three missionary nurses at the station, did the IV and later told us that it was her first successful attempt…ever. Michelle was just glad that Leann waited until after the fact to tell us that. So with the IV drip going we settled in for the long haul. Michelle was in good spirits and even found time to write some work e-mails between contractions.

Taking care of business

After a while the contractions started coming more quickly and stronger. Michelle would stand or walk around, trying to get comfortable. But it was paying off. Everything was progressing and Dr. Tim was estimating we would officially be parents by around 1:30 AM the next day. But after weathering several hours of painful contractions that night the progression stalled. Leann and Jan Cone, one of the other missionary nurses, slept in the adjoining bedroom for a few hours. Dr. Tim slept on the couch and I even got maybe a couple hours of sleep in between 2:30 AM and 4:30 AM. They had taken Michelle off the Pitocin for a few hours in the hope that she would be able to get some sleep as the contractions would be lessened in intensity. She didn’t sleep a wink, though.

So in the early hours of December 30th we made the transition from the house where we were staying down to the hospital. I drove Michelle down in a golf cart. Once at the hospital the Pitocin dosage was upped and the contractions got really serious. But still no progress. Seeing how her labor had been stalled for about 12 hours, it became apparent that a Cesarean would have to be performed. Michelle gutted it through until the surgical team had been called and assembled. Finally they brought her into the operating room and onto the table. She was given a spinal and a few moments later the pain was gone. After 24 hours of labor she was finally pain free. Now it was the turn of the doctors and nurses. The spinal did not completely numb her abdomen so she was given a general anesthetic and was soon out like a light.

Before the operation; no more pain!

Immediately, the team began the operation. I don't think I have ever been so proud of my wife as I was in those moments. I became a mere bystander. But Michelle had been fighting intense pain and weariness and the uncertainty of when it would be over for an entire day. Now she was going through a major operation. She was all in it for this new life that would soon be brought into the world. Soon, at 8:40 AM, Dr. Tim was able to pull Soleil out and hand her to Aleta Danforth, another missionary nurse who helped Michelle regulate her breathing during a very hard part of the labor. Soleil was bluish at first but after her mouth was suctioned out she began breathing and her whole body immediately flushed pink as she started crying. And soon I was holding her as they started sewing Michelle back up. Once the operation was completed Michelle was moved to the recovery room as we waited for her to wake up. Soleil was the 837th and final birth at the hospital that year and the first missionary baby born at Gamboula in at least four years. So she attracted quite a crowd.

Aleta cleaning Soleil up

Leann and I (and several onlookers) waiting for Michelle to wake up

Soleil was quite a bit bigger than was expected. She was 8 lbs 14 oz but the real problem was that she also had a larger head. I’m not sure who she got that from. As she was descending, her head didn’t turn in time and it became blocked in the pelvis. She would never have been born but for a C-section. We were so grateful for the skill of the surgical team and for Dr. Tim, Leann, Jan and Aleta for their constant encouragement, their help and their wisdom in decision-making.

Dr. Tim with his newest patient

At one point I was holding Soleil as I sat near Michelle who was still really out of it. Soleil started crying again and Michelle turned towards us both and opened her eyes briefly, then smiled. It was her first realization that Soleil had been born and that it was over.

We moved her onto a stretcher and brought her out to a waiting truck that made the short drive back to our house where we got her onto our own bed. She gradually came out of the fog of the anesthesia that afternoon. It had been a grueling day and we were all extremely tired but so grateful to God for the result. Soleil was absolutely beautiful and it was hard to believe she was finally here! It was even harder to take our eyes off of her. Over the next three to four days Michelle began to recover from the surgery. On New Year’s Eve she made it out to the Wester’s house for the celebrations and for her own birthday party no less. We were able to get a flight from Gamboula to Bangui on January 10th and by that time Michelle had really recovered from the surgery with only minimal soreness remaining.

Bringing Michelle into our house after the surgery

Happy 28th Birthday!

Now Michelle and Soleil are in Bangui with my Mom who came out to see her first grandchild and I’m back at the ELIKYA Center helping to host our first short-term team here. Hopefully, they will be able to join us here in Gemena on February 3rd. I can’t wait to have them back.