Lots of changes in my life

have occured in the last 11 months...February 14, I got a Valentine gift from my OBGYN...she called me and I missed the call...she left me a message to call her back...I returned the call at 5:05 pm. Her office was closed...I left a message...She called me at 9:13...said she was at the hospital delivering a baby, and decided to stop in her office...She saw that I had called, so she called me back. She new that I was waiting on the results from my amnio...they were back...She said, you know we talked about the possibility of DS...I said yes...She said the results were that the baby was a boy and he was positive for trisomy 21 (DS)...I started to cry, but I don't know why...she talked a while longer and told me to schedule an appt and we could do another ultrasound to check out his heart. After a few moments we hung up.

Brianna (16 at the time) was there with me...she comforted me and we talked...I had known about the possibility of DS and had been okay with it, this is why I didn't know why I had cried. Maybe it's because I knew what he would face, maybe it's because my husband was gone, maybe it was the actual shock of knowing for sure.

My husband...
We had kinda separated back in September...he moved 3 hours away "for a better job." The pay was not enough to support his living expenses and bring home enough to match what he had before with the "lower paying job." I was left with 3 kids, the house, the bills (I wanted to protect my credit rating), and all.

I found out 2 weeks after he left that I was pregnant...he started coming home every weekend (another expense, with gas being the price it was) So, basically we went to being weekend spouses. His plan was that when my contract was up the following June, we would all relocate to central Arkansas.

So, as I said, when I got the news, he was not there. I called him to tell him and his response was okay, I need to go...got to get in bed. He never wanted to talk about it, not then, not later...always brushed the subject to the side.

I decided to name our child Samuel Aidan M., S.A.M. for short.

A little side bar, Sam's birth...

Samuel's due date was May 31...Paul came home on May 4. He left at 4:30 on Sunday, May 6. Sam decided not to wait until May 31...I had been feeling discomfort and achy most of the day, but when I moved, I felt better...Well...at 11:30, I felt like I had to go to the bathroom...Then, I felt like I couldn't get off the toilet, so I called the hospital from my cell phone and told them I thought I may be in labor...They said come in and they would check me...well, I couldn't get up...so, I started hollering for my 16 year old daughter. She was asleep and I couldn't get her to wake up...I finally called her cell phone, after calling it 3 times, she finally answered. She came and helped me off the toilet...she then got my 2 year old up and took her to the sitter while I started to get my 9 year old up...I called Paul, told him I may be in labor...we agreed I would call him back when I knew for sure. I gathered clothes for Jake and was on my way to the bedroom to get him up when the first hard labor pain hit...I caught myself on the back of the sectional to keep from collapsing to the floor...I look at the clock...12 midnight...I made it to the bedroom and got Jake up...he got dressed and we headed for the door...another pain...Jake helped me out the door. As we got to the edge of the porch, Brianna came flying down the road in my van...I made it to the van...as I raised my leg to step into the van, my water broke...I called Paul to tell him to come on (he was 3 1/2 hours away)...I then called the hospital back and told them my water just broke and they needed to call Dr Henderson and get her to the hospital ASAP...well, my daughter was almost hysterical and made a 18 minute trip in 11 mins...she drove up to the ER and ran in to get a wheelchair...2 nurses came out and asked me if I could get in the chair...I said in a minute when the contraction ends...I asked about the doctor, they said she wasn't there yet...I screamed well she's just not going to make it then, how far away from this hospital does she live...(it was about 12:30 am)...I got in the wheelchair and another contraction started...The nurse told me that they had to check me to make sure I was in labor before they could call the doctor...they wheeled me into the exam room and I was finally able to get on a gurney...I was in hard labor...the nurse put on a glove and did the exam...she flew out of the room to call the doctor...she came back and I asked for Stadol and how far am I...she said we have to move you to the birthing room first you are at 8 cm...I screamed, no I want it now, when we get there, you will tell me it is to late...Another pain hit, the nurse yelled at me breath through it, I tried, we started down the hallway and another pain, breath through it said the nurse...I tried...I felt pressure, I breathed, I felt a pop, no pain, I said oh, I can do this, euphoria had set in, we made it to the birthing room, the nurse asked me to move from the gurney to the bed, pain hit, she screamed breath through it, I felt Sam moving, I said I'm sorry, and out slid Sam at 1:37 am...The 2 nurses started running around, one ran to the door and screamed we need a heating bed, we need suctioning, help....All of a sudden, there were 8 to 10 nurses in the room and still no doctor...The baby delivered, the placenta delivered and 10 minutes later the doctor shows up...I looked at her and said, I called them at 12:10 and told them to call you and they didn't until after I got here. (I know, maybe TMI, but I love this scenerio...I had thought about delivering at home, but we didn't know the extent of the DS and what birth defects he may have.)

Sam was anxious to join his new family...he came 24 days early and made the last leg of the journey in 1 hour and 37 minutes. Brianna and Jake were supposed to witness Sam's birth, but were told to stay in the waiting room until I was settled in the birthing room...well, they missed it...Paul got up, packed and left Mayflower at 12:30 and made the 3 1/2 hour trip in 2 1/2 hours...he saw me at 3 am and his son at 4 am.

Now, back to the changes...

I had taken maternity leave on the 4th (had enough sick days built up then to make it to the end of the semester...I am a teacher...I went back and taught 2 weeks of summer school and then the move was on...

We sold our house and left the little town of Montrose on June 24...we are now settled in Quitman in a rent house...we moved so that Sam can get the Early Intervention that he needs...I was unable to find a job so we are now a one income family. Paul got a better, higher paying job, and I qualified for unemployment (but it ends January 31st). Life is good right now, but it soon will be hard...Tax time is coming and we plan to pay off several bills...maybe that will help.

My life is so different now...Thank you SAM!!! You are one of 4 of the best things that have ever happened to me...We all love you so much...Paul has done a 360...The kids are all so important to him now.