Yup, I talked through my whole c-section. I try to make each experience memorable and honestly, less boring. Yeah, yeah. Miracle of bringing forth life and all...but the wait for a c-section is long and frustrating. Especially when you are having contractions that take your breath away every minute or so. I wanted to pick the nurses brains and have conversations. Maybe not meaningful ones, but something to make everyone have a good time taking my innards out and taking my baby out. ;)
I learned that my surgeon was from Brooklyn. That one of the nurses was so religious, she prayed over me as she out me on the gurney. Oh! My anesthesiologist was planning a vacation as a Christmas present to his family. We laughed a bit at my phobia of falling off the gurney, after in clutched at the nurses and anesthesiologists scrubs in a panic. But Perhaps the saddest topic, was hearing their complaints on how things just weren't the same since the many cuts at the hospital. My nurse said "everything at the President's hospital is broken." It was a very different place since I'd had Banshee there 3 years ago. It felt like a cold and antiseptic place, instead of the nice comfy atmosphere of before. Things change though and I think everyone was trying to make the best of it, including me. I was getting antsy.
I encouraged conversation and banter, as they escorted the Sailor in, who took a quick look at my insides and said " you look good in there!". The doctors all agreed. " thanks, I guess", I answered back. I mean, would you count that as a compliment? Haha! It was nice and it led me to mentally create images to every part of the conversation and to the things I thought about to get away from the OR and into my happy place.
I thought about the movie Neverending Story and how much I really want a ride on Falkor. I thought about hurrying this c-section up so I could be with the girls. I wondered at all the family vacations coming up and how they would include one more person to have adventures with. I thought about my nurses and doctors and how I didn't bring them a snack as a thank you/job well done gesture--I felt bad about that one. I thought about how all my c-sections has been performed in this same OR, and how it looked different each time. I even thought about how easily I could have been on the news, as there was traffic and around here, a distance of 30mins can take four hours in rush hour. I also thought about eating some delicious Chinese food after my surgery. I was salivating at that one.
After the whole experience, it got me to thinking what coping strategies other women use. I didn't think I was doing anything novel but I am known for my John Dorianesque inner monologues, so maybe it's the same for other women? I find us women so interesting, able to slip away from tough situations and think of others, at the drop of a hat. Huh. No wonder we're tough enough to handle childbirth (as I type this, I think back on the video where the two men ask to feel contractions in show of camaraderie for their wives and ended up weeping on the floor. Watch. It. Now ).
What coping strategies did you use during a tough situation, childbirth or otherwise? Do you have an inner monologue? Let the Mamas know! ;)
