Thomas Francis Ross Yadao

On Saturday February 5th 2011 I delivered via C-section my newest Son Thomas Francis Ross Yadao! I was quite nervous on the evening before with many thoughts racing through my mind. Will there be complications? Will he be okay? Who will be administering the spinal block in my back? What will Dr. Chun find? I can't believe I finally get to meet Thomas! So much apprehension and so much excitement all at the same time! What will Thomas look like? Will he be calm or fussy? Who's coloring will he have? It took a long time before I could finally fall asleep I awoke the morning of the 5th excited and nervous. I took a shower, got dressed, put on my make up, and read my scriptures. I asked Michael to give me a blessing before we left our home. Traditionally we wait until right before I go in but I was so nervous I asked for one before we left. In the blessing Michael asked that all might be well for both baby and I. After that I felt completely at ease.

On the way to the hospital Michael tells me that the middle name we had picked for Thomas was not going to work. Originally he was to be named Thomas Michael Ross Yadao but Michael backed out of that at the last second...so then he says Thomas Kennedy Ross Yadao...I was like...nope. So we kept driving. In my head I was thinking well what would be a good fit...then I heard Thomas Francis Ross Yadao. I thought it was a perfect fit but was hesitant to tell Michael.

We arrived at Kapiolani Hospital exactly on time 5:30am and checked in at the Registration office. They issued us our parking passes and up to Labor and Delivery we went. We checked in again at Labor and Delivery and they moved us to the triage room. In the triage room my nurse Zandra took all my information and hooked me up to baby monitors. They put in my I.V. and Foli Catheter and took my vital signs. Then I met my anesthesiologist. Dr. Chan was very personable. He asked me what my concerns were and listened very attentively as I told him I had a cold and was worried that it might make me feel even more like my breathing would be restricted during the procedure. He told me that many patients feel like they cannot catch their breath and that is due to the spinal block used during the procedure. He said that it's because sometimes the medicine goes up too far and it makes the lungs feel numb so even though the person is breathing normally it makes them feel like they aren't. I felt very much at ease after he answered all my questions. After I spoke with Dr. Chan Dr Chun came in and drew a line on the bottom of my belly where he would start the procedure from. Then he asked me if I was tying my tubes. I said "NO! That's like the third time you asked me that!" He just laughed. I said "When you get in there you supposed to tell me if it is safe to have more children" That was our agreement. Once he removed Thomas we would know if we could have more children or not. So Dr. Chun finished drawing his line and said he would see us inside.
Once they moved me to the operating room Michael had to wait outside. They had me move from my triage bed to the operating bed where I sat and waited for Dr. Chan to administer the spinal block no matter how many times I have had this procedure done I still get very nervous. Zandra held my hands and had me arch my back so they could find just the right spot to administer the medicine. Dr. Chan talked me through the entire process. He first felt with his knuckle the spot where he would inject the numbing medicine. Then he said it would feel like a bee sting. I felt the sting and tried my hardest not to move. After that he told me I would just feel pressure. I felt the pressure but had to make sure not to move an inch. I was blessed that I only felt pressure. Once he was through administering the medicine he had me lie down and tilted my head towards the floor so the bed I was lying on was tilted backwards. He said that this made the medicine flow upwards faster. He did several tests to measure how far numb I was as the medicine traveled up my body. Being numbed up like that feels weird cause all you feel is warmth and an inability to move. Once they were sure that I was numb they put oxygen on my nose and allowed Michael to come in. Then they started to bring baby out. During the other two c-sections Michael was always very animated, trying to take my mind off of what was happening. During Jonathan's surgery he calmed me by talking about wrestling and doing imitations of this one wrestler we had just watched a biography about that always made me laugh. He would say...." Who would've thought that 250lbs of blue eyed soul, would come to captivate a nation as I have." That line still makes me laugh. But this time he was super quiet. just communicating with me through his eyes and head nods...what little he did say was always I love you, everything is ok. At this point Michael says Thomas Francis Ross Yadao and I just nod my head. I thought it so neat that we both were told this name and glad I didn't tell him I knew it was his name in the car.
Finally, after what seemed to me like FOREVER! My little baby Thomas arrived. Dr. Chun told Michael as he was pulling baby out so he could take pictures. While that was happening all you hear from the surgery staff is...wow look at how much fluid there is....oh and look at how BIG he is! Holy Cow! Then Dr. Chun brought Tommy to the barrier so I could see his little face! He was so darling....now I know only a mother can think that because as you can see from the photo's above brother is covered in goop and blood but I tell you at that point there was nothing more beautiful than that little baby boy!
After Michael and I got a look at him they whisked him to the scale to take vital signs and measure him and all the rest.
At this point Dr Chun says to us "You asked me to tell you if you should have more children....you shouldn't your uterine lining is paper thin and you would risk the life of you and your next baby if you tried." I still cry when I remember his words but I just looked at Michael and nodded. We both knew that multiple c-sections of very large babies would limit how many we could have but...I hadn't expected it to be so soon. I wanted another baby and thought because my pregnancies were so good I could easily have another...but its not meant to be and that's alright.
Just after that we hear them call out Tommy's stat's! 9lbs 11oz, 21 3/4 inches long, 15 inch head, 13 inch chest! WHAT! HOLY CrOW! No wonder my lining was thin I was carrying a 6 month old in my body! That also explains why everyone asked me if I was having twins and also why the last week before my c-section I didn't move very much! It truly is a miracle what our bodies can do.I thank Heavenly Father every day that I was able to carry him to term and that he was so very, very healthy!

No words can express the love and gratitude we feel to our Heavenly Father for the safe delivery of our three beautiful sons and the life we get to create with them.