Welcome to the world Lucy Frances Chung – “Jersey Girl”!

Date: 2010.06.15 | Category: Fungbaby 2 | Tags:

It has been said that when man and woman make a plan, God laughs. Nothing could have been more true this past weekend leading up to the joyful occasion of the birth of Lucy Frances Chung. Lucy came into the world at Southern Ocean County Hospital (SOCH) in Manahawkin, NJ at 12:24 pm on Flag Day (June 14) and weighed 7 pounds, 9 ounces and was 21 inches long despite being born 4 weeks early. Why was she born at the New Jersey shore you ask? Ok, here is the story….

Erin, a beach bum at heart, wanted to make sure that she was able to get “down the shore” – as they say in Jersey – at least one time this summer. Our weekends have been packed since mid-April and this past weekend was really the first available opportunity that she had to go and bask in the sun this season and to enjoy time with her Jersey girlfriends Laura, Ruthanne, and Sherry. After getting clearance from her obstetrician on Friday and being advised to stay out of the sun, wear lots of sun block, and hydrate well, Erin was off to enjoy the shore on Saturday morning. With mom gone for her last girl’s weekend before being a mother of two, Daddy and Nellie decided to go see Grandmother in North Jersey as well and made the trip up on Saturday afternoon. The game plan for both Erin and David was to travel back on Monday morning to Maryland….

On Saturday afternoon, David got a text message from Erin which said that she had underestimated the power of the sun under overcast conditions and that her legs (shins and thighs) got really sunburned while she was on the beach (Erin’ note: This was a text  I debated on sending because I had gotten so much flack about getting burnt but thought I should own up to it.  The girls and I went to dinner and then back to the room so I could put my legs up).  Saturday turned into Sunday and Erin spent the day in bed after having bathed in aloe vera and Solarcane. (As the girls lounged by the pool, I spent the time laying in bed, legs throbbing with the incredible side pain flaring up). Afterall, this was no ordinary sunburn…..imagery reference  = steamed lobster.
Photos of burned legs at http://www.flickr.com/photos/dlchung/4701523986/in/set-72157624155183555/

The rosy red, hot-to-the-touch legs were one thing, but additionally, Erin was having a sharp pain on her left side and a call to the doctor yielded a course of treatment of consuming foods with high fiber content and drinking more water. Translation – the doctor thought Erin needed to use the bathroom.  The Grandmothership and I were honestly frantic with worry and were sad that there was nothing that we could do immediately to help Erin. Hate the feeling of helplessness when one that you love is hurting…..

As the day went on and after having consulted again with her doctor in Maryland, Erin went to SOCH just to make sure that everything was all right with Lucy. Turns out that all was ok with the baby but they thought she might be having an issue with her kidney and did an ultrasound. 4 hours later & without a diagnosis for the pain in her side, Erin and her weekend nursemaid and chauffeur Ruthanne,  hobbled out on her sunburned legs with some pain killers looking forward to popping a couple of the pills and hopefully having a restful night’s sleep before leaving to drive home early Monday morning……

Given the situation with Erin, rather than drive home Monday, David decided to leave and drive home after dinner Sunday evening. With a full belly and a sleepy Nellie comfortable in her car seat,  they set out and got home to Maryland around 2 am.

(Erin’s note:  4am, I awoke to a feeling which was either my water breaking or my wetting the bed.   Since I had never been through this part before and since I was laying next to Laura and thought it only fair that I let her know she could possibly be getting wet, I woke her up.  Since neither one of us was sure, we looked to the wise one, Ruthanne, to let us know if this was really my water breaking.  After determining that none of could make a certain determination, I called the doctor and with that Sherry popped up from her slumber and said “What’s going on??” My doctor back in Maryland  said I should get checked and that I might be able to make it back to MD in time. Knowing David may never speak to me again if he missed the birth of his second daughter, we jumped into action and cleared out of the motel in 15 minutes and sped to the local hospital at the shore).

4:15 am – the phone rings at home. David, thinking that he was in the middle of a dream manages to answer and hear words coming from the other end that would have made most men leap from bed. However, only being 2 hours into his sleep sequence, David responded to “Honey, this is Erin…..I think my water just broke” with a confused, fatigued acknowledgment and an inquiry as to what to do now…

Another trip to SOCH for Erin and again……after speaking with our doctor in Maryland and on advice of the medical professionals at SOCH, Erin was admitted at approximately 5:30 am. Meanwhile in Maryland, David is running around in circles, throwing clothes into bags, going into the storage closet to try to find the infant car seat, and placing calls to Erin’s Mom, her brother Matt and his wife Brandy, and Meghan Wrathall. 30 more minutes pass…..David brews coffee, grabs a quick shower, and Matt and Brandy arrive at our house – Brandy was staying to watch Nellie and to await the arrival of the Grandmothership in MD while David and Matt hit 270 south bound en route to 95 North at 85 miles per hour.  (Erin’s note:  I was admitted into the hospital with Ruthanne and Laura by my side.  I had been calm up until this point -delegating tasks out to those around me, making arrangements for Nellie, and staying focused on the task.  Once in the hospital…..that is when I broke down.  I cried at the thought of David not being here by my side for one of the most important days of our lives.  There was no way I was going to do this without him.  My friends by my side comforted me and told me “have faith, he will make it”).

All things started to settle down after I arrived at SOCH around 9:30 am and Erin and I were glad that I made it in time. (Erin’s note:  David, Matt, Laura, Ruthanne, Sherry and I sat in the hospital room talking and laughing about the events that had brought us all to NJ to have Lucy and chatted about the nerves of having a baby at 36 weeks, away from MD, missing Nellie, and just how unprepared we were for this.)

Erin got her epidural as the contractions began to intensify – not only a smart move for the labor, but this also was a lifesaver because it totally numbed all feeling associated with the sunburn as well. Just 2 hours and 45 minutes after I arrived in Jersey, the doctor did his examination and asked Erin, “Are you ready to push?” She and I just looked at each other with surprise and in disbelief – could this really be happening!?! (Erin’s note:  I answered the doctor with a firm “NO” to his inquiry and told him I needed a minute to get it together and to come back.   He came back in about 5 minutes and 4 minutes  and 5 pushes later, Lucy Frances let out a cry as she entered the world and as we gave thanks to God, we looked at our little girl then at each other and felt once again, the instant unconditional love for a child.)

While the trip down the shore could have gone more smoothly in so many respects, it could not have been a better experience. (Erin’s note:  the girls weekend at the beach certainly did not turn out as planned but as the time went by this weekend, the respect and admiration Ihave had for these women deepened.  They were understanding, sympathetic -at least to my face - and unselfishly supportive. From sunburn, to acute side pain to amniotic fluid in bed, to contractions, and finally to the many tears shed this weekend, I am forever grateful for my own set of Jersey Girls).

So, as I stated before……we plan and God laughs….I am sure that God had a good laugh this weekend….

Photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/dlchung/sets/72157624155183555/