Eat Before the Induction...

At 6 PM Heather calls Kaiser and they tell her to come in for the induction. So we pack Nikos in the car and head over to Jeff and Sarah's. The plan is for Nikos to spend the night there and we would pick him up the next day to introduce him to his baby sister.

With that done, we head off to Walnut Creek to get this show on the road.

We roll into the hospital around 7:30 PM and start to get settled into the delivery room. Shortly after we arrive, Mel (Heather's sister/Labor and Delivery Nurse) and Cindy (Heather's mom) make their way up to the room. We exchange pleasantries, chit chat, bla bla bla.

So, around 8:15/8:20 I realize that I have not had dinner and start to get hungry. So I say "It looks like we have some time. I am going to head down to Subway to grab a sandwich." Off I go.

Meanwhile back in the room...

Mel notices that the baby's heart rate has dropped dangerously low. Typically the doctors like to see a heart rate in the 140 to 160 range. We were down to around 60 to 80. Mel sends out the alert.

Meanwhile, back out in the hallway waiting for the elevator...

My phone rings. Heather's mom says "Mel noticed that something is wrong. I think you should get back here."

(Remain calm.)

20 seconds later I walk back into the room where I am greeted by several nurses, at least one midwife and a surgeon. The surgeon says, "We need to go in right now and take this baby out." With that said, they pack Heather up and wheel her out.

(Remain calm.)

Two minutes later...

Large black nurse walks into the room, sees me standing where Heather and the bed used to be and says "Daaaaaamn!" And walks out.

(Really???)

She comes back to fit Mel and I with scrubs. We head down to the OR where we are greeted by all of the same nurses, at least one midwife, the surgeon and now three med students who have never seen a C section.

(Bunch of stuff happens on the other side of that little blue curtain.)

At 8:51 PM Olive Einalem Romios is born. 7 lbs 1 oz. 20 3/4 in.

This whole episode transpired over the course of about 20 minutes.

PS. I never did get that sandwich.

PPS. If I hadn't stopped on my way to the elevator to take a leak, I may have made it to the elevator and out of the building. Possibly missing the whole thing.

PPPS. Nikos met his sister this evening. With Nikos sitting in Heather's lap I hold Olive down for Nikos to say hello. Nikos bends down and kisses her on the cheek...


..then reaches back and smacks her in the face. The shot heard round the world. I suspect the war is on.