>>> Charles Bodwell 06/23/04 09:55pm >>> Dear Mom and Dad, Yes, an amazing day. Well, I did want to write a bit more on the whole thing. First, the story... I was up in Hanoi, in meetings all day. I checked email a couple of times and Iva wrote saying she felt 'funny' but not to worry. Of course, I did. I had a meeting at six, a drink with a colleague, but ended that quickly, saying I had to get back to the hotel to see what was up back in Bangkok. So off to the hotel, a call to Iva and she said she felt 'more funny, but don't worry.' I told her 'I am coming home NOW!'. It was 7 and the last flight left at 8:25 at an airport 50 minutes or so away... so the race began. I checked out of the hotel, having never actually slept in my room. I had changed from a rather dumpy place yesterday morning. So down I ran, found a taxi, got across the idea that this was an emergency and my wife was having a baby - and he proceeded to take our lives into his hands. Vietnamese driving is crazy but this was whatever more than crazy is. OK, not so bad, otherwise I would have said something, but still.... We made it with 10 minutes to flight closing, ran through checkin and onto the plane, front row they put me. I was by this point telling anyone who would listen that my wife was having a baby. But in fact I was not sure, did not think so. She told me it was probably nothing. But I arrived home, walked in the door and knew this was not something... Iva had laid pillows on the floor, her bag was packed, she was in the tub at 11 (with bedtime usually at 9...). 'Charlie, please time my contractions....' was her first suggestion. At that point, 11, they were coming every 4 minutes, three minutes or so apart. I asked her when we should be going to the hospital, how far apart should they be, she said 'look it up in the book', I did - and it said go to the hospital when they hit five minutes. I quickly repacked my bag and off we went. Checkin was strange, nobody knew where we were supposed to go, but they kept trying to put her in a wheelchair. She refused, and finally someone found the place for us - the birthing / labour room on the 3rd floor of Bumrungrad. The natural birth room was occupied so we got the room with the bed which has the end that falls away... used if you have had an epidural. Iva was a little disappointed, as she wanted to try full natural - but OK, no arguing now. We got settled in as the contractions came faster. They were now getting quite painful, really shutting her up, and the doctor, now contacted at home, suggested we consider an epidural. Well, after another couple of contractions Iva said 'let's do it', enough of the pain, why be a martyr. And so the anastetioligist (sp?!!?) was called. This lady showed up and proceeded to keep poking Ivanka with holes, unable to get between the vertabraes. The doc kept saying 'no good, all bones, all bones, no good...' Meanwhile, we had to keep Ivanka's knees against her chest in spite of contractions - making her very unhappy, painwise. Finally, the doctor gave up, had Iva straighten her legs - and amazingly the needle went right in. The epidural was administred and five minutes later - the real Iva returned, all smiles and relief. THings went fine then, we dozed a bit, two hours went by, three, four oclock, at 4:30 the doc arrived. Dr. Nopadol is a great guy, as we have mentioned in the past, he checked her out, said 'dialated to 8cm' (ten is what you target, so two more to go), and so I guess around 6. Contractions were coming regular and quite hard, sometimes having the pain even overcome the pain blockers. At 5:45 he came in and we did some first pushing. The head was there, a bloody little mass I could just make out as he pointed out what was up. But no luck. He said 'another 30 minutes I come back... and he did. Time to get into the saddle. The bed was broken down, stirrups were brought out, I was changed into scrubs and it was all action. Actual hard pushing began at 6:20, with me in the chair between the legs, ready to catch. The doctor coached me on what I had to do, holding down the baby's head as it came out, pushing gently on the perineum. I was there, the coach was getting Iva to real make an effort with each contraction. And ... here it comes. The top of the head appeared, the full round thing. Then it popped back, then she pushed and more came... I was now holding the head and then the ears appeared and 'POP' the whole head was out and the kid was looking around with this look like 'WHAT THE HECK'. More hard pushing... and me and the doctor gently pulling on the neck... and POP, out came the shoulders... we pulled now under the arms and it was easy, the whole baby, my son, our son, came into my hands. All is a bit of a blur now - the baby was put up on Iva's belly at that point, I think by me. Then the pediatrician took him over... oh, but not before the doctor had me clamp off the cord and cut it. Weird that is, all gray and blue and a bit alive. So the pediatrician looks at the kid, does all the checks of joints and lungs and heart... and he is great. Over four kilos. Not a beautiful kid at birth, a bit puffy around the eyes, scrunched up ears, but beautiful to us... and he gets better with each feeding it seems, the color becomes normal, the eyes open and kind of wander around. So, that is it. I have to get back upstairs to help Iva put him down and then sleep on the couch a bit. We will send more later, for now know that we really love and miss you both... xxoxoxo Charlie >>> "charmar" 06/23/04 18:10 PM >>> CONGRATULATIONS and Welcome TOM !!!!! What a prize he is and a thrill seeing the first pictures. AT 9 lbs . he looks like our Tom at birth -- so healthy and ready to "work out". Such an emotional day for Dad and I with this momentous occasion. Almost too much to comprehend. Iva, you are a vision in blue gown, blue earrings, blue swaddling cloth and, I presume ??, blue eyes for one and all. A wonderful Life ahead for the three of you and we send our love, Mom ----- Original Message ----- From: Charles Bodwell To: Sent: Tuesday, June 22, 2004 9:26 PM Subject: Re: quick note > Dear Mom and Dad, > > Congrats on being GRANDPARENTS. > > Here, all is well, Iva was great, Tom was great, and they both are now > napping. But I must return to them. > > More later. Please see... > > http://www.globalmatters.com/tomislav/Tomislav.htm > > Love, > > Charlie (and Ivanka and Tom)