Surprise!

On Wednesday, September 3, 2008 Ben took Mandy to her Dr's appointment at 11:00 AM. Dr. Roles examined Mandy and told us that she was dilated to 5 cm. That wasn't supposed to happen for another 2 1/2 months! So Ben drove Mandy to Mercy hospital in Manhattan. Dr. Roles had already called the LifeStar flight crew and Mandy was airlifted via helicopter to Stormont Vail Hospital in Topeka, a 30 minute flight. Alisha (Mandy's Jardine coworker and friend) drove Ben to Topeka with some clothes, etc. Soon Ben had found his true love in a small room in Triage. Doctors Bonebrake (no, really) and Cruze (that's with a long e) were briefing Mandy. They informed her that they wouldn't be able to wait for another 48 hours to have the baby like they had hoped. At Mercy regional they had given Mandy a steroid shot to help develop the Baby's lungs. Typically they give 3 such shots spaced out over a few days. Dr. Bonebrake had hoped to give Mandy a second shot before she delivered, but Ellie had other ideas. Mandy was 100% effaced and dialated to 5-6. The doctors wanted to make sure that everyone (especially the NIC team) was ready to greet our little bundle of premature joy. So they decided to induce with Pitosin and Dr. Cruze broke Mandy's water and they prepped Mandy to push and instructed her to just breath. Lamaze classes were scheduled for October. We didn't know how to breath. Soon they checked the baby and determined that she was breach. So they scrapped the natural birth and planned for an emergency C section. Things were moving so fast Ben barely had time to sign his wife's life away before they put her under the knife. Mandy had to brave the OR alone ... except for the 736.4 doctors ... while she was prepped and put to sleep. Soon after she went to sleep Ben was allowed in the OR and watched the delivery. Dr. Bonebrake pulled out Baby Gramkow at 2:29 PM and he sent her right over to the NIC team. After they had worked on her for a few minutes Ben found out that she was a girl and a little later he got to come stand beside her. After Mandy was stitched up they took Ellie down to the NIC Unit with the proud, excited, confused and nervous papa following close behind. They began to re-intubate her since the first tube they had used was too small. Dad was just happy to hear that something was too small for her. They had a little trouble getting the tube in so dad had to leave the room for awhile. Then they weighed her in at 2 lbs 7.5 oz. Soon after they began inserting a couple IVs into her umbilical cord. This was a sterile procedure so dad had to leave again and went to check on Mom. Mandy was recovering with faithful nurse Peggy who had been with Mandy since she got to Topeka. Ben and Mandy officially decided that our daughter's name was Ellie Jo Gramkow. Ben went back to the waiting room to deliver the news, had lunch, and returned to check on Mandy. Soon they were ready to move Mandy from the recovery room to a regular room on the labor and delivery floor. But first Mandy and Ben went to see Ellie in her room in the NIC unit.