Chapter 148
"Honey... do you want to go update everyone outside?" asked Lindsey looking exhausted. "No... I want to stay right here with you until they've both been safely delivered" Tegan breathed into Lindsey's neck while holding her hand. "I want to see her so bad" smiled Lindsey. "I know you do Boo... you'll see them both soon enough. God she's beautiful" smiled Tegan. "Sure she is if she looks like her mom" smiled Lindsey followed by a loud moan. "Ahhhh". Contractions were coming closer together again. "You're okay baby... you're so strong and brave" said Tegan rubbing Lindsey's hand. Lindsey was drenched in sweat. "I can't believe I have to push another one out of there" she said.
"Brother's heart rate is still looking good, let's do an ultrasound to confirm position" said Kate. "He's still quite high and he's lying breach" said Kate. "Dammit, that doesn't sound good" said Tegan. "Give him a few minutes to turn... you just relax and regain your strength Linds" said Kate. "Kate is she okay? Can somebody please go check if she's okay?" said Tegan. "Abbey, nothing to photograph right now can you please go check on baby Casey?" said Kate. Kate had her hand up in Lindsey again. "We're back to six" said Kate. "Six centimeters? What the hell six?" complained Lindsey. "It's okay you shrink back between deliveries and baby boy's still quite high" said Addison. "Lindsey I think it would be a good idea if we try and express some milk while we wait. Baby girl must be getting hungry" smiled Kate. "But... how, I'm breast-feeding, shouldn't she be breast-feeding right now?" asked Lindsey. "She's got an ET tube right now so we can help her breathe. We'll give her some feeding through a tube. Probably will be for a while, her sucking reflex isn't quite developed yet" said Addison. "Oh... okay" said Lindsey looking confused.
"Just saw beautiful baby Casey, she's doing well. Breaking hearts already. She's stable and they're taking great care of her" reported Abbey smiling. "Oh thank God" breathed Lindsey. "This is Lucy, she's a maternal nurse and she'll be helping you express" said Kate. The nurse put the breast pump over Lindsey's nipple. The machine started doing it's thing but very little came out. "Lindsey... I want you to imagine your babies... just close your eyes and imaging holding them" said Lucy kindly. Lindsey closed her eyes, a few seconds later milk started squirting into the bottle fast. "Whoooaaa, there we go... amazing what a bit of imagination can do" said Tegan winking. "Ahhhhh" screamed Lindsey as another contraction hit. "Are the contractions still strong?" asked Addison. "They're a bit spaced out but yeah" breathed Lindsey. The breast pump delivered quite a bit of milk after a few minutes. "Some good colostrum right here to help those babies' immune systems along, good job Lindsey" said the nurse.
A few minutes later Kate and Addison did another ultrasound. "Guys, it looks as if he's turning but he's not turning the right way. I'm afraid we're going to have to do a cesarian" said Addison. "Is there no other way?" asked Tegan. "Not if we want to keep him safe Tee... we have to do what's best for mom and baby. We don't want to take any chances" said Kate with her hand on Tegan's back. "Okay... can I have an epidural though... I want to be awake for it" said Lindsey. "Of course, I'll call the anesthesiologist" said Addison. "Relax guys... he's still perfectly fine in there, we have plenty of time" said Kate. "Nurse is just going to put the catheter in in the meantime" said Addison. "Really? Must you?" asked Tegan. "Yup, she won't have any control of her bladder once the epidural hits. Sorry, no cath no epidural" said Addison.
"Okay mommy, you're going to have to sit up for me" said the anesthesiologist a few minutes after the nurse placed Lindsey's catheter. "Can't you do it with me on my side" asked Lindsey looking exhausted. "Sorry, we get a better shot at the intercostal space with you upright. Don't want to be fishing around. You're going to have to curl your back and stay really still okay" said Kate. "Okay Tegan, I'm going to need you to hold her other shoulder... hold her still okay" said Kate taking Lindsey's one shoulder. "Okay here we go" said the anesthesiologist. Tegan looked over Lindsey's shoulder as she held her tight and suddenly felt light headed as she saw him put a massive needle in her wife's spine. "Ahhh fuck that hurts... and ahhhhh another contraction" moaned Lindsey. "I can't... I can't do this" she breathed. "You can do this... you... can... do this" said Tegan into her ear. "Oh it hurts Tegan" cried Lindsey. "You're going to feel much better once this starts working" said Tegan. "No I mean it really, really hurts" cried Lindsey. "I know, I know... Shhh... you're okay my angel... hang in there you're almost there. You're so brave" said Tegan.
A few minutes later Lindsey was smiling and looking relaxed. "How are you feeling?" asked Kate. "Juuuust great. I'm in love with the epidural man" smiled Lindsey. "Some people call him the anesthesiologist" laughed Kate. "He'll always be the epidural man to me... can't feel a thing" smiled Lindsey. "Okay we're just about ready to take you to the OR. Let's just see what's going on in there" said Addison getting the ultrasound ready again. The doppler monitor started beeping. "What... what's going on?" asked Lindsey sounding scared. "Nothing, just lost the signal" said Kate frowning. She moved around the monitor on her belly. "There we go, baby could be rotating. It's okay, heart rate's 140" said Kate as the machine found the baby's heart rate again. "He's above the umbilicus" said Kate to Addison. "What does that mean?" asked Tegan looking worried. "Let's have a look on the ultrasound" said Addison. "Yup, baby's still breach we're going to have to take you to the OR" said Kate. The nurse put a cap over Lindsey's hair. "Ohhh sexy" joked Tegan. "Ha ha" said Lindsey. "Don't worry I won't instagram it" said Tegan winking.
"Hang on... feotal heart rate down to 90" said Kate. "Okay Linds, I have to check you again" said Addison with her hand in Lindsey. "Feotal heart rate down to 75" said Kate sounding serious. "What... why... what's going on" asked Tegan looking petrified. "You have a prolapsed chord" said Addison. "What does that mean?" asked Lindsey. "Chord get's pushed out before the baby restricting oxygen delivery" said Kate. "Oh my god... he can't breathe?" asked Tegan. "Let's move guys" said Addison.
"Feotal heart rate's 65 we have to get this baby out now" said Kate. "OR's not ready yet" said a nurse. "Yeah well we're going" said Kate. Addison climbed on the bed with her hand still in Lindsey. "What are you doing?" asked Tegan. "Keeping the baby off the chord... let's go, let's go" shouted Addison. They quickly wheeled Lindsey down the hall to the OR. "Is the baby hypoxic, what's the heart rate?" asked Lindsey. "We're not on a monitor" said Kate. "Please, please let him be okay... Kate please save him" said Tegan. "We're going to have him out of there in no time, hang in there" said Kate as they entered the OR. "Nurse, take over, keep your hand on the chord, Kate we need to scrub in" said Addison. They both ran out to the scrub sink as they moved Lindsey onto the operating table. A nurse pushed her hand back up into Lindsey. Tegan felt lightheaded and short of breath and she pulled out her inhaler for two puffs. "Tee?" asked Lindsey with a question in her voice. "I'm okay, I'm right here" said Tegan. The team attached Lindsey to some monitors. Kate and Addison came back into the room. "Mom's BP is okay 115 over 80, pulse 103, sats 98 on 5 liters of nasal oxygen" reported a nurse. "Up her O2 to 10 liters" said Kate. "Gloves, now" shouted Addison.
"Okay Dr Morgan, one minute from skin to baby" said Addison. Kate nodded. "Tegan... Tee" moaned Lindsey. "It's okay sweetie" said Tegan holding Lindsey's hand. "Scalpel" said Kate. "Okay there's skin, mark the time" said Addison as Kate cut into Lindsey's belly. "Stretch please... pull" said Kate. "Fetus is in major distress" said a nurse. "Uterine incision, where's peads?" asked Kate. "I'm here" reported a male doctor. "I see the baby's head" said Addison. "What's happening Tegan? What's happening?" asked Lindsey. "I don't know honey just hang in there" said Tegan with her face right next to Lindsey's. "Towel please... suction" said Kate. Lindsey had her eyes closed looking petrified. "Ah it's a boy... almost there" said Kate. "Second shoulder, and flex... good job Dr Morgan" said Addison. It seemed to Tegan as if Kate was yanking the baby out of there with some force. "Another clamp... scissors" said Addison. "There we go... and... head's out... cut the chord" said Kate. "Is he out... is he out?" asked Lindsey. "Um... He's out... I see him... I see him Linds" said Tegan as Kate lifted the baby out of Lindsey and immediately handed him to the peads team. "He's not crying" said Lindsey. Tegan just breathed fast, so close to tears.
"Uterus is boggy" said Addison and shouted some meds orders. "Tegan... Tegan is he okay... Tee?" asked Lindsey in tears. "I... I can't see" said Tegan. "GO" said Lindsey. Tegan walked to where the peads team were treating her son. He, like his sister had a head full of dark hair. "No breath sounds... heart rate's 50" said the doctor. "Suction... more suction... get an ET tube ready he's cyanotic" said another doctor. "Severely bradycardic, Heart rate's down to 40. I'm starting compressions" said a doctor and put his large hands around her boy's tiny torso and started pressing down fast on his chest with his thumbs. Another doctor was pushing a tube down his throat. It killed Tegan to watch this. "What are you doing... his heart is beating" said Tegan in tears. "Tegan, yes, his heart is beating but if a newborn's heart rate is below 100 they do chest compressions to try and get it up" said Abbey with her arm around Tegan. "Is he okay... Abbey tell me he's okay" cried Tegan. "They've got this Tegan" said Abbey. "Okay tube's in, bagging with 100% oxygen" said the other doctor. "One, two, three, breathe, one, two, three, breathe" a doctor counted fast. "More suction" somebody yelled. "Come on son... come on mommy's big boy" cried Tegan softly. "One, two, three, breathe... check pulse" said the doctor after a minute. "Pulse is only 60" said the nurse. "Continuing compressions... one, two, three, breathe" said the doctor.
"Is he... is he okay?" mumbled Lindsey. "They're busy working on him Lindsey, don't worry they know what they're doing" said a nurse. Tegan walked backward slowly to Lindsey. "Tee... what are they doing? Is he okay" asked Lindsey. "He's... okay" lied Tegan looking extremely pale. She kept looking over at the baby resus table. Tears were rolling down her cheeks. "You okay there Linds?" asked Kate still operating on Lindsey. "Uh huh" mumbled Lindsey. Tegan couldn't take it anymore and walked back over to her boy. "Pulse check" said the doctor. "Pulse up to 105" reported the nurse. Tegan sobbed in relief and put her hands on her knees to regain her composure. "He's okay Tegan... sats are coming up nicely" said the pediatrician. "Thank you" said Tegan, head still bowed. "Want to say hi real quick before we take him to the NICU" said the doctor. Tegan nodded and walked over. "Hello little prince... hello mommy's big boy" she whispered. "Hey gorgeous" she cried. "Sorry Tegan we have to move him now" said the doctor. "Let's weigh him first" said the other doctor. "3 pounds, 4 ounces" said the nurse. Tegan nodded. "Bye baby... I love you so much. Mommy's going to be with you real soon" she said as the team rushed the baby away.
"Linds... he's okay, he's okay... he's gorgeous" said Tegan smiling after jogging back to Lindsey. Lindsey was pale and looked a bit out of it. "Hey Boo... what's his name? Still the same or have you changed your mind?" asked Tegan. Lindsey nodded and whispered. "Ryan... Stephen Quin". Tegan smiled and kissed Lindsey's forehead. We have some active bleeding here, uterus still boggy" said Addison. "How much blood do we have on standby?" asked Kate. "6 units" reported a nurse. "Call for more. Get two units on the rapid infuser, open the saline wide" said Kate. "Sweetheart, I'm here, you're going to be just fine" said Tegan back at Lindsey's head. "Mom's pressure is crashing... 90, 60" reported a nurse. Addison gave a list of drug orders. "Dammit, she's oozing everywhere" she mumbled. "Hang in there baby" said Tegan in tears with her hands on Lindsey's face. The doctors kept working feverishly on Lindsey to stop the bleeding. "Sponge stick... clamp" Tegan heard them saying, it was pretty much the only two words she understood. "How are we doing?" asked Kate. "Pressure's down 80 over 40" said a nurse. Tegan looked at the container connected to the suction machine, it was full of blood. She breathed fast, she had never been more utterly terrified in her life. "More blood please on the rapid infuser and start another wide bore line, let's pump in some saline and some factor eight. Massive hemorrhaging" exclaimed Kate.
"I want to see my babies" whispered Lindsey. "You will Boo... soon... hang in there. Stay with me" said Tegan. "Dammit, uterus still boggy, another 500cc's of blood loss" mumbled Kate. "Pressure's down to 70" said Addison. "She's lost more than 3 liters" said a nurse. "Tegan... I'm scared" whispered Lindsey. "Don't be scared Boo everything's going to be okay. I love you" said Tegan crying. "I love you" whispered Lindsey. She's in hypovolemic shock" said Kate. "Pulse very thready... She's losing consciousness" said another doctor. "Stay with me Lindsey, come on stay with me" shouted Tegan, hysterical. Lindsey's eyes rolled around in her head and then closed. "Tegan step outside please... Tegan! Somebody get her out of here" shouted Kate. "No... No I'm staying" yelled Tegan. Abbey tried to force her outside but Tegan used all her strength to stay put.
"Airway's closing up" said the doctor at Lindsey's head. "Bleeding under control" said Addison. "Pulse up to 160, sats rapidly dropping, 88, 86 and falling" said a nurse. "Dr Morgan I have this under control, intubate her" said Addison. Kate quickly wiped her hands and was at Lindsey's head in a second where somebody was already bagging her with a mask. "Tegan move away" she said calmly. Tegan stepped back. "Help her... what's going on... Kate help her" she cried. "She seems to be having some kind of allergic reaction to the meds we gave her to help stop the bleeding" said Kate as she tilted Lindsey's head back and put the laryngoscope down her mouth. Monitors were blaring everywhere. Tegan felt herself start to shake. "Lindsey... come on baby" she cried. "I'm in, bag her" said Kate calmly. "She's in V-tach" shouted a nurse. "Dammit, Let's give her a shock" said Kate taking the defibrillator paddles from a nurse. "Come on Linds, you have two beautiful babies waiting to meet you" said Kate waiting for the defib to charge. "Come on Linds... I love you... Please Lindsey... Pleaaaase" Tegan shouted. "Shocking at 200, hands off" said Kate loudly. The team around Lindsey's belly lifted their bloody hands out of her. "Clear" said Addison. "Shocking" said Kate. Tegan felt the world start to spin and her breathing become labored. She was experiencing complete sensory and emotional overload. Things started blurring, the room was tilting, everything went black.
A/N: I know you're probably all hating me right now. Let's hope Lindsey's going to be okay. Welcome baby Ryan! Review pleeeaase!