Chapter 18

Over the next few months

BPOV

The last few months have been up and down. I was now eight months along and not as nauseous as I was although I am still throwing up every couple days. I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes and they are monitoring me for preeclampsia. I didn't have anywhere near these problems when I was pregnant with Jr. I am not quite sure why this is happening this time around, but I am dealing with it. We did find out that we are having a boy and his name is going to be Alexander Paul. Jacob has been great. He is supportive and helps me whenever I need it. He has been taking Jr. to work with him to give me some peace of mind. Even Gabi has taken him a few days to give me some time to myself. We have actually become really good friends and I really do like her. Embry and I have that best friend relationship we did before we were romantically involved and it has been great.

Gabi was coming over later so we could go do some baby shopping. Angela was going to come with us, but her daughter got sick, so she is staying home. Gabi and I are going to do lunch and then go to Babies R Us to get a crib, some clothing and some other necessities for this new little one. We are also going to bridal shop to get a dress for Gabi. Embry asked Gabi to marry him and they are getting married in six months. I was shocked when she asked me to be her maid of honor and a little hesitant since I would still have that extra baby weight, but she convinced me that I would beautiful no matter what so maid of honor is my new title.

After going to Macaroni Grill for lunch and to the bridal shop to pick out Gabi's dress and my matron of honor dress, we headed for Babies R Us. We walked through the clothing section and picked out a few things, ordered a crib and were heading to the aisle with the crib decorations when I started to feel weak. Gabi was a few aisle's behind me looking at some stuff when I felt the blood rush from my face.

"Gabi? Gabi where are you?" I was panicking

"Right in the next aisle Bella what's wrong?"

"Not sure I just don't feel right"

"Ok I am coming"

I could hear Gabi coming around the corner, but I couldn't focus on anything else going on around me. I was feeling more faint than I did before and just as I saw Gabi coming down the aisle I fell. I could see her coming over to me, but unconsciousness was coming fast. I felt her put her arm around me and dial on her phone and then the rest of it when black.

I woke up in a room I didn't recognize and saw Jacob sitting next to my bed with his head in his hands.

"Jacob?" I said weakly

"Oh Bells! Thank goodness"

"What happened?"

"You passed out in the store while you were shopping with Gabi. You're blood sugar was really low. The doctors are doing some tests, but they think you have developed preeclampsia."

"So what does that mean now?"

"Well you are going to have to be on bed rest. As long as you stay on bed rest you should be able to deliver normally."

"OK"

"Things will be fine honey. Don't worry we will get through this."

"I know Jacob. Thank you"

"For what Bells?"

"For being here"

"There is nowhere else I would rather be."

I got discharged a few hours later and started my long month of bed rest. I was not looking forward to it. I have to be running doing something. Gabi came over a few hours after we got home and brought magazines, movies, and some books to read so I wasn't totally bored. She also brought some games we could play. She was being so good about this since I was so awful to her at first, but she said all was forgiven and not to ponder on it. She told me one day that she didn't think she would have acted any differently if things were the other way around, that she would have been jealous of me too. She really did turn out to be a great friend.

Gabi came over everyday. She came over and stayed with Jr. while Jacob was at work, she and Embry took him to the park, the zoo, the amusement park. That child was going to be spoiled. She also cleaned the house once a week and played board games with me to keep me company. I had read more books in the last three weeks than I have my whole life.

I was getting closer to my due date and I felt worse. My blood pressure was elevated. I was dizzy. They had talked about inducing me early so the baby could be born. I was against it at first, but as I started to feel worse I called the doctor and set up the date. Friday morning we would be going to the hospital and they were going to induce me. I am hoping I am not in labor long. Gabi and Embry took off the day from work to be at the hospital and Billy was keeping Jr. I was excited and scared to death at the same time.

JPOV

I could tell Bella cause I didn't want to worry her, but I was so scared I hadn't been sleeping. I was tired and grouchy, but put on a good show to keep Bells calm. I talked to Embry and Gabi and they always told me it would be ok. I tried to believe it, but something told me in the back of my head that something bad was going to happen.

Friday morning we got ready and grabbed Bella's bag and headed off to the maternity ward of the hospital. Betty, her personal nurse got her all set up, changed into a gown, and set her iv's up. She said the doctor would be in a few minutes to explain the process and that they would be inducing her in the next two hours. Now the waiting began.

"Jacob, I need to tell you a few things before we have this baby."

"What do you mean Bells?"

"You know, incase I don't make it.""DO NOT TALK LIKE THAT ISABELLA. YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE IT AND WE WILL WELCOME ALEX INTO THIS WORLD TOGETHER."

"Jacob please"

"FINE"

"First I want you to know how much I love you. I have loved you for as long as I can remember. You are my world. I am sorry I betrayed you when I married Embry when we thought you were dead. I never meant to hurt you. I have never been happier in my life. You complete me Jacob Black.""Bells…""Jake….please."

"Ok baby."

"I want you to promise me that you will remind these boys everyday how much their mother loves them. I know Alex wont know me, but please tell him about me. Don't let Jr. forget me. And as you said to me, I want you to move on. Promise me you will move on."

"Ok, Bella. I promise, but you are going to be alright. I love you just as much and for just as long as you love me. Our children will grow up with both parents. You are not going anywhere. I love you Bells."

"I love you too."

The doctor came in a few minutes later and explained that the Pitocin will be injected by IV and that it will speed up the labor process. He also said he would have to break Bella's water and that the baby should come pretty fast after that. There will be a neonatal team here ready to take Alex and make sure he is ok and then we could hold him. The procedure sounded really easy. Bella was able to have an epidural if she wanted, but she didn't want anything messing with her back and I agreed to anything she wanted. The doctor seemed certain that this would be easy and our son would be here in a few hours.

The nurse came in a few minutes later and gave Bella the Pitocin. The doctor said that once she was dilated four centimeters they would break her water. They said after that her water was broken she should have the baby shortly after. If not they would do a cesarean. Bella was so worn out and weak I was worried about her and the stress this was putting on the baby.

The nurse came in an hour later and increased the dosage of her Pitocin to the maximum amount to speed up the contractions. Twenty minutes later she started getting stronger contractions and her cervix started to dilate. She was four centimeters now and I ran out to the waiting room to update Gabi and Embry. This waiting game was getting old. Bella was more tired than she was before and was trying to sleep in between contractions. Two hours later she was seven centimeters and 80% effaced and two hours after that she was fully dilated and 100% effaced. Her water still hadn't broken so the doctor was on his way in to break her water and she would be ready to start to push.

"Ok Bella. We are gonna count down from ten and I want you to push while we are counting. You know how to do this."

This was so great! I hadn't been here when Jr. was born and I was so excited to meet my new son and see him be born. The doctor and I started our countdown and Bella started to bear down to start pushing our son out. I knew she was in pain but she was doing so well. Her blood pressure was starting to rise and I could tell the doctor was getting concerned.

"I can see the head Bella just a few more pushes and Alex will be here. Come on baby you can do this"

The baby was just about out Bella needed one more good push and he would be here.

"Ok Bella. PUSH!"

The last push had delivered our son.

"Oh Bells. He is so beautiful. We did it honey. I love you so much."

The nurses and neonatal doctors checked in and out I was about to go kiss Bella and tell her I loved her again when her machines started beeping and her blood pressure quickly increased.

"Bells? BELLA!"

Her eyes started to roll back into he head and she began to convulse. She was having a seizure and I could nothing but stand there as the doctor's tried to work on her. I was so scared. It only lasted twenty seconds but was followed by another seizure that lasted a minute. It was horrible watching her convulse. She finally stopped seizing but was unconscious.

"Doc?"

"She had a post partum eclamptic seizure Mr. Black. Her blood pressure is still elevated."

"Why is she unconscious?"

"Some patients lose consciousness. She should wake up soon."

"Doctor can you come here a minute, please?"

He walked over to Bella and started to examining her. She was totally unresponsive, but her heart was still beating. They administered some medication to her and it brought her blood pressure down, but she was still not waking up. After a few minutes the doctor asked me to go get my friends and meet me in the hallway. I knew this couldn't be good. If I needed reinforcements it was bad news. I ran out and got Gabi and Embry and met the doctor in the hallway near Bella's room.

"Doc please tell me what is going on"

"Jake, like I told you Bella had a post partum eclamptic seizure. Some patients become comatose after a seizure and normally wake up shortly after. For some reason though Bella is not coming too."

I couldn't believe what he was telling me. My Bella was in a coma? I fell to my knees as Gabi got down next to me and just held me while I cried. I stood up and saw tears rolling down Embry's face too. How could this be happening? Our beautiful Alex was just born and his mother hasn't even had the chance to hold him.

"What is the next step doc?"

"We just wait Jake. We are going to do a cat scan and figure out if we could see if there is any brain swelling. We are going to move her into a private room and you can stay with her."

"Em. Can you call Charlie and my Dad please?"

"Sure man"

Gabi went to walk away but I just grabbed her arm.

"Please stay with me and talk to me."

"Of course, Jake"

I knew I was going to have to go my Dad's sometime tonight and tell Jake what happened. I didn't know how to tell my six year old that his mother was in a coma.

"We'll help you with Jr., ok Jake?"

"Sure. Sure."