I own none of the characters of October Road
Janet Latekka was sick and tired of lying in a hospital bed. She was admitted two months ago, eight very long weeks and with everyday that passed she became more and more agitated. She was tired of reading books and magazines and she couldn't handle anymore daytime television. Soap operas drove her mad. She was thirty two weeks pregnant, getting bigger and more miserable everyday. Her belly was so big that it was hard to move, not that she was able to move much in her bed but every movement that was allowed was difficult. The boys were always kicking her, hard and they were pushed up against her diaphragm which was making breathing hard and painful. She actually now had a nasal canula in her nose giving her extra oxygen. Her feet were so swollen that they hurt so her doctor gave her a water pill to help with that and it did help, a little but she had to pee all of the time, another once simple task that become complicated because of her giant belly and her bed rest restrictions and her legs were always hot because they were covered with a machine that stimulated circulation so she wouldn't get blood clots. Janet was miserable and couldn't wait to get her boys out of her.
She went into premature labor again at twenty eight weeks but the doctors were able to easily stop it and she ended up five and a half centimeters dilated. Dr. Hatley wanted Janet to at least hit thirty weeks and after that point when she went into labor he wasn't go to stop it. Janet anxiously awaited the thirty week mark because she knew it wouldn't be long but nothing has happened and she was still pregnant. These boys were going to be stubborn just like their father. Janet begged Dr. Hatley to let her go home when she made it to thirty weeks but he refused because she was also suffering from pre-eclampsia, high blood pressure. Janet had heard about women who breezed through their pregnancies, loved being pregnant and couldn't wait to do it all over but not Janet. She couldn't wait not be pregnant and she knew that she was never going to put herself through another one.
"Oh God." Janet moaned. She had just been woken up from a dead sleep by a severe, sharp pain in her stomach, most likely labor. She reached over and pressed her call button. It amazed her that she had been in labor twice already and had forgotten how painful it could really be.
"Janet, what's going on?" Her night nurse, Kelly asked.
"I think that I am in labor." Janet grunted.
"Let's set up the fetal monitor."
"I don't need a God damn monitor to tell me that I am in labor. This is the third time that I have been through this and I know what labor is." She snapped.
"You probably are in labor Janet but I have to set up the fetal monitor. Can you roll over on your back please?" Kelly calmly asked.
"Can you raise my bed?"
"Of course." Janet rolled over on her back and Kelly raised her bed and set up the fetal monitor.
"Ahhhhh." Janet moaned as another contraction shot through her.
"You are most definitely in labor." Kelly said ten minutes later.
"Gee really?"
"It looks like your contractions are four to four and a half minutes apart. Now I want to see how dilated you are."
"Great."
"It's time to assume the position." Kelly pulled out the stirrups and Janet placed her legs in them. She used to be modest but that was before she began this pregnancy journey. So many people had seen and had their hands inside her vagina that she just didn't care anymore. In fact she hadn't had underwear on since she was admitted to the hospital. "Seven centimeters."
"Oh my God. Already? How much time do I have?"
"There is no way to predict how long labor will last. It could be an hour, two hours or a lot longer. Would you like me to call your husband?"
"No. I'll do it. What about Dr. Hatley. When will he be here?"
"I'm going to page him and he'll be here closer to your delivery."
"When can I get my epidural?" The last couple contractions have been a bitch.
"You can't."
"What in the hell do you mean that I can't? I want a God Damn epidural."
"After six and a half centimeters you can't have one."
"That's ridiculous. Do you have any idea how much damn pain I am in?"
"As a matter of fact I do. I have three children myself but you can't have an epidural. I will get an order for a pain shot for you."
"You have got to be kidding me."
"Janet the sooner that you let me call Dr. Hatley the sooner I can get an order for a pain shot."
"Please call the doctor." Janet begged. She couldn't take much more pain.
Once Kelly left the room Janet grabbed the phone. She knew that another contraction was due and she didn't want to call Eddie during a contraction so she braced for the next contraction and one minute later it hit her. "Son of a bitch." She groaned. It took her breath away. With a shaking hand, she dialed her home number.
"Lo?" A very sleepy Eddie answered.
"Eddie."
"Janet? What time is it?"
"It's two thirty in the morning but does that really matter?"
"What in the hell is going on? Can't you sleep?"
"No I can't because I'm in labor."
"Labor? You're in labor." Eddie suddenly sounded much more awake.
"Yes I am in labor and they won't give me a damn epidural.
"What do you need? Should I bring the diaper bag and carriers?"
"Even if I give birth in the next hour it's not like they will be coming home tomorrow. Just get here."
"I'm on my way. I love you sweetheart."
"I love you too."
Eddie showed up at the hospital at 3:05 AM with their camera in hand. He walked into her room, his second home over the past two months, and he saw Janet lying in bed, in obvious pain with tears rolling down her face. "Why is she wearing an oxygen mask?" He asked Kelly.
"She is having a little trouble breathing with the contractions."
"She is right here." Janet snapped, pulling the mask off.
"Sorry honey." Eddie placed the mask back over her nose and mouth and then leaned over and kissed her forehead. "How are you feeling?"
"How in the hell do you think I feel?"
"What can I do?" Janet never had the chance to answer him because another contraction shot through her. She reached out and grabbed his arm, squeezing it so hard that he knew he was going to have a bruise. "That's what I can do." He quipped when Janet released his arm and she ripped off her oxygen mask.
"This is not funny Eddie. You have no idea how much pain I am in and the damn shots aren't helping."
"Janet, you need to keep your oxygen mask on." Kelly told her and Janet reluctantly returned the mask.
"I'm so sorry honey. You're right. It's not funny."
"Eddie it hurts."
"Isn't there anything you can do for her pain?" Eddie asked.
"I'm giving her what I can."
"Janet, baby, I'm so sorry."
"I can't do this." Janet whimpered. "It hurts so damn bad. I…I…hate this."
"What can I do? Tell me baby cause I have no idea how to help."
"I don't know." She wailed.
Eddie hated seeing the woman he loved in so much pain and what he hated the most was the fact that there was nothing that he could do to take away her pain so he did the only thing he could think of. He sat next to her bed, wrapped his arms around her when she sobbed because she was in so much pain, he offered his hand to squeeze during a contraction and he sat back quietly while she yelled at him or cussed him out. It was the least he could do for her.
"It's time to push Janet. Are you ready?" Dr. Hatley asked thirteen hours later.
"You have no idea." When Janet hit the six hour mark and was still seven centimeters dilated an anesthesiologist came in and finally gave her an epidermal since labor was progressing painfully slow. It took the edge off the pain but Janet still felt every single contraction.
"Why are there so many doctors and nurses in here? Is something wrong with the boys?" Eddie asked, his voice, full of concern.
"It's protocol. The triplets are eight weeks early and they are going to be small and possible have trouble breathing so we are just taking every precaution." Dr. Hatley explained.
"So they might have trouble breathing?"
"Eddie, you need to relax. We won't know anything for sure until they are born but if something is wrong then we are going to be prepared."
"Oh…God…Eddie." Janet reached out and grabbed Eddie's hand.
"Breathe baby. Breathe through the pain." As soon as the contraction passed Eddie moped the sweat off of her face with a cold rag.
"On the next contraction I need you to push Janet." Dr. Hatley instructed.
"It's almost over." Janet whispered.
"Hey before you start pushing we have to pick our oldest son's name."
"Right." Eddie and Janet had trouble deciding which boy will get which name so they wrote the names down on three index cards and they were going to randomly pick a card before each boy was born. Eddie fanned out the three cards in front of Janet.
"Okay sweetheart. Pick a card." Janet reached out, grabbed an index card and handed it Eddie.
"In a few minutes we're going to meet Jackson." Eddie said with a grin. Just then, Janet reached out and clutched his hand.
"Okay Janet, bear down and push like you are having a bowel movement." Dr. Hatley told his patient.
Now like every other aspect of her pregnancy pushing her fist son out proved not to be so easy. It didn't take a few minute or a few pushes. It took one hour and 10 minutes of pushing before Jackson Elliott Latekka came out into the world. His parents waited anxiously for their son to take his breath and when they heard his tiny cry tears fell from their eyes. Once Jackson was crying Dr. Hatley placed him on his mother's chest. "Hello there little man." Janet greeted her son tearfully while Eddie snapped their first picture together.
"Eddie you're up." Dr. Hatley handed Eddie a pair of special scissors and Eddie cut his son's umbilical cord.
"Janet I need to take him." A nurse told the new mother as she reached for the baby.
"Eddie go and make sure he is okay."
"Are you okay?"
"Just go." Eddie walked over to the bassinet and watched as a doctor and nurse worked on his tiny son. Jackson was screaming the entire time; something that Eddie assumed was a good thing
"How…how is he?" Eddie asked.
"Your son is fine Mr. Latekka. He weighs five pounds two ounces. He is a great size." The nurse wrapped Jackson up and handed the bundle to his father. "Congratulations."
"Can you…will you please take our picture?"
"Of course." Eddie handed the camera to the nurse and she snapped their first picture together. "Thanks." Eddie took the camera back. "Come on Jackson. Let's go see your mom."
"Is he okay?" Janet asked.
"He's perfect. He weighs five pounds two ounces. Here take him." Janet held out her arms and Eddie placed Jackson in his mother's arms.
"He's perfect. He looks like you." Janet whispered gazing at her son and Eddie snapped a picture.
"Smile." Janet tore her eyes away from her son and looked into the camera and Eddie captured that moment. "Kelly would you please take our first family picture?"
"I would be honored." Eddie lowered his head next to Janet's.
"Oh God…hurry." Janet groaned as she felt the beginnings of another contraction starting. Kelly quickly snapped the picture and the Eddie took the baby just as Janet cried out in pain and clutched her stomach.
"Okay Janet you know the drill. Time to push again." Eddie handed Jackson to a nurse as Janet grunted and pushed.
"Janet you need to pick another card." Eddie insisted after Janet finished pushing.
"Really? Are you serious? I'm kinda busy."
"Janet he can't be born without us knowing who he is."
"I'm sorry. You're right." Janet grabbed another card and handed it to her husband.
"Our second son is Jacob Edward."
This time it took Janet forty five minutes to push Jacob out and like Jackson he got a good bill of health and he weighed in at an even five pounds. Eddie took the same pictures of Jacob that he took of Jackson plus pictures of the two boys together and with their parents.
Janet and Eddie barely had any time to enjoy Jacob before she had to start pushing again and after an hour and a half of unsuccessful pushing they realized that their third son, Joshua Evan was going to be a very stubborn child who would do things on his schedule.
"Push Janet." Dr. Hatley practically yelled at her.
"I can't." She cried, falling back on her pillow. "I am so tired."
"I know you're tired baby but…"
"You have no damn idea how exhausted I am." Janet shouted. "I. CAN"T. DO. IT."
"I know you're tired." Eddie began again. "You've been in labor for over sixteen hours so of course you are tired but you need to fight the exhaustion and keep pushing like you pushed to get pregnant and have these boys. You can't give up Janet. Joshua needs you."
"I can't. I don't have the energy."
"Janet your son, Joshua, has to be born. The longer he stays in t he birth canal the lower his chances of survival become. He needs you to be born. I can see his head so it won't be much longer." Dr. Hatley said but Janet didn't move.
"God dammit Janet. Be Joshua's mother and sit your ass up and push him out." Eddie shouted at his wife. He hated yelling at her, he knew how exhausted she was. Hell, he was exhausted and he wasn't doing any hard work but she had to push Joshua out and yelling at her was the only way he knew how to get through to her.
With a glare at Eddie Janet sat up and resumed pushing without a word and fifteen minutes later Joshua Evan came out into the world. Just like with his brothers Janet and Eddie waited for him to cry but this time they didn't hear a cry. Eddie didn't even get to cut Joshua's cord like he had done with his brothers. Dr, Hatley cut the cord and a nurse took Joshua out of the doctor's hands and rushed him over to the last neonatologist that was left in the room. "What's wrong?" Janet shouted but no one would answer her. "Eddie what's wrong with Joshua?"
"I…I…don't know."
"Go find out." Eddie nodded and rushed over to his son.
"Sir, you need to step back." The nurse said.
"Is he…what's wrong?"
"Sir you need to give us room to work." Eddie slowly walked back over to Janet.
"He's not breathing. They are giving him CPR." Eddie and Janet stared helplessly at the doctor and nurse until they heard a tiny meow like cry.
"Oh my God. He's breathing." Janet cried. "Is he okay?"
"He's having a little trouble breathing. It sounds like there is some water on his lungs but I need to do an x-ray to make sure."
"Is it my fault?"
"No ma'am. He is eight week early and very small. His lungs most likely aren't developed."
"But you gave me steroids. His lungs should be fine."
"There were three babies Mrs. Latekka. The other two most likely absorbed the steroids more then this little guy."
"Will he be all right? Eddie asked.
"I'll know more after I run some tests. I will let you know as soon as I have something to tell you. Let's go." The once happy parents watched as their youngest son was taken away from them.
"It's my fault. It's all my fault." Janet began to cry and Eddie wrapped his arms around her.
"No sweetheart. It's not your fault." He soothed.
"It is." Eddie knew Janet well enough to know that when she was in her current state of mind she could not be convinced otherwise so he just held her while praying for his youngest son.
Two hours later Janet was back in her room, lying on her bed staring at the ceiling, waiting for news on her boys. Her mom, Eddie's parents and Katie were also in the room visiting but Janet wasn't being social able. She was also exhausted and Eddie suggested that she get some sleep but she refused to until she knew if her boys were okay.
"You have some visitors." Janet's new nurse Angela announced walking into Janet's room pushing a bassinet followed by two other nurses and two more bassinets and a doctor. Eddie was on is feet in an instant and Janet sat up in her bed.
"Are they…they're okay?" Janet asked.
"Mr. Mrs. Latekka I'm Dr. Tobias. I've been taking care of your boys. Babies A and B are fine. Every test came back normal. As a precaution I have all three boys on antibiotics to ward off any type of infection. "
"And Joshua? The youngest? How is he?" Eddie asked. Janet was too nervous to speak.
"Joshua is having difficulty breathing and he hasn't taken any formula unlike the other two. Joshua's lungs are developed but not working to full capacity and right now they just need help getting started so I have him set up with oxygen; I'm giving him breathing treatments and medication. If Joshua doesn't start taking any formula within the next two hours then I'm going to insert a feeding tube."
"For how long?" The worried mother inquired.
"Until I am happy with his weight gain. Right now Joshua weighs four pounds three ounces and he needs to gain weight and a feeding tube can help him do that."
"Can we hold him?" Eddie asked the doctor.
"That's why I brought him in here. Since we took him right after he was born he hasn't had the chance to bond with you yet and it's very important for a newborn to bond with his parents, his mother especially but I can only give you a few minutes." Dr. Tobias picked up Joshua, adjusted the tubes and handed the tiny creature to his mother. Joshua started crying the second that he was moved from the comfort of his bassinet."
"Hello there peanut." As soon as Joshua heard his mother's voice his crying ceased. For the first time since he was born Janet finally had the chance to look at her youngest son and he was gorgeous. Like his brothers Joshua had many of his father's features but his eyes, he had his mother's eyes.
"My turn Janet." Eddie requested after he snapped some pictures and Janet regretfully handed Joshua over to his father. "Oh my God. You are so tiny little man." Eddie whispered in awe. Seeing a priceless opportunity Katie grabbed Eddie and Janet's camera and took some pictures of father and son.
"Eddie get next to Janet so I can get a picture of the three of you." Since the other pictures of their family had Janet holding the baby Eddie handed Joshua back to his mother. "Perfect." Katie commented after she snapped the picture.
"Mom, Sharon will you bring Jackson and Jacob over here." Eddie asked his mother and mother in-law.
"I have been waiting all day to get my hands on my grandboys." Laura said as she eagerly went over to a bassinette and picked up a baby. "Baby B. Which one is he?" She asked.
"Jacob." Janet answered.
"Hello there Jacob. I'm one of your Grandmas. You are just so handsome."
"Mom please. We don't have much time with Josh." Eddie told her.
"Mom you too." Janet said since her mother was fawning over Jackson.
"Right sorry." The grandmother's brought the boys over to meet their brother. Sharon handed Jackson to Janet and Laura handed Jacob to Eddie.
"All right. mom, dad, look this way." Katie instructed her brother and his wife. "Say cheese."
"Cheese."
"That is one great picture." Katie said proudly.
"Katie can you take one of all three boys?" Janet asked.
"Absolutely." Katie looked around the room. "I have a great idea. May I?" She asked Janet.
"Sure." Once Katie got permission she took the boys from their parents and put the three of them in Joshua's bassinet and snapped about a half of dozen pictures.
"I hate to break up this party but I need to get Joshua back to the nursery for his next treatment." Angela told the family.
"Of course." Sharon and Laura took Jackson and Jacob out of Joshua's bassinet.
"Can I say goodbye?" Janet asked.
"Of course." Angela took Joshua and handed him to his mother.
"You get better peanut and mommy will see you soon." Janet kissed his head. "I love you." With tears falling Janet handed her baby to Eddie.
"Stay strong Josh. I love you." Eddie also kissed his son's head and then handed him back to Angela.
"Visiting hours are over in an hour." Angela informed them.
"Well in that case give me my grandson and give Katie her nephew." Jack demanded with a grin.
For the next hour Eddie's family and Janet's mom made the most of their time with their two out of the three newest members of the Latekka family. Jackson was the non-twin triple while Jacob and Joshua were the twins but regardless, they all three looked very much alike and it was hard to tell them apart and the fact that they had name bands on their ankles identifying them as Baby A or B or Jackson and Jacob didn't help because they were wrapped up tightly in blankets so the nurses wrapped them in different blankets and Eddie made notes as to which boy was wrapped in which blanket.
Once visiting hours were over Eddie and Janet were finally only with two of their children just in time for them to start to get fussy. After checking their diapers and determining that they didn't need changed it left them to believe that they were hungry. Janet had decided that if she could, she wanted to nurse the boys because it was better for them and cheaper.
"Is everything okay?" Angela asked, walking into the room.
"I think that they are hungry and I wanted to make sure that it was okay to nurse them."
"It's fine. Do you have any questions about the process?"
"I don't know. I'm not sure what exactly to do."
With a smile, Angela went over the nursing process with her patient, answering all of her questions and when she was ready Angela helped Janet position Jacob, the baby that was screaming the loudest. Jacob latched on easily and sucked eagerly. "Is he done? He shouldn't be done. It's only been a few minutes." Janet asked in a panicked voice. She tried to get Jacob to latch back on but he refused.
"It's normal. He has a very small belly and he is probably full. If he was still hungry he would still be eating." Angela assured her. "Now it's time to burp this one and feed the other." Eddie stood and laid Jackson down on Janet's lap and took Jacob to burp him. Janet picked Jackson up and tried to feed him but he wasn't having it. He just screamed.
"What's wrong? Why isn't he eating?"
"Just give him a few minutes. Now don't force your nipple in his mouth. Just place it above his mouth and when he is ready he'll take it." Janet did as she was told and after a few minutes of screaming Jacob finally latched on to her breast.
"That's a good boy." Janet whispered.
"What's it feel like?" Eddie asked her.
"It kinda hurts right now."
"Does it feel like...ya know…when I do it?"
"Eddie!" Janet gasped and glared at him.
"What? It's an honest question."
"It's not appropriate question."
"Sorry." Eddie mumbled.
"Now what should I do about Joshua? Can I go and feed him?"
"Dr. Tobias did insert a feeding tube and he is just getting the most important nutrients. Once the tube is removed we can give him your breast milk. Do you have a breast pump?"
"Yes I do. Where is it Eddie?" Jackson had finished eating and Janet was positioning him to burp.
"At home."
"Why in the hell did you leave it at home?"
"It was two thirty in the morning and I did ask you what to bring and you said nothing."
"I was in labor. I shouldn't have to think of everything."
"I'm sorry hon."
"We have a breast pump that you can use. What I'm going to suggest is that you start pumping now. The more you pump the more milk you will produce and the nice thing is that you can freeze the milk and thaw it when needed and you can have help feeding them. I would recommend that you start pumping now and tonight when they are hungry we can feed them and you can get some much needed sleep."
"That sounds like a plan." Janet agreed.
"Great. I'll go get a pump." Angela disappeared.
"I'm sorry I snapped at you." Janet told him.
"It's okay."
"No it's not. I'm tired, I'm worried about Joshua and I'm taking it out on you."
"It's understandable honey. I'm tired and I'm worried about Josh too but the one thing we have to remember is that Josh is our kid which means that he is a fighter and he will be fine."
"You can't know that Eddie. There is no way to know."
"I know it and deep down you know it." Janet stared down at the child in her arms.
"I can't believe that they were inside of me. They are so perfect that you would never know that they were making my life miserable."
"Was it worth it?" Eddie asked as he looked at his sleeping son in his arms.
"Every miserable moment." Cradling his son to his chest Eddie moved from the chair to the edge of Janet's bed.
"I haven't told you lately but thank you for going through hell. Because of you we have three wonderful children. I can't imagine what you have been through these past seven months. You tried to hide how miserable you were, you never complained. I am in awe of you baby. You are the most amazing woman I know. I love you Janet." When Janet didn't respond Eddie took his eyes away from Jacob and looked at his wife and found that she was sound asleep.
Eddie slowly got up; put Jacob in his bassinet and then he returned to Janet and carefully removed Jacob from his mother's arms. "You and your brothers sure did wear your mother out." Eddie whispered and Jacob sighed in his sleep. "It's time for everyone to go to bed." Eddie placed Jacob in his bassinette and then he wheeled both boys to the nursery. After checking on Joshua and seeing that he was holding his own, Eddie returned to Janet's room, lowered her bed, covered her up and kissed her softly. "Babies?" She mumbled sleepily.
"Sleeping in the nursery."
"So tired."
"Sleep honey." Janet nodded and a few seconds later she was sleeping peacefully. Eddie brushed her hair off of her face and kissed her again. "I love you sweetheart."