Benjamin Jerdon Case!!!



Benjamin at 1 months old!





It's Ben's Birthday!!!  I can't believe he is nine!  Boy how time flies!  Benjamin Jerdon Case was born on Wednesday November 7th 2001!  My pregnancy with him was very different than my first pregnancy.  Sadly I don't remember what day we found out we were going to have another little baby, but I know that we were excited and very happy!  My due date was the 10th of November.  As with my first pregnancy (and then ALL my later pregnancies) I was sick!  I lost twenty pounds quickly.  Josh Jr was only 17 months old when we found out I was pregnant, and I remember many days during my pregnancy of laying on the couch and not doing much...  I would play with Josh Jr. while lying down, I would read to him... while lying down...  Josh Jr. and I ate a lot of ramen because it sat well and didn't taste too yucky... while lying down.  We also ate a lot of Popsicles, and Josh Jr. learned his colors at an early age, because he had to tell me what color Popsicle he wanted :)



Tarzan Ben!







But this pregnancy was not to be the same as my first...Very early into the whole "9 Months" I noticed that I was having a problem with my heart.  My heart would start to race, and it would feel like it was pounding hard in my chest.  And while this would be going on it would be hard to breathe normal...  Now the paramedic in me new that something wasn't right.  Especially when I would try to take my pulse during an episode and couldn't find one...  Now those of you who know how much I hate to go to the Doctor would be surprised to know that I actually went to the doctor quickly about my concerns.  I mentioned it to my OB at my first visit (this would be a new OB than the one I had with Josh Jr.) and they told me I should see my regular doctor about it... which I did...  And he told me it was heart burn I was feeling...  I told him that I had had LOTS of heart burn before, and that this was not heart burn, and that needed to check out my heart...  He didn't agree.  He was SURE it was just heart burn!  After going back and forth (something that I rarely do) I convinced the doctor that they really should at least do an ultra sound and EKG on my heart.  My little brother had had Heart surgery just two years earlier because of a "racing heart".  The doctor gave in and ordered a couple of test (because you are limited on what you can do when you are pregnant) but he still insisted that nothing would show up, and that it really was just heart burn...



Ben and his brother and sister





So I went and had the test done.  They did an ultra sound and an EKG... and a 24 hour halter monitor (kind of like an EKG, I was hooked up to a heart monitor for 24 hours...  I had to keep track every time I felt my heart race and write down what I was doing at the time).  And then we went back to the doctor...  The ultra sound turned up a heart murmur...  Nothing serious right now, but something that might require surgery when I am older.  But that was really the only thing this doctor saw.  And the heart murmur would not be causing what I described and so I was wrong about it being my heart and I really did just have heart burn... because THIS doctor didn't see anything wrong, and if there really was something wrong the cardiologist how looked over my test would have called me by now...  SO I was to just live with the problem and treat it for heart burn!  I went home from the doctors a little frustrated!  He was kind of jerk and tried to make me feel bad for insisting on them running tests on my heart...  And then I get home to listen to my messages...  The cardiologist office had called!  They needed to see me ASAP! 



Ben at Disneyland



What really was going on was I was having episodes of V-Tach (Ventricular Tachycardia)...  Basically my heart was trying to beat, but it was not actually pumping blood or moving oxygen.  V-tach can be a fatal heart rhythm.  But really it was just heart burn (needless to say we have switched doctors and will NEVER go back to that doctor)!  I spent the rest of the pregnancy trying different heart medicines out trying to find one that was not harmful to the little baby trying to grow in side of me and that would actually do something for my heart, and the side effects were not too much to live with.  It seems like every month I went to the OB doctor I was on another different heart med.



Christmas Benjamin



Besides the heart problem the rest of the pregnancy was just fine.  I had the opportunity to travel with my parents a couple of times.  We went out east to see my brother and his family, and we did a little church history tour as well.  We hit different sites in Missouri, Illinois, and Ohio.  It was a lot of fun for me because I was reading the Work and the Glory during this time, so to go and see all these places was a lot of fun.  Seeing my brother was fun too.  I hadn't seen him since he had moved his family out to Ohio two years before.  It was nice for Josh Jr. to meet his cousins for the first time.  And the trip was great (a little long to be in the car not feeling the best) but all in all it was great!  About a month after our trip out to Ohio I went to California to see my other brother with my parents... My mom really doesn't like to fly, and she prefers not to be the driver as well... But she also doesn't want my dad to have to do ALL the driving either.  So Josh Jr. and I went with them so that I could help drive (me made several trips like this early in Josh Jr. and Ben's life...  We often left Josh Sr. at home... which he liked because he got a lot of projects done around the house). 



I can pull this off!



The rest of the pregnancy is mostly a blur.  I remember almost passing out while at play group... and then ending up throwing up in the grass in front of everyone (not fun). 

Ok it is now two days later... Time really flies Way too fast...

Like I was saying the rest of the pregnancy is a blur...  We took it easy and spent time with friends and family.  9/11 happened and I remembered being shocked and scared...  Here I was bringing a new little baby to the earth and the world was changing...



Ben's 8th Birthday!



As the time got closer for Ben to be born Dr. B (Dr. Bianco) decided that it would be a good ides to induce me because we were not sure how my heart would act during labor (since I didn't have this problem when I was pregnant with Josh Jr,).  The date was set for Wednesday November 7th, 2001.  Josh and I had to be to the hospital the night before.  We dropped Josh Jr. off at Grandma and Grandpa Case's house that evening and headed to the hospital.  I think we got there around 8 r 8:30 (The Case's were watching the very first episode of 24 when we dropped Josh Jr. off).



First day of School
Fall 2010



We checked in to the hospital and they got everything all hooked up.  I think they started an IV, but I don't really remember... They might have waited until the next morning...  I was hooked up to a heart monitor though.  They gave me some meds vaginally twice before they gave me something to help me sleep.  And sleep I did.  I don't remember them even waking me to do vitals.  The next thing I know Dr. B is waking me up.  He asked what I was doing.  I told him I was sleeping (it was 7:30am at this point).  He then asked if I was having contractions...  I told him if I was I was sleeping through them.  He told me I had to have the baby by 10am so he could get back to the office (I thought "good luck" my last labor took a lot longer than he was giving me).  But Dr. B was sure that we would have a baby that morning...  He went a head and broke my water and started me on Pitocin.



Ben Halloween 2009



Some time in the early 8 o'clock hour Josh's mom and sister showed up.  My mom would not be there for this birth... She was at a different hospital with my dad who was having surgery on his neck.  Around 9am my contractions started to hurt a lot more...

Sorry another new day...  I'll finish this one of these days...



Ben won a shirt at a
Sky Sox Baseball game



Around 9am my contractions started to hurt a lot more... The nurse checks me and I am a 5...  I decided that theses contraction were hurting a lot!  And from a 5 until I had Josh Jr. was MANY hours...  So I asked the nurse for some meds through my IV...  It took her about 25 minutes to get them for me...  And then the meds made me sick...  And raised my blood pressure...  So I had to turn onto my side... And I think they put O2 on me (I can't remember for sure).  And while lying on my side I kind of pushed with one of the contractions and felt the baby move down some...  I Josh quickly call for the nurse...  Who quickly called for the doctor...  And they all quickly unmade the bed so that I could have a baby...



Ben- Fall 2007



Benjamin Jerdon Case was born at 9:47 am (Before 10 just like Dr. B said).  He came into the world quickly, showing his personality... He peed on Dr. B!!!  He weighed in at 6lbs. 6 and 1/2 oz.  And he was 20 and 1/4 inches long.  He had a little light colored hair, and blue eyes...  And they are still blue!  He was beautiful! 

Ben (he is never called Benjamin unless he is in trouble)  is a great addition to our family.  He is a great big brother to his four sisters... And a great friend to his big brother.  He has a fantastic memory and is always going to keep himself busy.  Love you Benjamin!!!



Benjamin is 9 years old!!!