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It was a sunny Sunday in June 2000. Mike had taken Sydney to the batting cage for some practice. Sydney was 6 years old and was loving baseball and Mike was having a terrific time being Sydney’s father and coach. I was a few days from my due date and was very anxious. This pregnancy had been a little different than my others and I had more aches and pains with this one but then again I was approaching 40. I had always heard that if you take a dose of Castor Oil when you’re close to your due date that it can put you in labor. So before Mike left I told him I thought I’d give it a try. He didn’t have much to say about it and I really don’t think he thought stuff like that could work so he and Syd head on out to the park.
After about a hour, I finally get up enough nerve and I take 1 tablespoon of the yucky clear liquid. It really didn’t have that much of a taste but yet it was terrible. I really don’t remember how long it took but it seemed like a matter of minutes before I started spending some time in the bathroom. I started having what felt like contractions the more time I spent in the bathroom. Mike and Syd weren’t gone very long and when they returned I told Mike what I had done and that we were probably going to need to go on to the hospital. I then return back to the bathroom and this time I was even having some “show” so I knew we had to go. When I came out of the bathroom, Mike had calmly changed into a pair of comfortable shorts and thought he was going to relax the rest of the afternoon. I was a little shocked that he wasn’t taking me more serious but then when I told him I wasn’t kidding around ….this was it. He jumps up and starts getting ready. My family lived about 30 minutes away so we called them and told them we were going to the hospital. Then on the way to the hospital, Mike called the doctor. My contractions were extremely strong. Mike pulls up at the hospital and goes in to get me a wheel chair. (Syd is still with us because my family is coming to the hospital and he will be staying with them) I’m thinking it is taking to long to get the wheel chair and I’m going to have this baby in the car so I try to get out and make it in by myself. Mike meets me halfway and I get a ride the rest of the way. I’m thinking OMG, what is taking so long. I’m pre-registered so why the delay. I’m having this baby right now. Mike even starts telling them how quick things are happening and if you didn’t already know this, my husband, Mike, is a Paramedic. I felt very safe and comfortable with him if he had to deliver as he’s delivered babies before but I knew he really wanted to get me there in time.
They get me in the birthing room and poor little Syd has to sit outside the door with the nurses. My family hasn’t gotten there yet and there is no time to wait. As soon as I get in there, I’m told I’m ready to start pushing…..but where is my doctor? She is not there yet so a intern comes in and is putting on gloves when through the door comes my doctor. She normally would have waited to come until the hospital called her but she said something just told her to come on. She said she was tying her shoelaces at the stop lights.
I was only at the hospital for 20 minutes when Michael Payton was born. My labor was the most intense of the 3 deliveries. I really thought something was wrong because it was much different than the others. In fact I was telling them that something was wrong and I couldn’t do this. I think the Castor Oil moved things along so fast that my body didn’t have time to prepare for the birth. By the time I was taken to my room, our families had arrived at the hospital and were very surprised to see that Payton was already here.
Payton is now 8 years old and I was fortunate enough to be able to stay at home with him until he started Kindergarten and since 1st grade I’ve been able to work at the same school
so we have been able to spend a lot of time together and it is so nice to be there during the day if he needs me.