by bonnie
Hello again! My turn and this time I will describe the surprising events leading to the forming of the Tyler Gang! Jack and I were married on December 24, 1975, and by Nov 17 of 1976 we were parents! But much to our surprise, we were not parents of one baby... but 2! Twin sons were born to us that day but the surprise came just the afternoon before they were born. I had a doctor's appointment that day, and as I had gained 10 lbs. in one week, the doctor decided to take some pictures... It was a shock to say the least! The pictures showed 2 babies, sex not quite visible, and they were in the breech position. Both of them! Jack's first thought was "Bankruptcy"! The doctor informed us then that they would do a C-Section because they were my first and he said it would be too hard to have them naturally. That was a disappointment as I had prepared myself for a natural birth, but with two babies, I figured he knew best. We left the clinic and attempted to go to his grandma's house to tell them the news. Jack's Grandma Helen and his Mother Kay lived together and we wanted to break the news. No one was home. So, rather than drive all the way to Chula Vista to my parent's house, we went to the store and bought our dinner and went home. I was so excited I couldn't eat much, and I decided to walk to the corner market and use the pay phone to call my parents. My brother David was there, and I told him the news. All the time I was pregnant he had teased me about having twins. When I told him I really was having twins, he was not too surprised, and said he would tell our Mother and Sister when they got back from the store. I went back home, took a shower, and got ready for bed. I attempted to go to sleep, but sleep would not come. I was excited and amazed at the same time and wondered what it would be like having two babies to care for. My parent's hadn't believed me when I told them I was pregnant. They said they'd believe it when my doctor confirmed it. So it was no surprise that they didn't believe there would be twins either. I didn't care. I was going to be a Mother and that too was a part of my fondest wishes. Jack was amazing. He had taken care of me all through the pregnancy, including making our dinner when I was napping and waking me at 7:00 to have dinner. I was working with him in the same office, and when we'd get home, I was so tired I had to lie down. This was during the last trimester of my pregnancy. We took a walk almost every night and I think this helped me a lot when the big day finally arrived. I glanced at the clock occasionally that night trying to fall asleep, and finally the last time I checked it was 4:15. I finally dozed off, but at 5:15 I felt a jolt so strong I thought we'd had an earthquake! I woke Jack up and asked him to turn on the light. My water had broken and he was so relieved! He said, "at last!" and jumped out of bed to get ready to take me to the hospital. I put on his bathrobe after I changed clothes, and put on his shower shoes because my feet were too swollen for my own. I had packed my bag about 2 days before then, thinking I had a month to go. We were taken by surprise to be heading to the hospital the day after the clinic, and we weren't prepared at all! Not even a bed! My Mom had brought down a bassinet about a month before, but 2 babies were not going to fit in the bassinet! Too late now...! Once we were at the hospital, we were admitted and taken to the Maternity Ward. I was dressed in a hospital gown and waited for the second pain. The first one had come as we were driving to the hospital. My Doctor came in and I had mentioned I had wanted to have a natural birth, so he brought in a specialist who was going to examine me and see if it were feasible to try it. He proceeded, and to my amazement, he said that my hips were wide enough to have them naturally, even in the breech position. I didn't know what I was in for. They took me to a labor room, and Jack came with me to wait it out. The pains were not so bad at first. But before the day passed, I spent about 8 hours in hell! The pains were terrible, and Jack tried to joke once saying that the other mother's were taking their blankets and babies and going home because of my screaming! He developed a migraine as we hadn't eaten or anything before we left. The nurses were bringing him pain relievers and water and were rubbing his shoulders... He was in worse shape than I was! He had terrible headaches, and as I've had 3 of them in my life time, all stress related, I now can sympathize with him. They are horrible, and no one should have to bear such pain. It's excruciating to say the least! The nurses ran him out of the labor room and did the things they had to do to prepare me for delivery. One of the nurses came in after about seven and a half hours, and checked the heart beat of the babies. The first baby to be born was having a slowed heart rhythm and she went immediately to tell the doctor and they prepared to deliver the babies sooner than they had planned. Once I was in the delivery room, they had me roll to my side and they did a spinal-block. It went very quickly. Jack had wanted to be present, but they told him that if something went wrong they didn't want him to panic and they wouldn't let him in. There were 2 doctors and 2 teams of nurses for the babies. They used forceps to deliver the first baby. He was born bottom first. One team of nurses took him quickly and disappeared with him. Then they proceeded to deliver the second baby... also a boy! I was so elated! Two sons at once! The second baby was delivered feet first and they used 2 sets of forceps for him... one for me and one for him. Then they turned their attention to me. After they did the stitches, they left me in the care of the nurses who disappeared for a minute or two. When they came back, I told them I didn't feel well and they ran for the doctor. I think my body was going into shock. I felt so queasy and like I was going to pass out. I was nauseated too and nothing came up but water! The doctor came back in and put something in my IV and when it went in I started feeling better. Warmer and not light headed anymore. The nurses then put another gurney beside me and they put a binding garment on the gurney. Then they helped me to turn over from the gurney I was on, onto the binding garment on the other gurney. They wrapped it very tight and covered me up and headed to a room where I'd spend a couple of days. When they brought me into the visiting area, my family was there. I wanted to cry, but I turned my head quickly as I didn't want to upset my mother. Once in bed, they let the family come in. Jack was on one side and my family on the other. One of the nurses came bouncing in with a huge bowl of ice cream with crushed pineapple and a cherry on top. My sister tried to feed me some of it, but she got light headed herself and they had to help her to a chair so she wouldn't faint. The nurse told me I had to lay flat for the next 12 hours to avoid a really bad headache from the spinal they had given me. After everyone left, I fell asleep and later in the evening Jack's Mother Kay came to see me. Jack was there too. He had left while I was sleeping and got something to eat. He had been out earlier and had called my family to let them know the babies were delivered, and that I was not doing so great. The next morning, I sat up slowly and swung my feet over the side of the bed. They had disconnected the IV and I was free to get up and use the rest room. I made my way slowly to get my gown and robe and head for the shower. They also did a sitz bath which really helped. My legs were shaking but I made it and it felt so good to wash my hair! When I got back to my bed, it was fresh and tidy and they brought me my first son, Brian, to feed. He was amazing! He was so perfect, and wasn't wrinkled or red or anything! I unwrapped him to look at his little tiny feet and when I heard the nurses coming for him, I wrapped him back up quickly as though he weren't mine!! The feeling cannot be explained, holding your first baby for the first time. I looked at his long eye lashes and beautiful green eyes. They came back about half an hour later and took him back to the nursery. They said I needed to rest and they took care of them until the day I left. All except when Alexis had his circumcision. They brought him to me to comfort, so I got to see the second baby too. He looked just like my family and Brian looked like Jack's family! He came in to tell me we should switch the middle names for that very reason. So we named Brian, Brian Holt Tyler, Holt was Jack's middle name also, and we named Alex, Alexis Jordan Tyler for my maiden name. The next day, the second day after they had been born, I was released to go home with my bundles of love. Our office wouldn't let Jack come and pick me up because he had been off with me when I delivered the twins. That was how they were about me, and it was me they objected to, not Jack. So I called my brother and Mother and asked them to come and get us. We had planned to spend a week or so at their house anyway, so I could rest. They came and got us, and unknown to me, David and Jack had been shopping the day the boys were born, and they had bought a bed, sheets, blankets, T-shirts, and some clothes and bottles and things for the babies. It was all set up by the couch when I went in. When I saw the bed, I started crying and my Mom came and hugged me really tight. I went to the bathroom, and David and Jan had the babies. When I came out, they were both in tears because it was a beautiful miracle and it was so beautiful and special. My brother had bought me a beautiful white robe with a hood and the inside of the hood was multi-colored and I loved it. The boys had been in blue knit suits and wrapped up in blankets. All the way home I had held one baby in each arm as the nurses had placed them. My Mom had wanted to hold one of them, but the nurses told her, "NO. This is her special day". Later in the evening my Dad came home from work, and I guess he didn't know we'd be there. He stood in the doorway and said, "Well, I'll be damned!" He smiled as he looked at the babies. I was sitting in my Mom's red chaise lounge chair as it was the easiest for me to sit down on. Jack came home from work, and a friend of ours from work, "Big Ski," had followed him in his car so he could see me and the babies. Jack held one, and Ski held the other. He had tears in his eyes. He missed his own sons as he was separated from his wife and hadn't seen them in a bit. Before he left he kissed me on the cheek and said "Good Job, Mom!" A miracle had happened in our lives. Two wonderful bundles of love in two perfect little boys all our own. They were perfect and beautiful, and loved. Jack and I were so tired, and I went to lay down and he followed me not too long after. The babies were sleeping peacefully, and I cried in Jack's arms that night, from happiness and exhaustion both. It had been so traumatic for me and at the time, I did not handle stress as well as I can today. But he just held me and he said, "I thought we were close before..." I fell asleep, and the first night, the family took care of the babies for us and let us get some rest. The next morning, I got up with Jack as he had to go to work. I made him some food and a mug of tea in the microwave. After he left, I resumed my sitting on the chaise, and my Dad offered to fix me breakfast! It was amazing. The love in those two precious little boys filled me with so much joy and peace. They were our own special miracles and our lives were blessed beyond measure. I have talked quite at length about our sons. But only 7 months later, I was once again pregnant, and I will cover that story in my next session. With love and admiration for all this man has done for me and our children, I return this site to his loving care. There is so much to tell about us... As you can see, I am somewhat wordy. This was the beginning of the family to be known in the future as "The Tyler Gang." All my love Jackson. I love you more than you can imagine honey! God Bless! Mom
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This is for the grandkids, the family, close friends, and anyone else who can keep a civil tongue in their heads! It amounts to an interactive book of memoirs, but only if you interact... so get to it!
E-mail subscriptions now availableBonnieCalifornia has been my home since 1965. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. I'm home to stay! JackWhat is there to say about a ten-year old turning 65, besides, what the hell happened?!?? CategoriesArchives
December 2014
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