The Pangans!

The Birth of Nisee

This is the story of my labor with Nisee! This was a journal entry that I wrote two days after Nisee was born.

Nisee was born May 15, 2009 at 7:33pm via c-section. She weighed 7 lbs 13oz. and was 20.5 inches long. She was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen!

Well you know about all the pain for the past 2 weeks with my back and the random bouts of contractions and then Thursday night I was feeling really good when I went to bed but Friday Morning was another story. I woke up a little before 6 with contractions that would not go away. They started at 6 mins apart but gradually got closer most of them coming 3-4 mins apart and lasting for around 30 seconds. Chad said that I was wimpering in my sleep like I was in pain and I even woke him up but that I didn't wake myself up. I think this was b/c of the darvacet that I was on for the back pain that Dr. Dorton had given me on Tuesday. I stayed at home with these from 6-10am. I then called my OBGYN and they said go to the hospital. So I did and well they got me hooked up the all the monitors and I was having the contractions but I was not dilated at all. So they watched my contractions for the next 30 mins and got concerned because with each contraction I had her heart rate would drop from 150 to 120 and that's not good. So they hooked me up to an IV and started me on heavy fluids and made me lay on my left side. This helped but didn't fix the problem. So they came back later and checked again and still not dilated! So they hooked me up to Petosin to see if they could get me dilating and to see how she reacted to the harder contractions. Well she had the same reaction. It was a little drop but not as bad so they said that was ok. I still didn't dilate with the petosin so they took me off of it but I was still having contractions every 3 mins and they were lasting longer now around 45 seconds. Dr. Dorton said that my cervix was the worst he had seen at 40 weeks. It was like a 34 week cervix. So he gave me 3 options: 1) do a c section today 2) go home and come back tomorrow am and they would try to induce but that due to my cervix I would probably end up with a c-section anyways 3) go home and come into the office on Tuesday and they would check my progress and induce Wednesday which could still end in a c-section. He said it was up to me and Chad to decide and that they would give us sometime to discuss it. The nurses came in and talked to us some more about all 3 options. After talking it over with Chad he said that he felt that he could wait but the he knew with the pain that I was in and that she was full term that we should do the c-section that day. So we decided that we would do that. Also since I had been in labor for so long already that it seemed pointless to wait or to put myself through more pain so we just said do it today. We let them know and they said that we would know soon if they could do it today or if it would have to be tomorrow morning. Well we found out around 4 that they would do it that day and they at 1st said it would be done around 5 but they had a trauma come in so it wasn't done until around 7. Then once they got in there they were glad they did the C-section. Both Dr. Dorton my Ob and Dr. Williams the pediatrician said that she had lots of meconium all over her. Some is normal but she had lots and they felt that there would have been much more danger of ingestion had they waited for vaginal birth or did a section later. So all in all we made the right decision! She was beautiful and healthy. The worst part of the whole ordeal was the IV. I got no pain meds the whole time I was in labor, all 12 hours, and the Spinal Block was not as bad as I thought. They also had to give me nausea meds for the Spinal but thats all. The pain from section is not as bad as I imagined but it's definately something that requires pain meds to get through. A lot of people had asked so I wanted to let you know how we ended up with the c-section and getting our little girl on Friday!

Nisee is so awesome! She is the best and most beautiful baby ever! I know am a little partial as she is mine and all that! I really did not realize that I could love anything as much as I love her. Chad and I are just so head over heels for her. She has him wrapped all ready and me as well! I am still not ready to have another for a very long time!

AND now its picture time ...

A Baby Story

This is the story of my pregnancy with Nisee!

Chad and I found out we were pregnant on 9/ 3/2008. I realized that I was late and I decided to take a pregnancy test and so I went to target at lunch and bought one of their brand tests that had 2 in it. So I came back to work and took the 1st test in the bathroom and BOOM it said positive! I about had a heart attack, of course. So I stuck it back in the wrapper and in the box and came back to my desk. I then drank 2 20oz bottles of water and took the second one about 45 mins later and it said positive too. It was much lighter than the 1st one but positive none the less. I called Chad and I told him and he was happy but he wanted to take a name brand test just in case so he went to Rite Aid and got a box of 2 Clear Blue Easy tests. Both of those were positive too. The Obgyn requires a visit to confirm pregnancy so they allowed me to go to my nurse practitioner at work and get a test and fax the results to them. Of course her test also said pregnant too. So after 5 tests I was finally pregnant or more like I actually believed I was.

My due date started at 05/09/2009. We were both excited and I told my Mom and Dad first and then Chad told his mom. We told a few more select people but mostly we kept it to ourselves until we couldn't take it anymore and told everyone in late September.

Before we made the full announcement I actually made an early trip to the doctor due to issues with excessive back pain on 9/22/2008. My 1st official visit was not until 10/1/2008 but they wanted me to come in. They did an ultrasound and said all looked alright but they changed my due date to 5/16/2009.

My Time Line:
9/22/2009 - 6 weeks,1st problem visit, ultrasound 1, They did an ultrasound to make sure the pregnancy was not tubal.

Baby at 6 weeks

Me at 6 weeks (no baby belly yet mostly a before picture)

10/1/2008 - 7 weeks, 1st official visit
10/24/2008 - 10 weeks, ultrasound 2, They tried to hear the heart rate but could not with the hand held device so they did another ultrasound and we got another picture! Her heart rate was 166 and she was moving all around.

Baby at 10 weeks

11/21/2008 - 15 weeks, Dr's visit

16 weeks, starting to show

12/12/2008 - 18 weeks, ultrasound 3, This was the anatomy ultrasound and It's a GIRL! She looked wonderful and healthy! She was 9 inches from the tip of the head to her toes. She weighed about 9 oz. at the time. She measured at 18 weeks and 3 days and I was only 17 weeks and 6 days today and for just 4 days they won't change my due date. We named her Nisee Emalene Pangan! Nisee pronounced "neecee" is after my little sister Denise, (we used to call Nisee Bug) who passed away. Emalene is after our grandmothers on all sides!

Hi Mom 18 weeks

Hi Dad 18 weeks

Laughing!

Profile

Its a Girl!

Its a girl!

Foot

Face

Christmas Pictures 19 weeks

12/27/2008 - 20 weeks, 1st felt baby move

21 weeks

1/12/2009 - 23 weeks, Went to the doctor because I was having sharp back pains from my lower back that were going down the back of my legs and basically she was on my sciatic nerve and stayed there for the next 17 weeks.

There is a baby in there! 24 weeks

2/6/2009 - 26 weeks

Steelers win Superbowl ... I can barely get into my jersey! 26 weeks

Nisee's Nursery

3/11/2009 - 31 weeks, 3D ultrasound, We loved this and Nisee was weighing at 3lbs and 13 oz at only 31 weeks. She was still a girl and the DVD we have is a priceless treasure!

3D 31 weeks

3/14/2009 - 32 weeks, My parents had me a shower at their house. Nisee got tons of stuff and we had over 60 people there! It was great and the theme was a Star is Born!

Shower at My Parents 31 weeks

3/22/2009 - 33 weeks - Hospital visit number one for sickness. I will say that I never actually threw up during my pregnancy until this. I was in so much pain near the top of my uterus and it was killing me and it had started a few days earlier and had not gone away. So long story short after puking my guts up and the pain not going away I called the doctor on call and he said I could come to the hospital and they could check me to be sure or I could wait but that it was up to me. This being my first pregnancy and me being a little OCD I decided that I would go. So Chad took me and after hooking me up to the fetal monitors Dr. Dorton checked me and I was OK. Nisee was great and she was kicking the monitors! So they sent me home and they were glad that I came in because they could see that I was in pain and with my back already messed up they had me keep my appointment for later that week.

33 weeks

3/26/2009 - 33 weeks, this was just a regular doctors visit. They had me still come in since I had gone to the hospital just the Sunday before.

3/28/2009 - 33 weeks, Baby Shower #2 hosted by my Sister Tara and Stephanie Steele! The Theme was Rubber Ducks! We had an awesome time and even played the whats in the diaper game!

Me and Mama at my 2nd Shower hosted by my sister Tara & Stephanie 33 weeks

4/8/2009 - 35 weeks, Swelling starts big time from this point on. I had swelling before this but it was usually after a long day of being on my feet. From here on out I am just always swollen! Oh and I also had another doctors visit this day.

Easter at Mamaw Evalene's 35 weeks

4/15/2009 - 36 weeks, Work Showers! I got surprised with not 1 but 2 work showers! 1 from my team and 1 from my fellow team leaders and managers! It was great and I got awesome stuff! I also went to the doctor and got good news that I was 50% effaced but no dilation and her head was still floating.

4/22/2009 - 37 weeks, Doctors visit and all was well and I was a WHALE!

37 weeks and HUGE!

37 weeks, Me and Chad AND my belly!

37 weeks kiss, Belly in the way!

5/1/2009 - 38 weeks, Doctors visit and all is well. Just ready to have this baby!

Me and Britt at Brayden's 3rd Birthday Party, 38 weeks

5/4/2009 - 38 week, Chad took me to the doctor this day because of severe back pain. After seeing Dr. Ellis he said I was 75% effaced and -3 station which means she was in the canal but still really high. BUT he did write me out of work and put me on some meds and said go home and REST!

5/8/2009 - 39 weeks, This was the last Dr's visit I had before I went into labor. I was supposed to have another doctors visit the day I went into labor and delivered.

At the Hospital, 39 weeks 6 days

The next week was the longest week of my life! I think I cried every day and wished Nisee would just get here and by that Thursday I had resigned that she was never coming and I was going to be pregnant forever! Little did I know she was coming sooner than I thought!

Pittsburgh ... Our Other Home!

So Chad's family is from 2 small towns about 30 minutes outside of Pittsburgh, PA. Chad's Dad's family is mostly from Beaver Falls, PA and Chad's Mom's family is from New Brighton, PA. We 1st went to visit as a married couple in March, 2007. I was not sure what I would think but I LOVED IT! I would actually love to live there if we were not so tied to NC because all of my family is here and Chad's immediate family is here too. However Chad still has lots of family there that we can go visit. Below are some pictures of our Home away from Home! If we ever win the big lottery we will have a house there too!

The road in front of Chad's Grandmothers house.

Chad's favorite Restaurant! Mine is Orams Doughtnuts!!! The best EVER!!!

Chad's Great Grandma Young's House on their Farm. The house was 150 years old. She sold the house and the farm but lived there until she couldn't stay alone. She moved out at 97 I think, not that long ago actually.

Chad's Great Grandma Young, Grandma Hicks, and then you know the rest of us!

Ton's of Steel Bridges!

The Allegheny and the Monongahela Rivers converge to start the Ohio River! Thus the name 3 Rivers and all the bridges! I love the different colors in the water!

Point State Park!

More of the Point

PNC Park Home of the Pittsburgh Pirates

Heinz Field Home of the Pittsburgh Steelers


Floor Front: Timmy Floor Sitting (L to R) Nikki, Eric, and Brodie Kneeling or on Couch (L to R): Carrie, Corey, Grandma Hicks, Jenna, Harley, and Kasee Standing (L to R): Dina, Chad, Me, Jason, Roger, Shane, and Quinton These are all Grandma Hicks Grand kids, great Grand kids and their significant others. Missing: Amber, Kamal, Kyan, and Micha Wallace as well as John, Marquie and Aeris Hudak . Oh and Nisee and Jade were not born yet when this picture was taken so we are missing more now!

Inside Mellon Arena Home of the Pittsburgh Penguins!

Outside the Mellon Arena. The 2009-2010 season is the last season at the Mellon for the Pens ... starting in Fall of 2010 the will be at the new Consol Energy Center which is just across the street!