Unintentional Test Run

In gymnastics, you learn to fight the fall.  But, if you can't stick it, you fall well. 

It's a very useful skill to have learned.. 

A week or so ago, Man tossed out the idea of doing a trial run to the hospital.

I shrugged this off.  We've each lived and worked in the area for over a decade, we know the roads, know the hospital.  And it's only 6 minutes and 1.8 miles away.

In other words, I vetoed this activity and took a nap instead.

***

Jump ahead a week and suddenly I'm sitting on the bottom step of our staircase, stunned and crying.  The tears were mostly from exhaustion--as was the fall, no doubt--but there I was having slid down the last two steps after missing my footing.

And thus began our unintentional test run at the Labor & Delivery floor, a 24 hour adventure of saline-filled observation.

Thankfully my trusty partner-in-crime was there by my side for 96.875% of the time--where the other 3% involved runs for palatable food and coffee.

We also had some pretty excellent and wise nursing staff whose primary goal was to keep Otter where she is and get us home in time for Christmas.  They were also wonderfully patient when I realized that the tightening (or a "contracting" if you will) of my truncal region was actually a contraction and that yes, I had been feeling them. 

Whoops.

Disregard the date though.  Totally wrong.

Honestly, I couldn't ask for a better permanent roommate.  When I am stuck in a not-so-fun place that dehydrates you more than an overseas airplane ride, he moves in too.  He does so without complaining about the not so comfy chair he tried to sleep in for the first 5 hours and then the slightly more comfortable chair-bed that he occupied for only about 3 more hours.  And those dismal attempts at sleep didn't keep him from figuring out how we could watch Despicable Me 2 online having ordered the DVD from Best Buy. 

Yea, pretty blessed to have him along for the ride.  

While I would have preferred not to have fallen in the first place, it turned out alright in the end.  We successfully met our goal and were discharged in time for Christmas Day festivities with both our families.  And we learned a lot about what we should have packed in our labor bag (lotion, snacks, thermos of hot water, and...did I mention lotion?).

The view is as fantastic as the staff, but I was very glad to be going home.  While we can't wait for the Otter to join us, Man and I both agree: there was no better way to end Christmas Eve than snuggled up, just the two of us, in our own bed.  She'll be here soon enough.