Wyatt's First Week (and spinal headaches)

While in the hospital and through the first couple weeks, Wyatt was a dream (this is not a statement to how he is now). He ate and then pretty much went to sleep. Didn't mind being cuddled or swaddled and put in the crib. Just super chill and happy to be alive.

I start with this because this was the only part of the first couple weeks that were a dream.

You might have noted in the Wyatt birth story that I had a failed epidural. This, evidently, can lead to what are called spinal headaches and I was lucky enough to get them.

Basically, when a hole goes too far into your spinal canal, spinal fluid can leak out. This messes up the pressure and equilibrium in your head and causes the worst headaches around. Yay for me. The anesthesiologist blamed my anatomy for the fact that he couldn't get into the epidural space and thus the epidural failed leading to the spinal headaches. This ignores the fact that I had a successful epidural with Zach (I didn't get an epidural with Nate). As soon as the anesthesiologist said that the headaches were a possibility, I just had a feeling and knew I was going to get them... I just prayed I would be able to manage them.

There are two options at this point- rest and let your body heal up those holes and then build up that spinal fluid again, or a blood patch, A blood patch is where they take healthy blood from your body, find the hole in your spine that is leaking the fluid and then inject that hole with your blood so that it creates a scab over the hole, thus plugging up the hole. We chose option A because the failed epidural was traumatizing enough, we didn't need any more needles in my back at that point.

So for the first 10 days of Wyatt's life, I was close to bedridden. I was taking medication on the clock just to be able to get up out of bed to bathe, eat, nurse, and use the bathroom. You might worry that this kept me from enjoying my new baby but it really didn't because I was forced to take it easy so I just laid around and held and fed Wyatt.  It was stressful because I couldn't help with the other boys and hats off to Matt for being a single parent for that week that would have been tough anyway. Love that guy.

The pain started about 12 hours after I had Wyatt. It started in my neck and shoulders and then over the course of several days moved up and around my head to my forehead. It was shooting and piercing pain. It was very difficult to move my head but the pain was resolved if I laid down. It took them between 24 and 48 hours to diagnose it because they said that the headaches don't usually start until 72 hours after the hole is created. Again, lucky me.

I was given two medications to alternate between, told to drink plenty of water and caffeine, and wore a binding garment. The pressure disequilibrium in my head made it difficult to hear and focus. It was pretty brutal but I just couldn't bring myself to feel too sorry for myself. While this was a big bummer, it was going to resolve itself. Some things don't resolve themselves.

After about 10 days I weaned myself off the medication and was able to function just a bit more normally. I have been told that it will take 6-8 weeks to be completely resolved. The headaches do come back some but they are manageable now.

We made it. I can honestly say that, when I look back on that first week, I don't think of the pain. I don't remember it that way. I remember the time in the hospital with Matt and Wyatt and the three of us making our way together. I think of the boys getting to know Wyatt and what our family looks like and does with a new baby in the house. I remember cuddling my boys while I had to stay in bed and I value the slower pace I was forced to take. That's what I remember.