Chapter 31
Tucker
The countdown to Tad’s arrival was particularly nerve-racking for me.
Even with Rosie around, and Isadora checking in on Ava, probably more than Ava wanted, my anxiety was high.
I started having to brace myself when I opened the front door, trying to withstand the terrifying moment between when I announced I was home and when I heard Ava return the greeting.
But the next two months passed uneventfully. Ava moved into more headshot gigs, which she could handle more easily than the families or weddings. Overall, she worked less. Things got a little tighter financially, but we were all right. We were getting by.
Tad was growing at the right rate.
At the eight-month mark, while we waited for Ava’s nonstress test to conclude, we spoke to Dr. Chancellor, our OB/GYN, about waiting for labor or to prevent the risk of a huffing-induced seizure Dr. Simmons warned us about.
“We’ve already labeled the pregnancy high risk due to her condition,” Dr. Chancellor said. “We can easily justify a C-section in her case.”
I looked at Ava lying on the exam table with a big strap over her belly. Tad’s heart rate squiggled across the screen. “What do you think?”
“I didn’t feel great practicing the breathing in birthing class,” Ava said. “I’m nervous about it.”
“But you’ve never had a seizure from huffing, right?” Dr. Chancellor asked.
“No. And they made me do it back when I was seventeen. It didn’t cause one.”
Dr. Chancellor tugged on his stethoscope with both hands. “I wouldn’t say you’re high risk, but yours is a case where the consequences of a seizure are catastrophic.”
We all frowned, imagining a scene where Ava lost her memory mid-labor.
Dr. Chancellor reviewed the screen, then switched off the machine. “Let’s schedule it to be safe. Of course, Cesareans have to be performed two weeks ahead of the due date. Once the baby drops into the birth canal, it’s much harder to perform one.”
“So, the baby would come in two weeks?”
“Or so. The nurse will work on scheduling the surgery. She’ll also go over the procedure. I assume you’ve never had an epidural.”
“No,” Ava said.
“That shouldn’t trigger a seizure either.” He patted her arm. “We’ll see you through.”
“Do you have other pregnant patients with epilepsy?” I asked.
“Yes,” he said. “I’ve had several.”
“Did any of them have seizures during labor?”
He hesitated, and at that moment, Ava and I glanced at each other. “Yes. But that was two out of dozens.”
I didn’t like those odds.
“We’ll get it scheduled,” Ava said. “We’ll be ready.”
“Good. I’ll see you for one more checkup in a week, then it will be go-time!” He tapped a few things on his iPad as he left the room.
I squeezed Ava’s hand. “Two weeks and then he’s here.”
“I’ll have to call Dad once we have a date. I guess we’ll know his birthday ahead of time.”
“We will.”
The nurse popped in. “Let’s get you unhooked, and then we will schedule that C-section!”
I held Ava’s hand as the nurse worked.
We had made the right decision. Maybe I could worry less about coming home each day.