I had my first two babies without any intervention or pain meds, their births went very well... besides being long labors (first baby boy was 15 hours only 25 mins pushing he was 8lbs 5oz. 22 inch 1/2 inches. Second baby boy 21 hours of labor 15 mins pushing he came in at 10lbs 8oz 22 1/2 inches long) A year after giving birth to my second I developed Fibromyalgia (chronic pain). So when we decided 4 years later we wanted another baby I mentally decided I would need an epidural to make it through labor. I had a very healthy pregnancy and we were excited to find out “it’s a girl!”. My water broke at 9:30am on a Sunday 6 days after my due date, contractions started an hour later and at 3pm we headed to the hospital. Labor moved slowly and middle of the night I came down with the flu, body aches, chills, fever which definitely made things more interesting. After 17 hours I was put in pitocin to help ramp up contractions, it worked and 3 hours on that I hit a 6 in dilation and was having consistently big contractions. 25 hours into labor I was ready for the epidural, the anesthesiologist came in he was older and semi off... little silly maybe? But I didn’t think anything of it I was in pain and exhausted! In the room was my midwife, a nurse and my husband, he began with the prep and then hit me with the first poke... EXTREME pain shot up my spine.. I screamed... but I thought ok it’s in we are done. But then I felt the “needle” come back out and the anesthesiologist nerves giggle and say “ok that was not successful, I’m gonna go again”. And again severe shoots of pain (keep in mind I am feeling this pain through transitional contractions) “oh where are you feeling that!?” I tell him. I felt him move the catheter around. Again I was screaming in pain. Finally he pulls it out and comes around to face me. At this point I was ready to give up on the idea of an epidural. But he came around to face me and was like “I think I know what went wrong let me try one more time I think I can get it” at this point I had a dread feeling that something was very wrong, he seemed off and the nurse and midwife kept looking at each other and at one point whispering about calling someone else in asap, the nurse saying she already did but they were in a surgery. I was in so much pain and at a loss to know what to do so I said he could make one more attempt. Again he failed and caused throbbing shooting pain. As he finished his final attempt the second anesthesiologist came in and told him to leave. (My husband had watched him make his last attempt and he said the Drs hands were literally shaking as he went to stab my spine 😳) She (the second anesthesiologist) came around to face me, I was a mess balling tears and just saying I wanted to be done! She said it was 100% my decision but that she knew she could do it. She stepped out while I talked to my husband and midwife. I asked my midwife if this anesthesiologist was actually good? She replied with “she is one of the best” and my husband just wanted me out of pain. So I said she could make one attempt. Within literally 5 mins she was done and in 15mins the epidural was working flawlessly. I was pain free. And in 2 hours my baby girl was in my arms healthy and happy (9lbs 7oz 22inch). However I had no idea the damage the first anesthesiologist had done. For one he had drained spinal fluid on his first attempt and second I thought at the time he had

made a total of 3 spinal taps, when he had actually gone in 5 times. Making a total of 6 spinals in a 30 min time period. I had the head OB Dr in apologizing for what happened and letting me know that I was now high risk for a spinal headache. And yep that was the start of hell, 4 hours after labor the headache began. It was awful. I was offered a “blood patch” where they take some of your blood and patch the spinal fluid “hole” to relieve the headache. It worked. My lower back was SO sore but heat packs and little movement, with pain relievers kept it manageable. I have never been told sorry so many times by so many different people in my entire life, every nurse, every anesthesiologist I saw after that first idiot, the head Dr, the Hospitalist, the head nurse and the hospital Manager all came in with “I heard what happened and am so sorry this happened to you! It should have never happened like this”. I went home 48 hours after giving birth. I was home in bed in nonstop pain for 2 days until the spinal headache came back. We called and they said to come back in right away and get a second spinal blood patch. I did and again it relieved the spinal headache. But I was still dealing with extreme lower back pain that even norcos couldn’t touch. Eventually the pain moved into my neck and I was almost completely immobile with pain. So we went into the ER. After hours of testing for infections (and yes that included another spinal tap rounding my number up to 8). The Dr decided I had extreme inflammation of the spine. And I was admitted for 3 days to lay flat on my back with round the clock IV pain relievers. So here I am 13 days after giving birth still completely bed ridden, home again, but having to spend most of my day flat on my back only getting up to use the bathroom. I’m so very blessed to have a husband who stepped up 1000% taking care of me, washing me, dressing me, getting me in and out of bed, keeping me hydrated and fed... and my mom taking care of my boys ❤️ I don’t know what I would have done with out my family! But I’m still so upset about the time stollen from me with my new baby girl! I have been able to keep breastfeeding with SO much determination and help but it’s been hard to be in so much pain and such little mobility to really enjoy this precious time with her... 😢 If you feel something isn’t right in your treatment EVER speak up, say no, stop, because if you even suspect something isn’t right you are right... just because they have Dr before their name doesn’t mean they are immune to failure or being bad at their job!