Chapter Two: CONFUSION

But I also have to poop (TMI?), and while I'm doing that the hospital calls. "Hello Alyssa, just calling to confirm your induction tomorrow morning at 6:00 AM. Do you have any questions about that?"

*record scratch*

"Um. Yeah, did you say 6:00 AM? Like in the morning?"

"Yes, that's what we have scheduled."
"Okay, so...I was literally just with my doctor five minutes ago and he said he'd scheduled it for 6:00 PM. Are you positive about 6:00 AM?"

"That's definitely what we have on file, but maybe you should check with him."

"On it. Thank you!"

I call Randall's office to see if he meant 6:00 tonight or 6:00 tomorrow. Maybe he just wanted me to be able to go to my show tonight! That must be it. I get my hopes up and I get the message machine, which doesn't make sense since I am positive somebody is still at the office. But it reroutes me to the after-hours call center, where I give as much information about the situation as I can. I'm not convinced that the poor girl on the other end understands what I'm saying (I sound like a crazy person), but she promises to make some calls and get back to me with a final answer ASAP. 

Thirty minutes later, she gets back to me. Final answer: 6:00 AM, which is good since I'm already late for my 6:00 PM time. Also, I have just earned 12 more hours to work on everything I need to do! As long as I don't start seizing in that time, I'm good to keep chipping away at the things that are stressing me out. And another bonus: my podcast date is back on! I eat, I get a blessing, and I take off with Jenna for Salt Lake City. These few extra hours have nullified my panic just enough for me to feel the smallest bit of excitement for the smallest bit of time. I have won back part of the security I lost in the last 24 hours.

As Jenna and I fly up the Wasatch Front to make it to our show, I text a bunch of coworkers and make sub plans for the next day. I cannot believe the amount of work stress I have already felt over this baby's arrival. Should I just quit my job? Feels like it would make good sense at this point (when nothing makes good sense at all).

We park, we jaywalk, we run (literally) into the podcast recording venue. We pull out our tickets, and right as we are scanned in: my phone rings. It's the hospital. Huh? I'd probably better answer this. I step out and Jenna follows me.

"Hello Alyssa, we were just wondering when we can expect to see you for your induction tonight."

*record scratch*

"I'm sorry, did you just say tonight because I thought it was tomorrow. At 6AM, right?"
"Oh no! We have you down for tonight at 6PM."
"Okay so...that doesn't make any sense. I just got to Salt Lake for a show because I was told to come at 6:00 tomorrow morning. There was some confusion, I think. The earliest I can get there will be maybe 11:00."
"That will be fine. Just come as quickly as you can!"

Great. I have now lost 6 of the 12 hours I gained earlier. I'm tired of doing clock math! I will just try to enjoy the remainder of the show, which will take up at least two of my hours. Fortunately, this show is hilarious. It's a wonderful reprieve from the madness I've been living for the last day, and I mentally bless Josh and Chuck (if you know, you know) as honorary uncles to this early fetus. (I think he knows their voices.)

After the show, we drive down the Wasatch Front to my school, where Jenna joins me on a midnight break-in (but legally, with keys). I spend 10 minutes running around my classroom, and we leave with a massive stack of papers. I don't know when I'll find the time, but these tests need graded before B1 tomorrow. Maybe I can pull an all-nighter? Except I'm probably about to live through months of all-nighters, so that feels like a bad idea. Problematic but true: of all the stresses in this whole birthing saga, the work stress beats them all.

Finally (finally), I arrive home around 1:00 AM to find Joseph calmly waiting for me. I shower a long hot shower. I eat four more bites of dinner and hope I'll get at least one more meal at the hospital before I'm not allowed to eat during labor (HA! This is more foreshadowing). I pack a backpack of clothes for me. I remember at the last minute to include clothes for the baby because apparently we will be having a baby today. And we drive the longest 5 minutes of my life to Utah Valley Hospital.

(To read chapter three, click here.)