My Blizzard Baby

This snowy day today reminded me of a day 14 years ago. My phone was ringing off the hook, “Are you labor yet?”  Everybody was asking! You see, I didn’t know it at the time, but  a barometric pressure drop causes women about ready to give birth to go into labor. And, I was ready. In fact, beyond ready.  I was scheduled to be induced in two days.

Then, it snowed. And snowed. And snowed. Over three feet of snow. One of the biggest snowstorms Denver has seen. The airport was shut down. The major highways in and out of town were shut down.  EVERYTHING was shut down.

Of course,  we lived in on three acres, on top of a hill,  in the middle of  the country. We weren’t going to be seeing any snow plows for days.

However, just in case I should go into labor, my husband and Dad (who was stuck at our house because of the storm) hauled out the snow blower and the shovels and attempted to plow our VERY long drive. ….for TEN hours. Yep, ten hours it took them to just get to the street. Only to realize we weren’t going no where, even with our four wheel drive.

Then, it started. Slowly at first. I kept thinking it was false labor. However, no denying. I was in full blown labor.

Okay. We will just call the county and get a snow plow out here. “What?” they said, “this is your THIRD baby? Don’t you know that each baby comes quicker than the last one?” THEY called the paramedics. And eventually, the snow plow came, closely followed by the paramedic truck. The paramedics were pretty sure I could make it to the hospital. They offered to take us. NAW, we said proudly…WE got four wheel drive! We can make it now that the road was plowed. 

THAT was the longest drive of my life. Once off our street, we passed car upon car of abandoned vehicles that couldn’t make it home. It seriously looked like the photos you see from a war zone. Then, after what seemed to me like hours we finally hit the highway. The roads weren’t so rough and bumpy, the plows were able to get there,  but the semi trucks that couldn’t get out of Denver lined each side of the highway. It was pitch black except for the running lights of the trucks and totally deserted. I kept thinking to myself, I could have had this baby at home,  I’ve had two babies before without anything drugs. Or, I could have this baby at the hospital (I was going to get drugs THIS time). BUT I CAN’T HAVE THIS BABY IN A JEEP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BETWEEN THE HOUSE AND THE HOPSPITAL WITH ONLY MY HUSBAND AND MAYBE A TRUCK DRIVER FOR ASSISTANCE!

Then, (praise the lord) my contractions slowed. We made it to the hospital in plenty of time. Ryan Parker Kroll was born at 1 a.m. on October 26th 1996. And, after some discussion whether to put 1 am or 2 am on his birth certificate…….because you see, he was also born on the weekend that the clocks “Fall behind” at the precise hour that they “Fall behind”….he was pronounced a healthy happy baby boy! Whew!!

Named Ryan “Parker” after the wonderful Parker Paramedics that helped dig us out and followed us out of the neighborhood to the highway, Ryan must have really been glad to make it to that hospital as well, because he continues to keep us visiting them!  First an eye cancer scare at six months, then a broken leg at a year, another broken bone at three, hernia surgery, eye surgery and finally his NF2 diagnosis at eight. We help to keep The Children's Hospital in business! Good thing they are so wonderful there. His doctors are FABULOUS!

Ryan has grown into an amazing young man with such strength and such a good attitude for all he’s been through. I am so very proud of him. So, on this snowy day, I wish my third very, VERY special child a Happy Happy 14th Birthday. I love you Ry-Ry. More than all of these words or any other words can say.