"A porcupine speaking of its baby says, "O my child of velvet."' --Afghan Persian Proverb

Friday morning I was out the house and running out of downtown Ketchikan at 4:30am. As one crests the Grant Street viaduct and heads down the hill, the road turns into a trail where the last two houses sit at the edge of the woods. This particular misty morning I noticed garbage strewn across the trailhead in front of one of the houses. “Must have been a raccoon here last night.” I began thinking as I rounded a blind corner and narrowly avoided running into a big black bear.

Fortunately, though, he was more shocked to see a human up at that time than I was to see him in my running path and he abandoned his stinky breakfast for the woods. Rather than running after the bear down the trail I decided to head back home to help get Michele ready for her induction.

As we sat at the breakfast table I reassured her. “This time tonight…we will be eating dinner with a baby!”

“I hope so!” she said.

…

The two doctors Michele has been seeing in Ketchikan over the course of her pregnancy said the baby has been on the big side since the halfway point. After seeing due dates come and go both doctors recommended that her labor be induced in order to deliver naturally. So we scheduled and rescheduled her induction; finally ending up with Friday, July 20th.

At 7 am Dr. Tung performed a Cytotec induction which got Michele’s contractions going at 5 to 10 minutes apart. The contractions were just strong enough to give her pause as we walked around the little hospital. At that point we both were wishing to be back in Seattle at a bigger hospital. Not for the pain relief alternatives and advanced medical care but for just a few more options for hallways and staircases to walk. After eleven hours of boredom, discomfort, and inconsistent contractions; we were sent home to rest when the doctor’s check showed she was still at 50% and 2 cm (about the same stats as the check-up on Tuesday).

We had a little Kung Pao chicken and went for a walk on the waterfront. At that point the contractions began increasing in intensity about 3 minutes apart. Stumbling past the stares of the local fisherman we made our way toward the car and heading back to the hospital.

At 10:00pm we were officially admitted to the hospital though the nurses measured very little physical progress with Michele. At 11:00pm she was given a push of Stadol to help her sleep.

Second shift on Saturday July 21st began at 4am and despite the painful contractions, by the doctor’s check at 11 am Michele was only 3 cm dilated. The Pitocin drip, a stronger induction drug, started at that point. By 2pm she was at 4 cm and the doctor broke her water. She called in the anesthesiologist an hour later but being on call, the anesthesiologist did not arrive until 5 pm at which time Michele started pushing without the meds.

At 6:11pm, Lachlan Devere Johnson was born screaming and ruddy at 8 lbs 9 oz and 21 inches long. Michele claimed his nose has hers. She said he has my eyes and chin. I will leave time and the attached photos to decide. He held up to the labor very well; maintaining a strong heartbeat through-out. Now that he is out he likes to EAT! Sleep good, eat…more good.

Concerning the name: Lachlan is a somewhat ubiquitous Gaelic name (same origin as Rian) meaning 'land of lakes'. An alternate meaning we found and prefer is ‘warrior from the land of the fjords’. Having spent nearly a year in southeast Alaska, Michele and I wanted a name for him to reflect his magnificent birthplace. Devere is a family name he will share with his paternal grandfather and great-grandfather: both men of the kind of character Michele and I wish to pass on to Lachlan.

Michele is doing great but a little sore from the long labor. She hung in there like a champ and had the respect of the nursing staff at the hospital who were equally as wonderful in their encouragement throughout labor and delivery. Although her description of labor pains had me reminded me of the final scenes of ‘Braveheart’ she says it’s been a great experience for her giving birth here in Ketchikan. She and I are both very fond of the little gift God has given to us.

“Ready to do that again, Michele?”

Perhaps that’s a question best saved for later.

ENOUGH RAMBLINGS NOW MORE PHOTOS

Mom, Dad, and baby shortly after delivery

"Your not going to publish this, are you Dad?"

"Mmm, time to eat!"

"Watching someone else labor is soooo exhausting. Zzzz"

Ephesians 3:16-18 “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."