Matt

It was 1974. We had been married almost 5 years. We had been living in Columbia, Missouri. Terry had just finished his respiratory therapy degree there and he had accepted a position at Parkland Junior College in Champaign, Ill. as an instructor.
Time to have a child? I wasn't sure I was ready. Terry was excited and I figured it was time. So we went off the pill that I had been taking since we got married.
We went off in May and moved the end of the month. June 1 we were in Urbana (twin city to Champaign)and I felt awful. I "knew" I was pregnant. Terry was sceptical. He thought the whole thing about women being sick was ridiculous. I was TIRED like no other tired. My breasts hurt, everything made me nauseous. A no brainer! I think then we had to go to the doctor to find out. No quick tests. And then the news came. We were going to have a baby! Terry's whole attitude changed. He was gentle, caring, sympathetic. And excited!
The sickness didn't last too long. The tiredness stayed. I am embarassed to remember that we went to a party at someone's home for his work. Maybe Christmas time. After some visiting (which I hated), I was so tired I went into the bedroom where all the coats were on the bed, scooted them over and went to sleep. I didn't care what anyone thought.
We lived in a 3 bedroom, fairly large apartment that was attached to our church there. Our home was the center of activity alot. There were 7 young couples who we did things with. Especially the Gardners, Bill and Barb. All the couples had a baby that year. We were first and Lynn and Christy Misselt were the last. The Gardners baby, Katie, was born 3 months after Matt in May. What a fun and exciting time! Being the first to deliver, everyone was watching and waiting and excited for our delivery.
On February 25th, early in the morning I felt rotten. My whole lower stomach hurt.
I went to the bathroom and was standing at the door of our bedroom. Terry woke up and asked me what was wrong as I leaned against the doorpost.
"I feel awful. My stomach hurts."
Excitedly, "Maybe you are starting labor!"
Angerly, "I am not in labor. I'm 2 weeks early!"
"How do you know? Lets time it."
Reluctantly, "It just hurts all the time. OK."

Sure enough. 10 minutes apart. (I didn't think it was supposed to hurt this much.)
We called the doctor and he told us to go to the hospital. For some reason that walk to our old rickety garage is a vivid picture.
At the hospital we found out I was only dialated to a 1. But because I was in so much pain they kept me. It was about 7 in the morning. Sometime later they started a drip to get me going. I have no wonderful, glorious feelings about that day.
We had taken lamaze classes but I felt so unprepared. I never screamed. Just alot of moaning. They gave me demoral(sp?) once but it only made me sleep until the contractions and then I was not mentally prepared for the next contraction.
Terry was by me constantly. He never even left to eat. At one point he gently patted my hip and said I would be alright. I kicked him. He and the nurse laughed and it made me mad.
Finally it was time to push. In lamaze they told me this part was usually about 3 minutes. It took forever! At one point I passed out and they had to revive me.
Another thing I remember is Terry pushing on my stomach trying to help. They used forcepts.
When Matt finally arrived around 7 in the evening,Terry thought he was dead so he put his body between my face and Matt. When I finally saw him his head was long and narrow, eyes black and blue and he had a large hematoma on his head on top.
I remember thinking I should love this child or be excited or something. Instead I was just hoping they would take him away so I could sleep. His apgar score was very low at first but then by the morning it was ok.
I was black and blue to my knees which made my mother furious - at someone!
Dr. Yardy had been a missionary doctor who had delivered many babies in the "bush."
He was used to women suffering.
Matthias Vernon Reiff was 8#2oz.
The next morning I was able to be happy and thankful for my little boy. In fact, I was thrilled! We had wavered between Todd and Matthias. Matthias was a family name in the Reiff family. Vernon after Terry's Dad.
Our friends came two at a time, most of them pregnant, to visit me. I went home the next morning because we had no insurance. It cost us about $2000.
Mom, Dad, Diane, Randy, Terry's parents and Judy all came to stay for a week.
I spent most of that time in bed.
I remember Matt sleeping in the cradle at the end of our bed. One time I was needing something and Mom came to see if she could help. I appreciated her but I wanted Terry. Before Matt was born my loyalty seemed to always be with my family of origin but going through that with Terry changed all that. I felt connected to Terry in a new way. We were a family.