It all started about a month ago when my Mom came to us (in Farmington, New Mexico where we were living) and said to us, "Hey...I think you guys might need to move back to Orem sometime soon." Curtis and I were like...."Uh....ok...?" We had been living in New Mexico while Curtis worked on an apprenticeship and I worked for my Mom and Dad. We were in a good spot and our home in Orem was rented out until at least August. I was a little upset when my Mom first told us this. I didn't want to move. I liked living close to Mom and Dad. We were making good money. We were just in a really great spot in life! Then after discussing it...for days...Curtis and I started to make a plan. We decided to move. We called Mama and Papa Jackson and made arrangements for them to come and help us move and also for us to be able to live with them until August. Curtis packed everything into our moving truck (being 7 months pregnant...I wasn't much help.) and on the 27th of April, Mama and Papa Jackson with Spencer and Shane came to New Mexico to help us move. We had a rough move (moving truck problems....etc.) but finally made it to Utah on the evening of the 27th.
We spent the next couple days unloading and making our room into our home. I had visited the midwives in Farmington on the 22nd (just a week before we left) and while I was there they ran blood tests, urine tests, and everything in between. Everything came back and looked awesome! I was as healthy as a horse! My feet/ankles started to swell soon after the appointment, but I just thought maybe it was normal pregnancy stuff. Then, I started feeling sick...most of the time. I had been a little pukey for a couple of weeks before moving, but after getting to Mama and Papa Jackson's it started to get worse. In my naivety I just thought that maybe feeling sick was normal pregnancy stuff. I puked every night from the 27th until the 3rd. On the morning of th 3rd I woke up and got in the shower. I got out and went upstairs to get a drink. Papa Jackson took one look at me and said, "Geeze...you are looking kinda rough. Are you ok?" I told him I didn't feel well and that I might go to the Dr that day. (We had only been in Utah 7 days and I hadn't even found a Dr. yet!). Then I went back downstairs and got in the bathtub. After like 15 minutes I decided to get out. As I stood up I suddenly couldn't see anything. I went in and woke Curtis and told him we needed to get to the Dr. now.
Curtis woke his brother Spencer and he drove us to the Mountain View Hospital in Payson, UT. I don't really remember much from this day (Friday the 3rd) until the next week (Monday the 6th). This is what I have been told happened. In the Mountain View hospital I suffered a severe seizure, and a couple of smaller ones. They ran a CAT scan to make sure I hadn't had a stroke. Then, they put me in the ambulance and rushed me to Provo. When we got there they got me stabalized and decided that the baby needed to come. Dr. Anderson was the Dr on call and he delievered little Jocelyn River Jackson at 29.5 weeks by c-section. Curtis was by my side the entire time (though I don't remember...) I stayed in the hospital until Monday the 6th when they decided to discharge me. Come to find out I had suffered a very awful case of Eclampsia (or what used to be called Toxemia). The Dr's do not know why some women have Eclampsia or what causes it. But mine was the most severe case you can have. Here is a link to what wikipedia has to say about it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HELLP_syndrome
Anyway, little Jocelyn River Jackson came into this world fighting and hasn't quit since! Even for being born almost 10 weeks early she is a little fighter with lots of spunk and a sweet little personality. Curtis and I have the chance to hold her nearly everyday and we also have the chance to change her diaper, take her temperature, bath her, and many other things. She is still really little but she is growing more and more everyday. She has gained 8 ounces since being in the NICU. She is the sweetest thing I have ever seen and Curtis and I are both super proud of her! We just love her and feel that she is the greatest blessing we have ever gotten. I appreciate my Mama and Papa Jackson for allowing us the chance to live with them. It was a real blessing to be with them when we needed to be. I also appreciate my Mom and Dad for sending us back to Utah when they did. The story would have played out a lot differently had we still been in New Mexico. Little Jocelyn and I might not have made it. I am grateful for a parents intution!
We are so proud of our baby girl and cannot wait to bring her home and show her off! We love her and Curtis and I are both very grateful she is such a little trooper! She is the best baby!!
