It's not often that Mom and her baby undergo Cesarean section and Dad's hospital stay is longer than theirs. But Izabelle Weis' arrival into the world Wednesday is no ordinary story. It's worthy of TV's "A Baby Story," or better yet "Family Affair."
Her birth capped about 20 hours in which the Weis family endured two surgeries, lost an appendix and gained a daughter.
Rachel and Robby Weis went to Mercy Medical Center-Dubuque late Tuesday afternoon for Robby's emergency appendectomy. While still at home in Galena, Ill., waiting word on when Robby's surgery would take place, Rachel began to feel some birth pangs. Izabelle's due date was today.
"All day I was having cramping and feeling pressure, so I thought I better bring my bag," Rachel said. "While he was in surgery, I really started to feel my contractions."
Rachel decided she'd better get checked and went up to the fifth floor. Her time had not yet come.
"About two hours later, I was sitting with Robby in recovery on the fourth floor, and I just started contracting like crazy," Rachel said.
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Not only did Robby want to know, he still planned on witnessing the birth of the couple's first child, wheelchair and all, less than 12 hours after his appendectomy. The couple has been married for four years and dreamed of having a child for three years before that.
"I went up there in the morning for the delivery, and all of a sudden, about noon, they tell me they have to take her and have a Cesarean."
In Robby's condition there was no way to put scrubs on him, a requirement to get into surgery. Rachel's mom filled in in Robby's place.
"If you knew my mom, you'd know that's a real shocker," Rachel said.
Izabelle arrived shortly thereafter at 9 pounds, 1 ounce, and 20 inches long.
"It's kind of surreal," Robby said. "I went from pain, to not really knowing exactly what was going on. We won't forget her birthday. She's perfect."
Posing for pictures Thursday afternoon was just the third time Robby had seen his daughter. Nurses put Izabelle's pictures on the wall of his room on the fourth floor to keep him company, while Rachel and Izabelle recover on the fifth floor.
Rachel and Izabelle are scheduled for release on Saturday. Robby won't go home until at least Sunday. Originally scheduled for a less-invasive "scope," his doctor alertly opened him up completely to find a burst appendix and widespread infection. He'll be on bed rest for at least two weeks after release, and Rachel, too, will be taking it easy for at least that long.
In the interim, Robby's mom, Cathy, will move into their Galena home to care for all three. Cathy already had a workout at the hospital. She spent about 40 sleepless hours because of the surgeries and forgot to eat for 24 hours.
"She's been great running between the fourth and fifth floors," Robby said. "She'll take care of us."
