What happens when motherhood comes earlier than expected or survives a life-threatening complication with the sixth pregnancy? Join us for an illuminating conversation with Jeanne Jordan, a seasoned labor and delivery scrub tech, who shares her extraordinary journey of love, family, and survival. Jeanne's story begins with a whirlwind romance with her husband, Stephen, leading to a large family and a life of both joyous surprises and unexpected challenges. Her candid reflections on early motherhood, evolving prenatal care, and the nuances of raising six children offer invaluable insights into the complexities and rewards of family life.
Jeanne opens up about the deeply personal connection between childbirth experiences and her children's unique personalities. Her decision to avoid certain pain medications after an unfavorable first experience, coupled with the transition to a new OB-GYN, highlights the importance of personalized care and support in the birthing process. With each birth becoming increasingly manageable, Jeanne's narrative underscores the profound impact of a supportive family network, particularly as the number of children grows. Her tale is a testament to the strength and resilience of mothers everywhere, navigating both the ordinaries and the extraordinary of parenthood.
The episode takes a gripping turn as Jeanne recounts her near-fatal encounter with an amniotic fluid embolism during the birth of her sixth child. Her survival is a story of miraculous medical intervention and familial fortitude, shedding light on the tenuous balance between life and death in childbirth. Despite lingering fears, Jeanne's gratitude for her family's resilience and their collective future shines through. Her reflections on the emotional weight of such experiences, paired with her light-hearted anecdotes, paint a picture of a woman who's not only survived but flourished in motherhood, leaving us in awe of her unwavering spirit and love for her family.
Music Credit
https://uppbeat.io/t/asher-lee/dance-with-me
https://uppbeat.io/t/matrika/picture-of-you
https://uppbeat.io/t/justin-lee/high-hopes
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Stephanie Theriault (00:00):
Welcome to the Maternal Health Podcast.
Today I'm interviewing mycolleague and friend, jean
Jordan.
She has six children.
Her oldest was born in 1986 andher youngest was born in 1995.
She has two girls and four boys.
This year she will celebrateher 40-year anniversary with her
(00:22):
husband, steven.
Jean has been a scrub tech forover 35 years, specifically
working in labor and delivery.
She has seven grandchildren onegirl, six boys and counting.
I do want to give a warning forJean's last pregnancy she had
an AFE, an amniotic fluidembolism.
(00:44):
I'm excited for you to learnmore about Jean.
I'm excited for you to learnmore about my friend and
colleague, jean, and herexperiences with pregnancy,
labor, motherhood and survivingan AFE.
(01:13):
Welcome to the Maternal HealthPodcast, a space for all things
related to maternal health,pregnancy and beyond.
I'm your host, stephanie Terrio.
I am a labor and delivery nurseand a mother to three beautiful
boys.
Each week, we dive intoinspiring stories and expert
insights to remind us of thepower that you hold in
childbirth and motherhood.
We're here to explore the joys,the challenges and the
(01:35):
complexities of maternal health.
Every mother's journey isunique and every story deserves
to be told.
Please note that this podcastis for entertainment purposes
only.
It is not intended to replaceprofessional medical advice,
diagnosis or treatment.
Always consult with yourhealthcare provider for medical
guidance that is tailored toyour specific needs.
(01:56):
Are you ready?
Let's get into it.
Good morning Jean.
Welcome to the podcast.
Good morning Stephanie.
How are you doing?
Jeanne Jordan (02:14):
today I'm doing great.
Thank you for having me.
Stephanie Theriault (02:18):
I'm so glad that you are here and I'm
excited to hear more of yourstory All right.
I love to start the podcastwith a love story.
If you could share with us howyou met your husband and your
love story.
Jeanne Jordan (02:31):
Okay.
So my husband and I met backprobably I was 26 at the time at
a place in Saugus called thePalace, you may or may not
remember it and I saw him fromacross the floor and I was with
a bunch of my girlfriends and Isaid do you see that guy over
(02:51):
there with the long French coaton and those leather gloves?
I'm going to marry him and Iswear to you.
That's how it all started.
Stephanie Theriault (03:01):
Yeah it was kind of fun, yeah, so you went
up to him and introducedyourself.
Jeanne Jordan (03:05):
Well, we kind of like made eyes.
So we both made a connectionand then we, you know, we talked
, and that was right around NewYear's Eve and we had our first
date on January 4th of that, youknow, three or four days later.
And then by November of thatyear we were engaged.
Wow, yep.
(03:27):
So it was a kind of funwhirlwind, if you will.
Stephanie Theriault (03:31):
Now you have six children.
You have four boys and twogirls.
Yes, did you always know thatyou wanted to have children and
be a mom?
Jeanne Jordan (03:42):
I definitely knew that I wanted to have children
and I always wanted to haveseven children.
I don't know why that numberstuck with me.
I just wanted to have a bigfamily.
I love the idea of a lot ofpeople and a lot of busyness,
and I guess you might saycommotion, but it's just fun to
me.
I like to, you know, organizeand still, to this day, I do
(04:06):
love when my family getstogether and they all get along.
My husband and I got married inOctober and went on our
honeymoon and when we came backfrom our honeymoon I kept saying
God, I still feel like I'm.
We went on a cruise and I saidI still feel like I'm got that
equilibrium thing.
And I said I still feel likeI've got that equilibrium thing.
I can't get my bearings, I'mdizzy, I'm nauseous.
(04:28):
And come to find out I waspregnant with my first child, a
honeymoon baby.
So it all began there.
Stephanie Theriault (04:35):
How old were you when you had your first
child?
I was 27.
Talk to us about how thepregnancy was for you, and did
you have a birth plan?
Did you go with the OB midwife?
Jeanne Jordan (04:47):
I felt so overwhelmed because I had just
found out and we really wereexpecting to wait a couple of
years.
We had both just I just starteda new job and he, you know, in
his company we had just got ahouse.
So we were kind of like tryingto wait a little.
So it did come as very much asurprise.
Trying to wait a little, so itdid come as very much a surprise
(05:09):
.
I just went to my GYN at thetime and now turned into my OB.
I did not have a breath plan, Ijust knew that I wanted to try
as natural as possible.
I was, I guess I wasn't.
I didn't object to getting anepidural or a spinal, but I
wanted to give myself theopportunity to try to do a
natural delivery.
I had a great pregnancy, justthe normal sickness in the
(05:30):
beginning.
Everything turned out great.
With the first one.
He was due the 4th of July andhe was born on June 29th, so he
was even a little bit early.
Everything was great, it wentnormal.
I nursed.
So I nursed all six of my kids.
My plan was to nurse for abouta year, which for me I know this
doesn't work for everybody, butfor me nursing worked as sort
(05:55):
of it, kept me from gettingpregnant until the second I
stopped nursing, because Istopped right around a year.
And, lo and behold, right afterthe year I stopped nursing and
along came the second baby.
So, yeah, the pregnancies wereall pretty normal and pretty
uncomplicated until I got to myfourth pregnancy.
(06:20):
So the first two were boyspregnancy, so the first two were
boys, and then I had mydaughter, amanda, a girl, and
then I got pregnant with myfourth pregnancy, which was
Jared, and because my husband,his mom, is Jewish and he has,
like the you know, that sort ofline of testing they started to
(06:42):
do Each year.
I felt like they did moretesting with the pregnancies.
But this particular year, verymuch in the forefront, was
testing for Tay-Sachs and ofcourse we tested and it came out
very high.
So we decided to get a leveltwo ultrasound, which also I had
(07:03):
the same result.
And then I just decided tocontinue on because of course at
that month testing was new andthey didn't do them until you
were later and there wasn'treally for my own personal
choice, it wasn't really muchthat I was going to do at that
point.
So I powered through and, thankyou God, everything came out
(07:23):
fine.
Stephanie Theriault (07:25):
Your first pregnancies, vaginal deliveries,
right, yes, yes, I want tocircle back a little bit.
For your earlier pregnancy, forthe delivery, you went into
spontaneous labor, right?
Jeanne Jordan (07:38):
So I went to the beach, the very first one.
You know nothing when you haveyour first baby.
Like you know what I mean.
Like everything it's a trialand error, like you think you
know, but you really don't.
So I was at the beach and Ikept leaking.
After I came home from thebeach and I was like damn, what
is going on?
I had broke my water in thewater which I wasn't supposed to
be in.
(07:59):
But you know, and it was pretty,yeah, I went into spontaneous
labor, went in.
I think my labor with him wasabout, you know, like
everybody's idea of labor isdifferent, but I mean, like I
started with breaking my water.
I think the whole thing, frombeginning to end, was probably
about nine or 10 hours.
(08:19):
It was actually not bad.
Once I got to the hospital,realized I had broken my water,
I was in labor, I actually wascontracting at that point and
then I did get Pitocin and Ibelieve that I can't remember
any delivery that I didn't getPitocin.
Yeah, it was prettyuncomplicated.
I did not take any medications,except for my first pregnancy
(08:43):
with Stephen medications exceptfor my first pregnancy with
Stephen.
I was going natural and I didnot want the epidural because I
was too far along and they gaveme a Demerol shot, which I
didn't love the way I felt on itand I like the subsequent
pregnancies.
I refused to take anything justbecause I didn't like the
experience.
I felt a little out of it and Ifelt like I wanted to be more
(09:06):
involved with the birth,especially where I went as
natural as I could have.
So I never got that again.
Every other one was natural,except for number six.
We'll talk about that later.
Stephanie Theriault (09:20):
Did you have the same birth provider
OBGYN for all your pregnancies?
Did you have the same birthprovider OB-GYN for all?
Jeanne Jordan (09:24):
your pregnancies.
So for the first three, yes, Idid, and then he retired but he
had somebody take over hispractice that I was familiar
with, so he kind of like movedhis way in.
If you will, I might have seenhim for a postpartum check or a
GYN check, because I knew he wasin the office and I knew that
at the time it was Dr Morellithat I had and I knew that he
(09:45):
was older and he was going toretire.
So it didn't come as a surpriseto me and I was comfortable
with his replacement.
Stephanie Theriault (09:53):
How was your postpartum stays?
Did you stay for one, twonights?
Jeanne Jordan (09:58):
I stayed for two nights, especially with the
first one, because I felt likethere was a lot of teaching that
they could offer me, and Icertainly needed it because it's
your first.
They were great.
They had lactation consultantsand, having never breastfed
before, I took advantage of that.
And you know, they just teachyou the normal things, like how
(10:19):
to clean them up, how to givethem a bath, not to be afraid
they're not breakable, like youknow, because you're so.
They're so little and it's yourfirst and you're very
inexperienced at the time.
But the postpartum stay wasgreat.
There was a lot they had tooffer and I felt like I needed
to take advantage of it.
Stephanie Theriault (10:35):
One of the things that I noticed a lot in
the hospital when women aregetting to like 38, 40 weeks is
how do I plan for this laborwhen I have children at home?
Do you have support when it wastime, like when you're getting
closer to 40 weeks with yourother children?
Jeanne Jordan (10:51):
Yes, my mother was an absolute blessing and my
mother only lived one mile frommy house.
Like I honestly don't know howpeople prepare for this, because
I had such a gift with her,know how people prepare for this
, because I had such a gift withher.
She loved to be, she was a veryinvolved Nana.
She would come to the house atthe drop of a hat.
If I wasn't feeling well and Iwas getting close, she would
(11:13):
even stay.
She was just a gift.
So I I guess I really don'tthink too much of that because I
always had her, but that wouldbe something for people to.
You know, I did the nestingthing, I got my suitcase ready.
I, you know, when I'mcontracting, I would call and
say you're on call, you know,but I did have that gift.
(11:33):
I want to call it because Ithat's what it is, just to have
somebody be right there for you.
Stephanie Theriault (11:38):
Did you find that labor became easier
for you as you had more children?
Jeanne Jordan (11:46):
A hundred percent For me personally.
Yes, that's how it happened, Ithink, with my first one, like I
said, probably, like I wouldsay, anywhere between nine and
12 hours.
The second one was definitelylike five, like I think I didn't
want to be there as long, alsobecause I knew what to expect
the second time.
So when I started to contract,I'm like all right, I'm really
(12:07):
waiting until they get close,and you know.
So I gave myself more time athome to prepare for it and then
brought myself to the hospitalwhen I felt like I couldn't stay
home any longer.
And even with that I was wrong.
I was less than I thought I wasand I did spend a little bit
more time, but also already hadone and didn't want it to happen
(12:28):
at home.
So I was still a little on thatedge.
You know, I'd say probablyabout five to six hours for the
second one.
The third one was very quick,very quick.
Stephanie Theriault (12:37):
What's very quick.
Jeanne Jordan (12:38):
Like I started contracting at home and they
were like started contracting athome and they were like once
they came on, they came on likevery strong and I think as I was
driving to the hospital theywere like between two and five
minutes apart.
And then I got there.
I wasn't there more than twohours with the workup, the
delivery, the whole thing.
Stephanie Theriault (12:59):
How about for the fourth and the fifth one
?
Jeanne Jordan (13:02):
So the fourth one was again pretty quick.
I was anxious about that onebecause of the testing and all,
but his labor was seamless andeverything.
Number five so this is where mypregnancy got a little
complicated.
With five and six, I did gointo labor.
I did wait till the last minutebecause at this point you're
(13:23):
having your fifth, you knowwhat's happening.
I probably could have done itat home, but this kid was not
coming down.
He was a force of delivery andit's so funny, like for me, the
birth of my kids is sort oftheir personality.
I'm not even kidding you.
Like my daughter shot out mydaughter's.
Like she's the life of theparty, she's bubbly.
(13:46):
My son, who was the force ofdelivery, is very laid back,
like he has to be probed to doeverything.
I'm like, come on, you got.
He was always the last one toget ready for school.
I'm like, do I have to tip thebed over to get you up?
Like he just moved at his ownpace.
I love him to pieces.
(14:07):
He's great and has a wonderfulpersonality.
But I think to myself my God, Ihad to pull him out of my
delivery and it's been the sameever since.
Stephanie Theriault (14:24):
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, but it's kind of funny.
Jeanne Jordan (15:22):
That's how I joke about that a little bit.
Stephanie Theriault (15:25):
I see that, like when the babies are born,
they have their own littlepersonalities already from the
get-go.
Like you can see the difference.
Jeanne Jordan (15:33):
I believe that I really do.
You know, you come out, some ofthem are so bubbly and smiley
and just some of them like, ifyou know, obviously, what we do
for work, we see it.
But the mom is very laid back,very calm.
The baby hardly even movesaround.
She's alert and you know fine,but just so sweet, doesn't cry.
(15:54):
Then you have the very hypermom and the kid comes out
screaming like he's got to getthe attention.
I said, oh my God, it's sofunny.
It's a great place to work, itreally is.
Stephanie Theriault (16:03):
Yeah, the other day I had a baby who was
like halfway in, halfway out andwas already like crying and
just cried the whole time.
Jeanne Jordan (16:11):
Yeah, it's so funny, yeah, yeah, well, I'm,
I'm in the OR too, and sometimes, as soon as the head gets out,
I feel like they're saying to uswhy did it take you so long to
get me out of here?
Like they start, they startyapping the minute they come out
.
It's, it is funny For the forceof delivery.
Stephanie Theriault (16:27):
How was that experience for you?
Jeanne Jordan (16:30):
I want to say it was.
It was a little uncomfortable,for sure.
And it was a littleuncomfortable because I had
previous births and I knew howthey were supposed to go and
this wasn't actually going asplanned, even though they
explained it.
Sometimes, do you know whenyou're getting maybe a diagnosis
, maybe some bad news or likesome different news not
(16:53):
necessarily bad but you hear apiece of it and then you kind of
go blank, like I couldn't wrapmy head around the fact that
they were going to pull my babyout.
He was fine, other than havingjust a little bit of a bruised
cheek.
He was just a little stubbornand I just couldn't get him
under the bone.
He just, he just wouldn't come.
He was right there but hewouldn't.
(17:14):
He was just giving me a hardtime.
But the experience itself, Iguess, maybe the way they
explained it, I just felt alittle anxious about what was
going to happen.
It was fine.
I did tear a little bit and Ithat was, you know,
uncomfortable for a bit, buteverything worked out fine and
honestly, like you know how itis after they are born, you're
(17:36):
like so grateful that everythingis okay.
You'll kind of like putyourself on the back burner and
be like I can deal with whateveras long as the baby's okay, you
know.
Stephanie Theriault (17:48):
All right, so baby number six.
Jeanne Jordan (17:50):
Okay.
So this is the story of allstories, because this doesn't
happen to people and I don'twant anybody listening to be
frightened about this because itis so rare it barely ever
happens.
So I went to a baby shower,believe it or not.
The night before I was feelinglike uncomfortable.
I sort of felt like I knewlabor was going to come on soon,
(18:13):
maybe tomorrow, maybe the nextday.
I went home, I went to sleep, Iwoke up and I had like a little
bit more than a bloody show.
So I knew that I was having anissue.
I needed to get to the hospital.
So I brought myself in andeverything was great.
They were like yep, you're inlabor, we're going to move you
(18:36):
along.
This is also very unusualbecause my doctor at the time
was going away.
I felt like you're a six kid,he wants to move it along.
He knows how fast my previouspregnancies have been.
So he kept bumping up the pit,bumping up the pit, which for
somebody who's having theirsixth baby, it's unusual to go
(18:58):
that high with pit, because Iwas on 30 of pit, I was doing
well with pushing and everything, and then I got to 10
centimeters and I literally someof the last recollections that
I have would be I called thenurse and I said I feel this
(19:19):
burning in my back and from thatpoint on I literally shot
straight up in my bed.
And the next thing that I canpersonally remember about the
experience is seeing myself onthe operating room table.
It was a community setting.
They only have one OR.
(19:40):
They only have one anesthesiawho works for both the main OR,
which is right below the laborand delivery floor, and the
labor and delivery floor.
They had a couple, maybe CRNAswho, like the anesthesiologist,
would start the case.
The CRNA would kind of finishit up or go along.
So if the anesthesiologist hadto do an epidural in another
(20:02):
room, he could flop back andforth.
He came upstairs to talk aboutanother patient that needed an
epidural and if he was not onthe floor things might have
turned out differently, becausejust as he got upstairs I must
have had the amniotic fluidembolus.
I stopped breathing, they shotme across to the OR and then I
(20:27):
feel like I know that a lot ofpeople will be uncomfortable
with this, but I feel like Ialmost had an out-of-body
experience because I could seemyself on the table but I
couldn't do anything to preventwhat was happening, like I could
just see what was happening,and I kept thinking to myself I
guess my most, the thought thatI have, the most that I can
(20:49):
remember to this day, isthinking I can't die.
My husband cannot take care ofsix kids.
It's like I can't.
Someone has to.
You know, somebody has to dosomething here.
(21:11):
And I just I woke up, maybelike I know exactly how long it
was, but for me it felt like aneternity.
But I woke up like within a fewhours in intensive care I had
had the baby, a girl, apgars 2and 3.
I was in intensive care and Iwas experiencing some
(21:32):
complications myself.
I had DIC At the time when mydaughter was born now she's
almost 30, there was a lot ofcontroversy about like receiving
blood and AIDS and like allthese things.
So my husband is not medical atall and was having a hard time
with making the decisions togive me blood because he's like
(21:53):
I don't want her to die fromgetting AIDS and I don't want
this.
And the doctors were basicallylike you've got to give it to
her because she has DIC.
Once you start rolling down,there's no coming back from it.
So I did get my last rights.
It was very frightening, veryfrightening.
And then, thank God, to thisday, all is well.
(22:13):
My daughter is a very smartgirl.
She graduated college summa cumlaude.
She has a great personality.
I did have some complicationsfrom the surgery.
I de-hissed because I'm surethey probably didn't scrub.
I had a little bit of aninfection, but all in all I'm so
very grateful the way thingsturned out and you know, it does
(22:38):
give you a little bit ofanxiety.
Like I remembered, driving homeI kept thinking that what if
this ever happens again?
And I meant not even beingpregnant.
I didn't realize that it wasthe amniotic fluid that causes
the allergic reaction, so Iwasn't thinking clearly, I guess
, and I kept thinking it couldhappen again.
So I had a little bit ofanxiety for a couple of months
(23:00):
but all in all it turned happenagain.
So I had a little bit ofanxiety for a couple of months
but all in all it turned outgreat and, like I said, I'm very
grateful to this day.
I have wonderful children and Ihad great birth experiences.
Even that was an experience,but it did turn out good.
Stephanie Theriault (23:17):
Do you ever have the conversation with your
husband about what happened andhow he responded and how he was
feeling?
Jeanne Jordan (23:27):
Oh my God my husband went to pieces.
I mean, like the girls See, Iworked at Melrose at the time
when this all happened and thegirls were telling me I have
never, ever seen somebody reactlike your husband.
He kept saying now this is backin the day when you didn't go
in the OR, Like I know, thingshave changed.
(23:48):
If they think the patient isn'tdoing good, they'll make an
allowance for someone to come inand hold their hand or whatever
.
This was unforeseen at the time.
And they said that he was sodistraught and he kept saying
I've got to come in and I haveto be with her, I have to hold
her hand so that she knows I'mthere and they let him in.
Like they let him come inbecause he was so distraught.
(24:11):
And I remember that when I gotto the unit and I started of
course it took a day or so, butI started to come around I still
hadn't seen my baby, like ithad been 24 hours and I nursed
all my other kids.
So this was so out of the, itwas out of the norm for me.
So I started to think that theymight not be telling me the
(24:32):
truth.
Like they, they didn't want meto know that something happened.
So I was in intensive care, asI said, and I kept saying to the
nurses.
So I was in intensive care, asI said, and I kept saying to the
nurses I have to see my baby.
And they're like you're inintensive care, honey, we can't.
We don't have monitoring downhere, we don't have the well, we
know it as the hug system Backthen it was something different
(24:53):
but similar.
And she's like we can't.
There's no way to monitor ababy down here.
And I said if you don't bringmy baby to me and show me that
she's alive, I'm going to die.
Like I need to see her and knowthat you're being truthful.
And so they made an exceptionand brought her to me.
And once they brought her to me, the nurses were all like can
(25:14):
you ask for your baby again?
Because we want to play withher.
So it was kind of funny in theend.
But it took them a lot to bringher to me, a lot Like I had to,
you know, go through some redtape to get her there.
But, as you can imagine, I hadthat fear that they weren't
telling me everything about thedelivery.
Stephanie Theriault (25:33):
Yeah, for sure, because they're worried
about you, right?
If something had gone wrong,like, how would that have
affected you?
Jeanne Jordan (25:41):
Right, oh, of course they wanted me to get
over the hump and I was juststarting to like my blood was
just starting to come back and Iwas just starting to come out
of the anesthesia and, like youknow, your body's just kind of
regaining and I'm like I'm notgoing to survive this unless I
can see her.
So that, yeah, that was.
It was an experience I have tosay the time.
Stephanie Theriault (26:05):
did they know it was an AFE?
Did they tell you that's?
Jeanne Jordan (26:09):
what it was.
So they did tell me that thatwas what they greatly suspected.
So after it happened which thisalso was very unusual for me
because, like I said to youpreviously, I nursed all of my
kids so because I had thishappen, they had to send me to
like I had to go have a scanbecause they weren't sure where
(26:31):
the clot was, if it had moved tomy lung, if it had gone
someplace else.
So they needed to figure thatall out.
So I had to go down to havesome x-rays and whatever with a
contrast.
So at the time they were likeyou can't breastfeed your baby
until you pump out all thisnegative milk.
(26:54):
And they were saying, like twoweeks, I've never not fed my
kids, never.
So I pumped and dumped for twoweeks and they did see the
scarring or the clot.
It did go to my lung.
And you know, I mean that wasprobably the best case for me
and I pumped and dumped until Icould feed her and then she
(27:17):
dressed like a champ.
I, you know, I just I guess,maybe because I had a lot of
experience and because I reallywanted it, so I wouldn't feed
her anything else, but in themeantime they had to give her a
course, formulas and whateverelse they gave her.
Stephanie Theriault (27:32):
When you're talking about the out of body
experience in the OR.
Could you hear what people weresaying?
Jeanne Jordan (27:40):
I felt like I was in an auditorium.
I could hear the busyness ofeverything going on.
Obviously, I don't know if Italked or didn't talk, I'm sure
I didn't.
I just felt like I was watchingover all of it.
But you actually I guess mydescription of it is you
actually can't do anything, likeyou can't intervene in any way.
(28:01):
But I could see that it waslike a situation.
It can't do anything Like, youcan't intervene in any way, but
I could see that it was like asituation.
It wasn't that great and I kindof watched everybody moving
about the room and then, like Isaid, I just had that one
thought in my head.
I just keep saying please,please, like, don't let anything
happen to me, because I don'twant to leave my kids.
Thank you, Thank you.
(30:02):
I just felt like it would be alot for my husband to do by
himself and I knew that it wouldbe a lot to lose your wife and
the whole thing, and I felt sucha strong need to be with my
family.
You know I wanted a big family.
This is something I longed for,so I had such a strong need to
be with my family.
You know I wanted a big family.
This is something I longed for.
So I had such a strong maternalurge to stay.
(30:22):
I don't know how else todescribe it.
Stephanie Theriault (30:25):
How long were you in the hospital for
before they discharged you?
Jeanne Jordan (30:30):
So I was in intensive care for three or four
days and then I had another twoon the floor.
But I was anxious to get homebecause it wasn't my first baby
and I knew that my mom was hometaking care of my kids, in
between my husband going backand forth.
So it was a week total I think,like three or four days in the
(30:52):
unit and then another two orthree on the floor just to make
sure that I was mentallyprepared to take on what I was
going to.
I had a big, giant incisionfrom, you know, my belly button
to the top of my pubic.
It wasn't like the nice littlebikini it was.
It was open.
And then, like I said, I am asurgical tech and I know what
(31:14):
happens.
So the urgency of the case waslike you didn't even scrub.
So I ended up having, later ondown a couple of weeks later, I
I my incision to hist, it likeopened and I had to let it heal
from the inside out.
Which was going through thattrauma, having five other
children and a new infant, likeit was, it was a lot and
(31:37):
breastfeeding.
So I mean it was challenging.
But you know you take it oneday at a time and you just try
to get through the best you cando.
You do the best you can do and,like I said, I to this day I am
so forever grateful for my mombecause she was like a gift.
She was there through it all.
Stephanie Theriault (31:58):
You had mentioned earlier that the OB
was planning a trip.
Yes, did he make his trip.
Jeanne Jordan (32:06):
He did make his trip.
So we had this like reallyfunny joke, I guess, which
really isn't that funny.
But after I delivered andbefore he actually went away,
which was like the following day, he wanted to be there for this
birth because you know it wasmy sixth.
The chances of me havinganother one was slim.
But he did specifically come tome while I was in intensive
(32:27):
care and say to me this has tobe your last child.
The chances of this happeningto you again would be great.
I think they knew less about itthen.
But they were like.
He said you have six healthy,beautiful children.
You survived this.
I think this should be the lastchild for you.
(32:47):
And then he said and, by the way, you owe me underwear, because
I literally lost my mind whenthis all took place.
And so when I went to my firstcheckup six weeks later, I
brought boxes and briefs.
I said I don't know which oneyou wear, but I brought them.
And we chuckled about itbecause at that point I think I
(33:08):
could have a little sense ofhumor.
But yeah, it was funny, thewhole office got a kick out of
it, I'm sure.
Yeah, it was funny, the wholeoffice got a kick out of it, I'm
sure?
Stephanie Theriault (33:18):
Yeah, it was pretty funny and I'm sure
that's nice for everybody,because I can imagine the amount
of stress, right?
Oh my God.
With the whole situation andthen you bringing that gift and
just like relieving that stress.
Jeanne Jordan (33:32):
Well, the girls and the because you know your
girls, like you know the officethat you go to, you get familiar
with your secretary and you'rethe nurse and you know we were
like, oh my God, we were waitingto see the baby and we couldn't
wait to see you.
We all want to hug you and,like you know, it was like it
was just a.
It was a nice, very comfortingvisit and I, of course, I had
(33:53):
anxiety about it just evenseeing him, you know.
But yeah, it went well, it wasgood.
And that was my last pregnancy,because I was completely
petrified to have another child,even though I wanted seven.
I had something about thoseuneven numbers that I liked.
But I'm very grateful and I dohave lovely kids.
(34:13):
I am so forever grateful for myfamily.
Stephanie Theriault (34:16):
Do any of your daughters have children.
Jeanne Jordan (34:18):
So I'll go down the line.
My daughters do have children.
One of them, yes, my oldest son.
They just found out they'repregnant.
They've had two miscarriages,so that's their story.
My second son in line has twoboys.
My daughter has three boys, thenext boy down has a boy and
girl, and my youngest two arenot married yet.
(34:41):
So they don't have any childrenyet.
Not to say that they couldn't,and I would love them just the
same.
They just don't, but I knowthey all want them.
Stephanie Theriault (34:51):
When your daughter was pregnant?
Were you anxious at all aboutthis experience?
Jeanne Jordan (34:55):
I think I just thought about it differently
after that situation with myselffor anybody daughter or son
because even though I work inthis unit and you as well, you
don't really.
I think we all take it forgranted Like you have a
pregnancy, getting pregnant'seasy, it's so wonderful and you
(35:16):
have a baby.
You don't think about stufflike this until something
happens to either you orsomebody very close in your
family, like one of your kids,or it happened to your sister.
So I yes, I had a heightenedanxiety to answer your question
about every pregnancy for themall and I was very fortunate.
Very fortunate because I saw myson and my daughter-in-law.
(35:42):
I was in the room for both oftheir births and my daughter's
three.
I literally delivered my firstgrandchild.
I had a great resident.
She was like, put your gloveson, you're going to catch, and I
was like, oh my God.
So it was just a fantasticexperience that I had to have.
People don't get that, I know,but I still had that anxiety
(36:04):
while they were going throughlabors, like if I saw a diesel
on the screen.
I'm like, oh God, I know wherethis is going.
Like you know too much.
I guess you know you do have alittle bit heightened awareness.
I guess you know you do have alittle bit heightened awareness.
Stephanie Theriault (36:17):
I guess, Thinking back over the years and
having your children and beinga mom and a grandmom now, what
are you most proud of?
Jeanne Jordan (36:27):
Oh, my God, where do I begin?
Just that my kids are sofantastic and I don't I mean,
you know my kids, two of my kidswork with us, so, like I'm just
, you know, everybody has theirissues growing up.
Nobody escapes stuff.
Your kids get in a littletrouble, they do things that you
, but I'm forever grateful thatthey are mine.
(36:48):
I wouldn't choose any othersand I, um, I love that they
actually love each other likethey want to be around each
other.
That's a very satisfying thingand I feel like not that I'm
patting myself on the backbecause I am not, but I see a
lot of families that, big orsmall, they're like oh, one move
(37:09):
to Chicago, one move towherever?
They don't really see eachother that much.
My kids all stayed local.
My kids all talk to each other.
I'm like I literally couldn'tbe more proud and more happy of
my family, how they turned out.
I have four nurses too, yeah,so they're all very
(37:42):
well-educated, they're all smart.
One of my kids he's abricklayer, he's a mason, and my
daughter is very successful inher business too.
She does social media andanother job.
So they're all successful.
I don't know what more youcould ask for in your kids and
they like us.
(38:02):
They want to be around us.
Stephanie Theriault (38:05):
You know my kids are still young, but I do
hope for that, exactly whatyou're saying that they're close
, they love each other, theywant to be around each other,
they want to be around us, likethat's such a blessing and a
testament to you and being amother and raising your children
and you're now taking care ofyour grandchildren it's great.
Jeanne Jordan (38:28):
You will have that.
I feel like when you put a lotinto your kids and you know I
didn't work a lot when my kidswere young I really focused on
being around for them, notnecessarily, like you know, they
went to school.
I didn't homeschool, we gotinto doing sports with the kids
and I just felt like we wereinvolved with them and we
(38:48):
connected with them.
And as they grew up, they wentthrough the teenage years like
every other teenager and theyget a little rebellious.
They don't want you to reallybe in their business.
But shortly after that, likeafter they graduated and they
went to college, they had theappreciation for what we
actually did for them and howyou sacrifice.
(39:09):
You do sacrifice your ownrelationship and some things
that if I didn't have kids, wemight have traveled the world.
Some things that if I didn'thave kids, we might've traveled
the world, who knows?
Or I might've had a brand newbeautiful house or a beautiful
car.
But I chose this and I put myall into what I chose, and so
now they're older and we canregroup and do some of those
(39:32):
things that we, you know, Idon't say we missed out because
I don't feel like I missed out,because I don't feel like I
missed out.
I wouldn't trade what I had forthe world, but now things are
different, so I have differentopportunities to do some of the
things maybe I didn't do.
Stephanie Theriault (39:55):
Thank you for sitting down and sharing
your story and being open withus.
It was such a pleasure chattingwith you Well thank you so much
for having me.
Jeanne Jordan (40:04):
I feel so honored and you know it was a pleasure
chatting with you as well.
Stephanie Theriault (40:18):
Thank you for listening.
Be sure to check out our socialmedia.
All links are provided in theepisode description.
We're excited to have you here.
Please give us a follow If youor someone you know would like
to be a guest on the show.
Reach out to us via email atinfo at maternalwealthcom.
And remember stay healthy,embrace your power and you got
(40:42):
this, thank you.
Welcome to the Maternal Health Podcast.
Today I'm interviewing mycolleague and friend, jean
Jordan.
She has six children.
Her oldest was born in 1986 andher youngest was born in 1995.
She has two girls and four boys.
This year she will celebrateher 40-year anniversary with her
(00:22):
husband, steven.
Jean has been a scrub tech forover 35 years, specifically
working in labor and delivery.
She has seven grandchildren onegirl, six boys and counting.
I do want to give a warning forJean's last pregnancy she had
an AFE, an amniotic fluidembolism.
(00:44):
I'm excited for you to learnmore about Jean.
I'm excited for you to learnmore about my friend and
colleague, jean, and herexperiences with pregnancy,
labor, motherhood and survivingan AFE.
(01:13):
Welcome to the Maternal HealthPodcast, a space for all things
related to maternal health,pregnancy and beyond.
I'm your host, stephanie Terrio.
I am a labor and delivery nurseand a mother to three beautiful
boys.
Each week, we dive intoinspiring stories and expert
insights to remind us of thepower that you hold in
childbirth and motherhood.
We're here to explore the joys,the challenges and the
(01:35):
complexities of maternal health.
Every mother's journey isunique and every story deserves
to be told.
Please note that this podcastis for entertainment purposes
only.
It is not intended to replaceprofessional medical advice,
diagnosis or treatment.
Always consult with yourhealthcare provider for medical
guidance that is tailored toyour specific needs.
(01:56):
Are you ready?
Let's get into it.
Good morning Jean.
Welcome to the podcast.
Good morning Stephanie.
How are you doing?
Jeanne Jordan (02:14):
today I'm doing great.
Thank you for having me.
Stephanie Theriault (02:18):
I'm so glad that you are here and I'm
excited to hear more of yourstory All right.
I love to start the podcastwith a love story.
If you could share with us howyou met your husband and your
love story.
Jeanne Jordan (02:31):
Okay.
So my husband and I met backprobably I was 26 at the time at
a place in Saugus called thePalace, you may or may not
remember it and I saw him fromacross the floor and I was with
a bunch of my girlfriends and Isaid do you see that guy over
(02:51):
there with the long French coaton and those leather gloves?
I'm going to marry him and Iswear to you.
That's how it all started.
Stephanie Theriault (03:01):
Yeah it was kind of fun, yeah, so you went
up to him and introducedyourself.
Jeanne Jordan (03:05):
Well, we kind of like made eyes.
So we both made a connectionand then we, you know, we talked
, and that was right around NewYear's Eve and we had our first
date on January 4th of that, youknow, three or four days later.
And then by November of thatyear we were engaged.
Wow, yep.
(03:27):
So it was a kind of funwhirlwind, if you will.
Stephanie Theriault (03:31):
Now you have six children.
You have four boys and twogirls.
Yes, did you always know thatyou wanted to have children and
be a mom?
Jeanne Jordan (03:42):
I definitely knew that I wanted to have children
and I always wanted to haveseven children.
I don't know why that numberstuck with me.
I just wanted to have a bigfamily.
I love the idea of a lot ofpeople and a lot of busyness,
and I guess you might saycommotion, but it's just fun to
me.
I like to, you know, organizeand still, to this day, I do
(04:06):
love when my family getstogether and they all get along.
My husband and I got married inOctober and went on our
honeymoon and when we came backfrom our honeymoon I kept saying
God, I still feel like I'm.
We went on a cruise and I saidI still feel like I'm got that
equilibrium thing.
And I said I still feel likeI've got that equilibrium thing.
I can't get my bearings, I'mdizzy, I'm nauseous.
(04:28):
And come to find out I waspregnant with my first child, a
honeymoon baby.
So it all began there.
Stephanie Theriault (04:35):
How old were you when you had your first
child?
I was 27.
Talk to us about how thepregnancy was for you, and did
you have a birth plan?
Did you go with the OB midwife?
Jeanne Jordan (04:47):
I felt so overwhelmed because I had just
found out and we really wereexpecting to wait a couple of
years.
We had both just I just starteda new job and he, you know, in
his company we had just got ahouse.
So we were kind of like tryingto wait a little.
So it did come as very much asurprise.
Trying to wait a little, so itdid come as very much a surprise
(05:09):
.
I just went to my GYN at thetime and now turned into my OB.
I did not have a breath plan, Ijust knew that I wanted to try
as natural as possible.
I was, I guess I wasn't.
I didn't object to getting anepidural or a spinal, but I
wanted to give myself theopportunity to try to do a
natural delivery.
I had a great pregnancy, justthe normal sickness in the
(05:30):
beginning.
Everything turned out great.
With the first one.
He was due the 4th of July andhe was born on June 29th, so he
was even a little bit early.
Everything was great, it wentnormal.
I nursed.
So I nursed all six of my kids.
My plan was to nurse for abouta year, which for me I know this
doesn't work for everybody, butfor me nursing worked as sort
(05:55):
of it, kept me from gettingpregnant until the second I
stopped nursing, because Istopped right around a year.
And, lo and behold, right afterthe year I stopped nursing and
along came the second baby.
So, yeah, the pregnancies wereall pretty normal and pretty
uncomplicated until I got to myfourth pregnancy.
(06:20):
So the first two were boyspregnancy, so the first two were
boys, and then I had mydaughter, amanda, a girl, and
then I got pregnant with myfourth pregnancy, which was
Jared, and because my husband,his mom, is Jewish and he has,
like the you know, that sort ofline of testing they started to
(06:42):
do Each year.
I felt like they did moretesting with the pregnancies.
But this particular year, verymuch in the forefront, was
testing for Tay-Sachs and ofcourse we tested and it came out
very high.
So we decided to get a leveltwo ultrasound, which also I had
(07:03):
the same result.
And then I just decided tocontinue on because of course at
that month testing was new andthey didn't do them until you
were later and there wasn'treally for my own personal
choice, it wasn't really muchthat I was going to do at that
point.
So I powered through and, thankyou God, everything came out
(07:23):
fine.
Stephanie Theriault (07:25):
Your first pregnancies, vaginal deliveries,
right, yes, yes, I want tocircle back a little bit.
For your earlier pregnancy, forthe delivery, you went into
spontaneous labor, right?
Jeanne Jordan (07:38):
So I went to the beach, the very first one.
You know nothing when you haveyour first baby.
Like you know what I mean.
Like everything it's a trialand error, like you think you
know, but you really don't.
So I was at the beach and Ikept leaking.
After I came home from thebeach and I was like damn, what
is going on?
I had broke my water in thewater which I wasn't supposed to
be in.
(07:59):
But you know, and it was pretty,yeah, I went into spontaneous
labor, went in.
I think my labor with him wasabout, you know, like
everybody's idea of labor isdifferent, but I mean, like I
started with breaking my water.
I think the whole thing, frombeginning to end, was probably
about nine or 10 hours.
(08:19):
It was actually not bad.
Once I got to the hospital,realized I had broken my water,
I was in labor, I actually wascontracting at that point and
then I did get Pitocin and Ibelieve that I can't remember
any delivery that I didn't getPitocin.
Yeah, it was prettyuncomplicated.
I did not take any medications,except for my first pregnancy
(08:43):
with Stephen medications exceptfor my first pregnancy with
Stephen.
I was going natural and I didnot want the epidural because I
was too far along and they gaveme a Demerol shot, which I
didn't love the way I felt on itand I like the subsequent
pregnancies.
I refused to take anything justbecause I didn't like the
experience.
I felt a little out of it and Ifelt like I wanted to be more
(09:06):
involved with the birth,especially where I went as
natural as I could have.
So I never got that again.
Every other one was natural,except for number six.
We'll talk about that later.
Stephanie Theriault (09:20):
Did you have the same birth provider
OBGYN for all your pregnancies?
Did you have the same birthprovider OB-GYN for all?
Jeanne Jordan (09:24):
your pregnancies.
So for the first three, yes, Idid, and then he retired but he
had somebody take over hispractice that I was familiar
with, so he kind of like movedhis way in.
If you will, I might have seenhim for a postpartum check or a
GYN check, because I knew he wasin the office and I knew that
at the time it was Dr Morellithat I had and I knew that he
(09:45):
was older and he was going toretire.
So it didn't come as a surpriseto me and I was comfortable
with his replacement.
Stephanie Theriault (09:53):
How was your postpartum stays?
Did you stay for one, twonights?
Jeanne Jordan (09:58):
I stayed for two nights, especially with the
first one, because I felt likethere was a lot of teaching that
they could offer me, and Icertainly needed it because it's
your first.
They were great.
They had lactation consultantsand, having never breastfed
before, I took advantage of that.
And you know, they just teachyou the normal things, like how
(10:19):
to clean them up, how to givethem a bath, not to be afraid
they're not breakable, like youknow, because you're so.
They're so little and it's yourfirst and you're very
inexperienced at the time.
But the postpartum stay wasgreat.
There was a lot they had tooffer and I felt like I needed
to take advantage of it.
Stephanie Theriault (10:35):
One of the things that I noticed a lot in
the hospital when women aregetting to like 38, 40 weeks is
how do I plan for this laborwhen I have children at home?
Do you have support when it wastime, like when you're getting
closer to 40 weeks with yourother children?
Jeanne Jordan (10:51):
Yes, my mother was an absolute blessing and my
mother only lived one mile frommy house.
Like I honestly don't know howpeople prepare for this, because
I had such a gift with her,know how people prepare for this
, because I had such a gift withher.
She loved to be, she was a veryinvolved Nana.
She would come to the house atthe drop of a hat.
If I wasn't feeling well and Iwas getting close, she would
(11:13):
even stay.
She was just a gift.
So I I guess I really don'tthink too much of that because I
always had her, but that wouldbe something for people to.
You know, I did the nestingthing, I got my suitcase ready.
I, you know, when I'mcontracting, I would call and
say you're on call, you know,but I did have that gift.
(11:33):
I want to call it because Ithat's what it is, just to have
somebody be right there for you.
Stephanie Theriault (11:38):
Did you find that labor became easier
for you as you had more children?
Jeanne Jordan (11:46):
A hundred percent For me personally.
Yes, that's how it happened, Ithink, with my first one, like I
said, probably, like I wouldsay, anywhere between nine and
12 hours.
The second one was definitelylike five, like I think I didn't
want to be there as long, alsobecause I knew what to expect
the second time.
So when I started to contract,I'm like all right, I'm really
(12:07):
waiting until they get close,and you know.
So I gave myself more time athome to prepare for it and then
brought myself to the hospitalwhen I felt like I couldn't stay
home any longer.
And even with that I was wrong.
I was less than I thought I wasand I did spend a little bit
more time, but also already hadone and didn't want it to happen
(12:28):
at home.
So I was still a little on thatedge.
You know, I'd say probablyabout five to six hours for the
second one.
The third one was very quick,very quick.
Stephanie Theriault (12:37):
What's very quick.
Jeanne Jordan (12:38):
Like I started contracting at home and they
were like started contracting athome and they were like once
they came on, they came on likevery strong and I think as I was
driving to the hospital theywere like between two and five
minutes apart.
And then I got there.
I wasn't there more than twohours with the workup, the
delivery, the whole thing.
Stephanie Theriault (12:59):
How about for the fourth and the fifth one
?
Jeanne Jordan (13:02):
So the fourth one was again pretty quick.
I was anxious about that onebecause of the testing and all,
but his labor was seamless andeverything.
Number five so this is where mypregnancy got a little
complicated.
With five and six, I did gointo labor.
I did wait till the last minutebecause at this point you're
(13:23):
having your fifth, you knowwhat's happening.
I probably could have done itat home, but this kid was not
coming down.
He was a force of delivery andit's so funny, like for me, the
birth of my kids is sort oftheir personality.
I'm not even kidding you.
Like my daughter shot out mydaughter's.
Like she's the life of theparty, she's bubbly.
(13:46):
My son, who was the force ofdelivery, is very laid back,
like he has to be probed to doeverything.
I'm like, come on, you got.
He was always the last one toget ready for school.
I'm like, do I have to tip thebed over to get you up?
Like he just moved at his ownpace.
I love him to pieces.
(14:07):
He's great and has a wonderfulpersonality.
But I think to myself my God, Ihad to pull him out of my
delivery and it's been the sameever since.
Stephanie Theriault (14:24):
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practices, all-female practices,LGBTQAI plus inclusivity,
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, but it's kind of funny.
Jeanne Jordan (15:22):
That's how I joke about that a little bit.
Stephanie Theriault (15:25):
I see that, like when the babies are born,
they have their own littlepersonalities already from the
get-go.
Like you can see the difference.
Jeanne Jordan (15:33):
I believe that I really do.
You know, you come out, some ofthem are so bubbly and smiley
and just some of them like, ifyou know, obviously, what we do
for work, we see it.
But the mom is very laid back,very calm.
The baby hardly even movesaround.
She's alert and you know fine,but just so sweet, doesn't cry.
(15:54):
Then you have the very hypermom and the kid comes out
screaming like he's got to getthe attention.
I said, oh my God, it's sofunny.
It's a great place to work, itreally is.
Stephanie Theriault (16:03):
Yeah, the other day I had a baby who was
like halfway in, halfway out andwas already like crying and
just cried the whole time.
Jeanne Jordan (16:11):
Yeah, it's so funny, yeah, yeah, well, I'm,
I'm in the OR too, and sometimes, as soon as the head gets out,
I feel like they're saying to uswhy did it take you so long to
get me out of here?
Like they start, they startyapping the minute they come out
.
It's, it is funny For the forceof delivery.
Stephanie Theriault (16:27):
How was that experience for you?
Jeanne Jordan (16:30):
I want to say it was.
It was a little uncomfortable,for sure.
And it was a littleuncomfortable because I had
previous births and I knew howthey were supposed to go and
this wasn't actually going asplanned, even though they
explained it.
Sometimes, do you know whenyou're getting maybe a diagnosis
, maybe some bad news or likesome different news not
(16:53):
necessarily bad but you hear apiece of it and then you kind of
go blank, like I couldn't wrapmy head around the fact that
they were going to pull my babyout.
He was fine, other than havingjust a little bit of a bruised
cheek.
He was just a little stubbornand I just couldn't get him
under the bone.
He just, he just wouldn't come.
He was right there but hewouldn't.
(17:14):
He was just giving me a hardtime.
But the experience itself, Iguess, maybe the way they
explained it, I just felt alittle anxious about what was
going to happen.
It was fine.
I did tear a little bit and Ithat was, you know,
uncomfortable for a bit, buteverything worked out fine and
honestly, like you know how itis after they are born, you're
(17:36):
like so grateful that everythingis okay.
You'll kind of like putyourself on the back burner and
be like I can deal with whateveras long as the baby's okay, you
know.
Stephanie Theriault (17:48):
All right, so baby number six.
Jeanne Jordan (17:50):
Okay.
So this is the story of allstories, because this doesn't
happen to people and I don'twant anybody listening to be
frightened about this because itis so rare it barely ever
happens.
So I went to a baby shower,believe it or not.
The night before I was feelinglike uncomfortable.
I sort of felt like I knewlabor was going to come on soon,
(18:13):
maybe tomorrow, maybe the nextday.
I went home, I went to sleep, Iwoke up and I had like a little
bit more than a bloody show.
So I knew that I was having anissue.
I needed to get to the hospital.
So I brought myself in andeverything was great.
They were like yep, you're inlabor, we're going to move you
(18:36):
along.
This is also very unusualbecause my doctor at the time
was going away.
I felt like you're a six kid,he wants to move it along.
He knows how fast my previouspregnancies have been.
So he kept bumping up the pit,bumping up the pit, which for
somebody who's having theirsixth baby, it's unusual to go
(18:58):
that high with pit, because Iwas on 30 of pit, I was doing
well with pushing and everything, and then I got to 10
centimeters and I literally someof the last recollections that
I have would be I called thenurse and I said I feel this
(19:19):
burning in my back and from thatpoint on I literally shot
straight up in my bed.
And the next thing that I canpersonally remember about the
experience is seeing myself onthe operating room table.
It was a community setting.
They only have one OR.
(19:40):
They only have one anesthesiawho works for both the main OR,
which is right below the laborand delivery floor, and the
labor and delivery floor.
They had a couple, maybe CRNAswho, like the anesthesiologist,
would start the case.
The CRNA would kind of finishit up or go along.
So if the anesthesiologist hadto do an epidural in another
(20:02):
room, he could flop back andforth.
He came upstairs to talk aboutanother patient that needed an
epidural and if he was not onthe floor things might have
turned out differently, becausejust as he got upstairs I must
have had the amniotic fluidembolus.
I stopped breathing, they shotme across to the OR and then I
(20:27):
feel like I know that a lot ofpeople will be uncomfortable
with this, but I feel like Ialmost had an out-of-body
experience because I could seemyself on the table but I
couldn't do anything to preventwhat was happening, like I could
just see what was happening,and I kept thinking to myself I
guess my most, the thought thatI have, the most that I can
(20:49):
remember to this day, isthinking I can't die.
My husband cannot take care ofsix kids.
It's like I can't.
Someone has to.
You know, somebody has to dosomething here.
(21:11):
And I just I woke up, maybelike I know exactly how long it
was, but for me it felt like aneternity.
But I woke up like within a fewhours in intensive care I had
had the baby, a girl, apgars 2and 3.
I was in intensive care and Iwas experiencing some
(21:32):
complications myself.
I had DIC At the time when mydaughter was born now she's
almost 30, there was a lot ofcontroversy about like receiving
blood and AIDS and like allthese things.
So my husband is not medical atall and was having a hard time
with making the decisions togive me blood because he's like
(21:53):
I don't want her to die fromgetting AIDS and I don't want
this.
And the doctors were basicallylike you've got to give it to
her because she has DIC.
Once you start rolling down,there's no coming back from it.
So I did get my last rights.
It was very frightening, veryfrightening.
And then, thank God, to thisday, all is well.
(22:13):
My daughter is a very smartgirl.
She graduated college summa cumlaude.
She has a great personality.
I did have some complicationsfrom the surgery.
I de-hissed because I'm surethey probably didn't scrub.
I had a little bit of aninfection, but all in all I'm so
very grateful the way thingsturned out and you know, it does
(22:38):
give you a little bit ofanxiety.
Like I remembered, driving homeI kept thinking that what if
this ever happens again?
And I meant not even beingpregnant.
I didn't realize that it wasthe amniotic fluid that causes
the allergic reaction, so Iwasn't thinking clearly, I guess
, and I kept thinking it couldhappen again.
So I had a little bit ofanxiety for a couple of months
(23:00):
but all in all it turned happenagain.
So I had a little bit ofanxiety for a couple of months
but all in all it turned outgreat and, like I said, I'm very
grateful to this day.
I have wonderful children and Ihad great birth experiences.
Even that was an experience,but it did turn out good.
Stephanie Theriault (23:17):
Do you ever have the conversation with your
husband about what happened andhow he responded and how he was
feeling?
Jeanne Jordan (23:27):
Oh my God my husband went to pieces.
I mean, like the girls See, Iworked at Melrose at the time
when this all happened and thegirls were telling me I have
never, ever seen somebody reactlike your husband.
He kept saying now this is backin the day when you didn't go
in the OR, Like I know, thingshave changed.
(23:48):
If they think the patient isn'tdoing good, they'll make an
allowance for someone to come inand hold their hand or whatever
.
This was unforeseen at the time.
And they said that he was sodistraught and he kept saying
I've got to come in and I haveto be with her, I have to hold
her hand so that she knows I'mthere and they let him in.
Like they let him come inbecause he was so distraught.
(24:11):
And I remember that when I gotto the unit and I started of
course it took a day or so, butI started to come around I still
hadn't seen my baby, like ithad been 24 hours and I nursed
all my other kids.
So this was so out of the, itwas out of the norm for me.
So I started to think that theymight not be telling me the
(24:32):
truth.
Like they, they didn't want meto know that something happened.
So I was in intensive care, asI said, and I kept saying to the
nurses.
So I was in intensive care, asI said, and I kept saying to the
nurses I have to see my baby.
And they're like you're inintensive care, honey, we can't.
We don't have monitoring downhere, we don't have the well, we
know it as the hug system Backthen it was something different
(24:53):
but similar.
And she's like we can't.
There's no way to monitor ababy down here.
And I said if you don't bringmy baby to me and show me that
she's alive, I'm going to die.
Like I need to see her and knowthat you're being truthful.
And so they made an exceptionand brought her to me.
And once they brought her to me, the nurses were all like can
(25:14):
you ask for your baby again?
Because we want to play withher.
So it was kind of funny in theend.
But it took them a lot to bringher to me, a lot Like I had to,
you know, go through some redtape to get her there.
But, as you can imagine, I hadthat fear that they weren't
telling me everything about thedelivery.
Stephanie Theriault (25:33):
Yeah, for sure, because they're worried
about you, right?
If something had gone wrong,like, how would that have
affected you?
Jeanne Jordan (25:41):
Right, oh, of course they wanted me to get
over the hump and I was juststarting to like my blood was
just starting to come back and Iwas just starting to come out
of the anesthesia and, like youknow, your body's just kind of
regaining and I'm like I'm notgoing to survive this unless I
can see her.
So that, yeah, that was.
It was an experience I have tosay the time.
Stephanie Theriault (26:05):
did they know it was an AFE?
Did they tell you that's?
Jeanne Jordan (26:09):
what it was.
So they did tell me that thatwas what they greatly suspected.
So after it happened which thisalso was very unusual for me
because, like I said to youpreviously, I nursed all of my
kids so because I had thishappen, they had to send me to
like I had to go have a scanbecause they weren't sure where
(26:31):
the clot was, if it had moved tomy lung, if it had gone
someplace else.
So they needed to figure thatall out.
So I had to go down to havesome x-rays and whatever with a
contrast.
So at the time they were likeyou can't breastfeed your baby
until you pump out all thisnegative milk.
(26:54):
And they were saying, like twoweeks, I've never not fed my
kids, never.
So I pumped and dumped for twoweeks and they did see the
scarring or the clot.
It did go to my lung.
And you know, I mean that wasprobably the best case for me
and I pumped and dumped until Icould feed her and then she
(27:17):
dressed like a champ.
I, you know, I just I guess,maybe because I had a lot of
experience and because I reallywanted it, so I wouldn't feed
her anything else, but in themeantime they had to give her a
course, formulas and whateverelse they gave her.
Stephanie Theriault (27:32):
When you're talking about the out of body
experience in the OR.
Could you hear what people weresaying?
Jeanne Jordan (27:40):
I felt like I was in an auditorium.
I could hear the busyness ofeverything going on.
Obviously, I don't know if Italked or didn't talk, I'm sure
I didn't.
I just felt like I was watchingover all of it.
But you actually I guess mydescription of it is you
actually can't do anything, likeyou can't intervene in any way.
(28:01):
But I could see that it waslike a situation.
It can't do anything Like, youcan't intervene in any way, but
I could see that it was like asituation.
It wasn't that great and I kindof watched everybody moving
about the room and then, like Isaid, I just had that one
thought in my head.
I just keep saying please,please, like, don't let anything
happen to me, because I don'twant to leave my kids.
Thank you, Thank you.
(30:02):
I just felt like it would be alot for my husband to do by
himself and I knew that it wouldbe a lot to lose your wife and
the whole thing, and I felt sucha strong need to be with my
family.
You know I wanted a big family.
This is something I longed for,so I had such a strong need to
be with my family.
You know I wanted a big family.
This is something I longed for.
So I had such a strong maternalurge to stay.
(30:22):
I don't know how else todescribe it.
Stephanie Theriault (30:25):
How long were you in the hospital for
before they discharged you?
Jeanne Jordan (30:30):
So I was in intensive care for three or four
days and then I had another twoon the floor.
But I was anxious to get homebecause it wasn't my first baby
and I knew that my mom was hometaking care of my kids, in
between my husband going backand forth.
So it was a week total I think,like three or four days in the
(30:52):
unit and then another two orthree on the floor just to make
sure that I was mentallyprepared to take on what I was
going to.
I had a big, giant incisionfrom, you know, my belly button
to the top of my pubic.
It wasn't like the nice littlebikini it was.
It was open.
And then, like I said, I am asurgical tech and I know what
(31:14):
happens.
So the urgency of the case waslike you didn't even scrub.
So I ended up having, later ondown a couple of weeks later, I
I my incision to hist, it likeopened and I had to let it heal
from the inside out.
Which was going through thattrauma, having five other
children and a new infant, likeit was, it was a lot and
(31:37):
breastfeeding.
So I mean it was challenging.
But you know you take it oneday at a time and you just try
to get through the best you cando.
You do the best you can do and,like I said, I to this day I am
so forever grateful for my mombecause she was like a gift.
She was there through it all.
Stephanie Theriault (31:58):
You had mentioned earlier that the OB
was planning a trip.
Yes, did he make his trip.
Jeanne Jordan (32:06):
He did make his trip.
So we had this like reallyfunny joke, I guess, which
really isn't that funny.
But after I delivered andbefore he actually went away,
which was like the following day, he wanted to be there for this
birth because you know it wasmy sixth.
The chances of me havinganother one was slim.
But he did specifically come tome while I was in intensive
(32:27):
care and say to me this has tobe your last child.
The chances of this happeningto you again would be great.
I think they knew less about itthen.
But they were like.
He said you have six healthy,beautiful children.
You survived this.
I think this should be the lastchild for you.
(32:47):
And then he said and, by the way, you owe me underwear, because
I literally lost my mind whenthis all took place.
And so when I went to my firstcheckup six weeks later, I
brought boxes and briefs.
I said I don't know which oneyou wear, but I brought them.
And we chuckled about itbecause at that point I think I
(33:08):
could have a little sense ofhumor.
But yeah, it was funny, thewhole office got a kick out of
it, I'm sure.
Yeah, it was funny, the wholeoffice got a kick out of it, I'm
sure?
Stephanie Theriault (33:18):
Yeah, it was pretty funny and I'm sure
that's nice for everybody,because I can imagine the amount
of stress, right?
Oh my God.
With the whole situation andthen you bringing that gift and
just like relieving that stress.
Jeanne Jordan (33:32):
Well, the girls and the because you know your
girls, like you know the officethat you go to, you get familiar
with your secretary and you'rethe nurse and you know we were
like, oh my God, we were waitingto see the baby and we couldn't
wait to see you.
We all want to hug you and,like you know, it was like it
was just a.
It was a nice, very comfortingvisit and I, of course, I had
(33:53):
anxiety about it just evenseeing him, you know.
But yeah, it went well, it wasgood.
And that was my last pregnancy,because I was completely
petrified to have another child,even though I wanted seven.
I had something about thoseuneven numbers that I liked.
But I'm very grateful and I dohave lovely kids.
(34:13):
I am so forever grateful for myfamily.
Stephanie Theriault (34:16):
Do any of your daughters have children.
Jeanne Jordan (34:18):
So I'll go down the line.
My daughters do have children.
One of them, yes, my oldest son.
They just found out they'repregnant.
They've had two miscarriages,so that's their story.
My second son in line has twoboys.
My daughter has three boys, thenext boy down has a boy and
girl, and my youngest two arenot married yet.
(34:41):
So they don't have any childrenyet.
Not to say that they couldn't,and I would love them just the
same.
They just don't, but I knowthey all want them.
Stephanie Theriault (34:51):
When your daughter was pregnant?
Were you anxious at all aboutthis experience?
Jeanne Jordan (34:55):
I think I just thought about it differently
after that situation with myselffor anybody daughter or son
because even though I work inthis unit and you as well, you
don't really.
I think we all take it forgranted Like you have a
pregnancy, getting pregnant'seasy, it's so wonderful and you
(35:16):
have a baby.
You don't think about stufflike this until something
happens to either you orsomebody very close in your
family, like one of your kids,or it happened to your sister.
So I yes, I had a heightenedanxiety to answer your question
about every pregnancy for themall and I was very fortunate.
Very fortunate because I saw myson and my daughter-in-law.
(35:42):
I was in the room for both oftheir births and my daughter's
three.
I literally delivered my firstgrandchild.
I had a great resident.
She was like, put your gloveson, you're going to catch, and I
was like, oh my God.
So it was just a fantasticexperience that I had to have.
People don't get that, I know,but I still had that anxiety
(36:04):
while they were going throughlabors, like if I saw a diesel
on the screen.
I'm like, oh God, I know wherethis is going.
Like you know too much.
I guess you know you do have alittle bit heightened awareness.
I guess you know you do have alittle bit heightened awareness.
Stephanie Theriault (36:17):
I guess, Thinking back over the years and
having your children and beinga mom and a grandmom now, what
are you most proud of?
Jeanne Jordan (36:27):
Oh, my God, where do I begin?
Just that my kids are sofantastic and I don't I mean,
you know my kids, two of my kidswork with us, so, like I'm just
, you know, everybody has theirissues growing up.
Nobody escapes stuff.
Your kids get in a littletrouble, they do things that you
, but I'm forever grateful thatthey are mine.
(36:48):
I wouldn't choose any othersand I, um, I love that they
actually love each other likethey want to be around each
other.
That's a very satisfying thingand I feel like not that I'm
patting myself on the backbecause I am not, but I see a
lot of families that, big orsmall, they're like oh, one move
(37:09):
to Chicago, one move towherever?
They don't really see eachother that much.
My kids all stayed local.
My kids all talk to each other.
I'm like I literally couldn'tbe more proud and more happy of
my family, how they turned out.
I have four nurses too, yeah,so they're all very
(37:42):
well-educated, they're all smart.
One of my kids he's abricklayer, he's a mason, and my
daughter is very successful inher business too.
She does social media andanother job.
So they're all successful.
I don't know what more youcould ask for in your kids and
they like us.
(38:02):
They want to be around us.
Stephanie Theriault (38:05):
You know my kids are still young, but I do
hope for that, exactly whatyou're saying that they're close
, they love each other, theywant to be around each other,
they want to be around us, likethat's such a blessing and a
testament to you and being amother and raising your children
and you're now taking care ofyour grandchildren it's great.
Jeanne Jordan (38:28):
You will have that.
I feel like when you put a lotinto your kids and you know I
didn't work a lot when my kidswere young I really focused on
being around for them, notnecessarily, like you know, they
went to school.
I didn't homeschool, we gotinto doing sports with the kids
and I just felt like we wereinvolved with them and we
(38:48):
connected with them.
And as they grew up, they wentthrough the teenage years like
every other teenager and theyget a little rebellious.
They don't want you to reallybe in their business.
But shortly after that, likeafter they graduated and they
went to college, they had theappreciation for what we
actually did for them and howyou sacrifice.
(39:09):
You do sacrifice your ownrelationship and some things
that if I didn't have kids, wemight have traveled the world.
Some things that if I didn'thave kids, we might've traveled
the world, who knows?
Or I might've had a brand newbeautiful house or a beautiful
car.
But I chose this and I put myall into what I chose, and so
now they're older and we canregroup and do some of those
(39:32):
things that we, you know, Idon't say we missed out because
I don't feel like I missed out,because I don't feel like I
missed out.
I wouldn't trade what I had forthe world, but now things are
different, so I have differentopportunities to do some of the
things maybe I didn't do.
Stephanie Theriault (39:55):
Thank you for sitting down and sharing
your story and being open withus.
It was such a pleasure chattingwith you Well thank you so much
for having me.
Jeanne Jordan (40:04):
I feel so honored and you know it was a pleasure
chatting with you as well.
Stephanie Theriault (40:18):
Thank you for listening.
Be sure to check out our socialmedia.
All links are provided in theepisode description.
We're excited to have you here.
Please give us a follow If youor someone you know would like
to be a guest on the show.
Reach out to us via email atinfo at maternalwealthcom.
And remember stay healthy,embrace your power and you got
(40:42):
this, thank you.
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