Legend has it, that 24 years ago on this day, a woman named Denise Russo Irwin headed into Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, CA, preparing to give birth to her second child. Dr. Turner, a world renowned OBGYN who specialized in cranialmaximalis births, notified the soon to be mother of the situation. "Denise, everything is going fine, vitals look good. We do have one issue though. Due to the abnormally large...uh...brain of this child, I believe we will have to deliver him feet first. It is a more difficult method, however, this seems to be the only way to deliver your son without further health risks to you." Denise, hopped up on a epidural cocktail that would leave her without the use of her lower extremities for the next week and a half, agreed that "Operation Water Slide" was her best hope for survival. Dr. Turner prepared for the procedure by throwing chest passes with a basketball to me in the hallway. This explains my proficient passing abilities on the court, but I digress. After he built up a light sweat, he was prepared to embark on one of the most epic births in his long and storied career. For nearly 12 grueling hours, and even after being denied her request for a second epidural, Denise gave a feet-first birth to an extremely healthy baby boy that measured a 19 inches, and a whopping 14 pounds (10 in the head, 4 from the neck down for those keeping stats at home). Most of the hospital staff, who had gathered around to watch the historic birth of what they called "the child with the globe-like dome," rejoiced and congratulated the family on their newest member. As I visited my baby brother for the first time, with my father holding his head, and me holding his lighter side (the rest of his body), I saw the potential that this child possessed. I had heard whispers from passers by that mention terms like "blob of tapioca pudding," or "Jabba the Hut-like" but after looking into his slits that were covered by the upper part of his bulbous cheeks, I knew he was destined to be great. "Mom, I don't care what anyone says, I think we should keep him." I said with a sense of conviction. And so the 4 of them slept peacefully that night, not knowing that in 14 months, the family and Dr. Turner would be in for something that none of them could fathom...
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Legend has it, that 24 years ago on this day, a woman named Denise Russo Irwin headed into Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, CA, preparing to give birth to her second child. Dr. Turner, a world renowned OBGYN who specialized in cranialmaximalis births, notified the soon to be mother of the situation.
"Denise, everything is going fine, vitals look good. We do have one issue though. Due to the abnormally large...uh...brain of this child, I believe we will have to deliver him feet first. It is a more difficult method, however, this seems to be the only way to deliver your son without further health risks to you."
Denise, hopped up on a epidural cocktail that would leave her without the use of her lower extremities for the next week and a half, agreed that "Operation Water Slide" was her best hope for survival.
Dr. Turner prepared for the procedure by throwing chest passes with a basketball to me in the hallway. This explains my proficient passing abilities on the court, but I digress. After he built up a light sweat, he was prepared to embark on one of the most epic births in his long and storied career.
For nearly 12 grueling hours, and even after being denied her request for a second epidural, Denise gave a feet-first birth to an extremely healthy baby boy that measured a 19 inches, and a whopping 14 pounds (10 in the head, 4 from the neck down for those keeping stats at home). Most of the hospital staff, who had gathered around to watch the historic birth of what they called "the child with the globe-like dome," rejoiced and congratulated the family on their newest member.
As I visited my baby brother for the first time, with my father holding his head, and me holding his lighter side (the rest of his body), I saw the potential that this child possessed. I had heard whispers from passers by that mention terms like "blob of tapioca pudding," or "Jabba the Hut-like" but after looking into his slits that were covered by the upper part of his bulbous cheeks, I knew he was destined to be great.
"Mom, I don't care what anyone says, I think we should keep him." I said with a sense of conviction.
And so the 4 of them slept peacefully that night, not knowing that in 14 months, the family and Dr. Turner would be in for something that none of them could fathom...
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