November 3, 2012 — Daniel Sasieta was born

Dear William and Daniel, (and Catherine, Michael & Baby Girl Y) (and your parents), (and any future descendants and their parents),

Daniel Sasieta was born on Monday, October 29, 2012, at 5:09 pm, at Overlook Hospital in Summit, N.J.; in the middle of Hurricane Sandy!!! [To read about William’s birthday, go HERE.]

Daniel was expected to arrive on November 7; however, according to the doctor who delivered Daniel (Dr. Alice B. Gibbons, M.D.), due to the storm, Daniel came to us a week early.

We got our first hint that Daniel was on his way when we received a telephone call from Daniel’s parents, John & Malgosia, at 2:30 am, that this may be the day. We got a second call at 4 am, informing us that the doctor told Daniel’s parents that they should be at the hospital by 8 am. At 6 am, we got a third phone call that John & Malgosia were on their way to the hospital. We expected things to take some time, so we showered and got dressed, and we (Babcia Krysia and I) drove to the hospital around 9 am.

It was windy and rainy, but not too bad. By the time we got to the hospital (about 20 minutes later), the wind and rain began to pick up.

We knew that Malgosia & John were on the 6th floor of the hospital, in delivery room 4 — so, we went directly there. Malgosia was hooked up to all kinds of monitors and intravenous liquids, but was feeling generally fine. John was by her side, anxiously awaiting the birth of his first child. At this point in time, they did not know yet if their child would be a boy or a girl.

Soon after that, John’s parents and sister arrived at the hospital — Abuelita and Abuelito, and Tia.

At first we all spent time with Malgosia and John, checking the monitors for Magosia’s contractions and the Baby’s heart, then we went to the cafeteria for lunch, and back for more checking out of the situation. As things started to progress, most of us went to the Waiting Room, so that we would not be in the way for the nurses and doctors who kept monitoring the situation.

We kept looking out the window, marveling at the heavy rain, and how far the trees were bending. On the television news, they kept telling us that the storm was still not at it full strength.

Approximately at 5:15 pm, Babcia Krysia came running to us, with the camera in hand, and announced to all of us that Daniel Sasieta was just born!!! We all jumped for joy, and some of us cried with happiness. We looked at the pictures that Babcia Krysia took of Daniel; and we wanted to go visit Daniel right away, but we had to wait a bit. Meantime, Babcia Krysia went back to Daniel, Malgosia and John.

We later found out that because of the Hurricane, the hospital was short-staffed, because nurses and doctors could not get there. When it was time for Daniel to be born, the only people in the room were Dr. Gibbons, Malgosia (the absolutely necessary party), John, and Babcia Krysia. Under the Doctor’s direction, John stood by Malgosia’s head, coaching her through the birth process as they learned in Birth School. Babcia Krysia was stationed by Malgosia’s leg, assisting as the Doctor directed. The Team welcomed the newborn, and it was a boy! As Malgosia and John predetermined, he was named Daniel.

Soon after that, Babcia Krysia came to get us, and we all went in and introduced ourselves to Daniel — I said, How are you; I am your grandfather, Dziadziuś Pawel. Daniel looked at me, and appeared to be happy.

Here are some pictures from Daniel’s birth-day: