My Labor Story...(part 1)

I just realized that I did not write about my labor day story. Here goes..
It all started Thursday (10/15/09) at around 3pm ish. I had a Doctor's appointment, my weekly check up. Hubby and I went in to see the Doctor, the doc checked my cervix and the first response was from her is, have you felt any contractions outside of my normal Braxton Hick contractions, I told her no, why? she stated that I was 80% effaced/soft and 3 cm dilated - (Whoa). I didn't realize I was that far ahead of the game. I felt normal, being on bed rest normal that is. She told me that I was getting close and she would not be surprised if I went into labor within the next week or so. At this point, I was telling her how scared I was about the whole labor experience. She said just left the day flow, it's just one day right?
With that in mind, I went home, went back into my normal routine, resting on the couch playing the waiting game, that night I felt different however, I started to feel the contractions coming a little faster than normal, I just didn't feel right. My husband stayed awake all night just in case anything happens (water breaking or anything). The next morning (10/16/09) at around 7am ish, I had the same feeling of uneasiness and discomfort, my contractions were now 20 minutes apart but I figured they were still those not so friendly Braxton Hicks. My hubby and I did not want to take a chance and felt that I needed to go the hospital just in case and if anything else, they will tell me to go home and come back later, that was what I was expected. At 8am that same morning, we got to the hospital, the nurse checked me out and wanted to see where exactly I was in the labor process, as soon as she checked my cervix, she happily told me that looks like you are going to have this baby today, (whoa again). BTW: she remembered me from my pre-term labor, back in July.
As soon as she mentioned to me that I was about to have this baby today, my heart jumped a beat, I got scared, I was already nervous about Labor, but this just reassured that I was going to be in pain (the pain every women in labor feels) - I was so scared that when they took my blood pressure it was super high. After a while my hubby calmed me down and explained to me that don't stress, the baby will feel you stress out. After immediatly calming, I asked the nurse for an EPIDURAL PLEASE :-) (labor story to cont next time/post....)