Labor Went Anything But According to Plan

After all was said and done, Eli and I are great and healthy, but my labor went anything but according to plan.
First of all I went 2 weeks past my due date which was becoming an issue because we were having a hospital birth and most hospitals want to induce you at 41 weeks 5 days or sooner. I REALLY REALLY didn't want that to happen so I tried everything: walking, sex, herbs, acupuncture, acupressure, hypnosis, stripped membranes, castor oil 3 times... NOTHING worked. Finally on June 16th I was to go in and be induced at 8 am. I went into labor naturally at 6:30 am. Go figure.
Paul and I labored at home until about 6 pm when our doula came over to help as things became more intense. At about 9 pm my contractions were about 3 minutes apart where they stayed for another 7 hours. At that point the pain was sooooo intense that I just couldn't take it any more and nothing was changing. At 4 am we finally went to the hospital.
I was having back labor, and when people say it hurts they are NOT kidding. It was like nothing I've ever felt before. After a stint in the hospital's tub to try and control my pain from the back labor I just couldn't take any more and I got an Epidural. After I got the Epidural I was able to rest for about 5 hours. I had already been in labor for quite a while and needed to get my energy back for the next phase of labor,.
At about 2 pm I was given Pitocin to get my contractions, which were still 3 minutes apart, closer together. It didn't take long for thing to get moving and then the Pushfest began. Eli was not only still posterior but in a military presentation which means his chin was not tucked down but was pointing up (face presentation). His forehead was pressing firmly on my tailbone and boy could I feel it. The Epidural had almost no effect other than to allow me enough relief to keep pushing.
After 4 hours of pushing he finally made his grand entrance. (After an Episiotomy, of course, because his shoulders were stuck and we didn't want him to have shoulder dystocia.) It was A LOT of work, but totally worth it.
I guess what I'll say is that my midwife Eileen told me at the beginning of my pregnancy that it is good to be flexible with your birth plan because you just don't know how things will turn out. I remember thinking that was just plain silly because I was going to be able to have a completely natural labor and delivery no matter what. Hmmmm, I guess I learned that people with over 20 years of experience might know what they are talking about!!!!
Corrine & Paul, Milwaukee