The Start Of A New Beginning??...

I haven't been on for a while, however I thought I'd update you in the changes of the pregnancy that's happened this week...
The early stages of labour....well...I had assumed, personally...it wouldn't be painful and it would last a max of 4 hours or so....oh how I was wrong....
Saturday 22nd at 7pm, I had my first ever proper contraction...I have suffered Braxton Hicks rather badly throughout the last 5/6 weeks of pregnancy; but this contraction completely shocked me ..since then I've had them very regularly, even getting down to 2 minutes apart on Sunday night, so we spent a few hours at Maternity, at 2am Monday, to be told it was "just early labour, go home have a bath, have paracetamol & have a sleep." So much easier said than done...So the waiting game began. Monday morning when I was up for the day; I had a contraction every 10 minutes...literally by the minute..Tuesday we went up Maternity again, to be told ... you're only 2cm dilated, keep doing what you're doing & you should have a baby very soon....Wednesday they're getting stronger and now every 7 minutes...however now, Thursday morning at 1am I am now feeling very sick, very tired, in a lot of pain & can't wait for the next midwife appointment to actually tell me what is happening & why my baby boy is playing us up so badly, and doesn't want to meet us just yet!
The amount of times I have googled this situation to see if it is "normal" makes me even more depressed when you read..."this happened to me & I was still 2 weeks overdue(Y)!!"..But, I have also read that everyone that seems to have had a long early labour, had a very quick active labour, and it only lasted a few hours...and wasn't in so much pain....fingers crossed;) ....
So, just a question, anyone else have a traumatic/long labour or birth that wants to share?? :) ... 
Hoping little Harry will be here in my arms, very very soon!!...keep posted!! xxx