No two birth experiences are ever the same so don't let a traumatic story worry you.
If it helps I can share my slightly bonkers home birth story.
I woke up mildly in labour on my due date, got through a day of work but by the evening my contractions had disappeared, I remember feeling really silly as I had told everyone I was in labour.
I needn't have worried as my contractions returned later that evening with a vengeance. It all happened so fast compared to our first baby. Luckily the midwife was able to find time to rush out to us and the baby arrived five minutes after she did.
My friend, three year old daughter and cat sat on the sofa watching the whole drama unfold as my poor husband was left trying to deliver the baby and make me exactly the right kind of crushed ice (I was very demanding and more worried about the ice).
I was tucked up in bed by 10pm. The most surreal moment was waking up the next day in my bed as usual but with a brand new baby next to me.
Not sure if this story will make you feel better or worse??
I've always thought of giving birth as my equivalent of running a marathon - hard work, painful, exhausting and you think you can't finish...but you keep going and you do finish, and it feels amazing.
Good luck with your birth, I hope it goes well no matter where or how it happens.
And as for how parenthood has changed me? I genuinely don't know, I'm still me I think, just with the added responsibility of looking after two crazy/lovely/infuriating children.