What a difference a year makes...
My last update was on Feb. 7th last year. Here it is over a year later and so much has changed.
In my last entry, I talked about being diagnosed with PCOS. Today, I am 28 weeks pregnant with my first child, a son, to be named George the 8th. Talk about a 360.
However, it's not all been peaches. Taking Chlomid to get pregnant, dizzy spells, fatigue.. And then finally, being diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes and Preeclampsia all in the same day. Which now has lead to a lengthy hospital stay until little George is born.
It all started a couple weeks ago, President's Day to be exact. That is when my first really bad swelling just kept happening. I left work to get it checked out by my Doctor. That same day, I had all little signs of Pre E so they sent me to Anderson Mercy hospital to be monitored and checked out. So, I went there for a few hours but then they let me go home. The Doc kept me off work while they continued to run tests on me and see how bed rest would affect my symptoms. My blood pressure was up from my 'normal' numbers but not in a dangerous range. They had me do blood work and I had to do my glucose test that was already scheduled to test for the gestational diabetes. On Monday the 7th, I went into my Doctor expecting them to tell me at the worst that I could go back part time or really, just stay off until the baby was born. When I went in that day, my blood pressure had shot up pretty bad. The protein in my urine sample was 4+ (which is a lot..) and so my Doctor sent me back over to Anderson Mercy so they could run my 24 hour urine I had provided and run blood work and monitor me and get all the results back faster. I figured it was no different than the time before that two weeks ago when they ended up just sending me home after a few hours.
I guess I have to stop expecting certain things.
What a whirlwind. I was immediately admitted to Anderson. My BP just kept fluctuating, going really high, normal, really high, really low. It wouldn't stabilize. I remained calm, didn't think TOO much of anything.. Because, after all, I've never had anything serious happen to me like this. My tonsils were never taken out, I've never had surgery, I've always been pretty healthy. Then they told me I had gestational diabetes. Okay, I can deal with that. My Mom has Diabetes so it runs in my family. But then, after my 24 hour urine results came in, it turned into a mad house. The Doctor came in and explained that I was being diagnosed with Pre E and that there was no way the baby would go to term--He would maybe have 2 weeks and with how severe it looked, it might be that same night. Of course, for the record, this did NOTHING for my blood pressure. I listened and nodded my head as he told me that I would need to be transferred by ambulance to University Hospital in down town Cincinnati because they have a Level 3 NICU and the Doctors are more capable of taking care of my severe situation. And that I would need to be on complete bed rest for at least 48 hours while they ran a round of anti seizure medicine through an IV to help with the blood pressure issues and prevent them from causing me to have seizures since my numbers were now staying in that range. I would also be receiving a round of steroids to help develop the baby's lungs faster since he would be coming out so soon. As soon as the Doctor left, and before all of this started, I just completely lost it. George was crying while hugging me and I could only think to say how sorry I was. Because I felt that I made my body do something it wasn't willing to do naturally and now I had caused this to happen. But that's a whole different story with my guilt and not something I'm anywhere near ready to share. After breaking down, all of that went into motion... IV, Magnesium Sulfate, steroid, catheter. It was all happening too fast and all I could think is that I didn't want anything to happen to me or this baby. I knew whatever I had to do, I'd do it.
At 10:30, the ambulance arrived to transport me from Anderson Mercy to University. I've never been in an ambulance before and that scared me. Because University is so secure after 9pm, George rode with his family down so I was in there alone. 30 minute ride just to think about everything that was happening and try to stay calm for my blood pressure. Although, that didn't really happen that night. When I got to University, I was rushed into 'Labor and Delivery' where I was greeted by 2 Residents (this is a teaching hospital), a nurse, and whoever else makes me sign off on paperwork. The male resident was telling me how he thought I would have to deliver tonight and he was 'ready to do the c-section' when all I'm thinking is WE'RE NOT. The female resident, however, was the complete opposite. She was telling me how they would just monitor me for that 48 hours and see if the baby and I could get through that first and take it hour by hour. In the mean time, the nurse was prepping me for a c-section just in case. I had to sign off on the surgery itself, anesthesia, permission to treat me, and permission to treat the baby. They had people in out to explain each one to me but honestly.. I don't remember much of it at all. At some point, after everything had been signed and George was with me, they had a Neonatal Doctor come and explain some of the things our baby would face being born at 26 weeks. Again, I don't remember a lot of what he said, or his name to be honest. What I DO remember was the order of importance. Lungs, Brain, Guts. The lungs would be the first concern, getting him to breath and that's why I'd gotten the steroid. Second, his brain and how the blood vessels may not have appropriately attached yet at this age of gestation. And then his 'guts' and how his digestive system would be operating so under developed. People are right when they say there is no fear quite like the one you feel when your child is in danger. Even if he's not out of the womb yet. It's intense and fierce and nothing else matters but his safety and his comfort. I've never felt so protective of anything in my whole life. I also remember him saying that every day counted. For every day I could keep him inside, it was 3 days off how long he would be in the NICU. The first goal would be to get through the 48 hours. So all we could do was watch the clock.
Those were the LONGEST 48 hours of my life. Completely bed ridden, in a room that was just about as big as a closet with NO windows, limited visitors, random hospital people in and out every hour.. It was so much. BUT.. We made it. The baby did SO great with the medicine they were giving me. He was fine the whole time, it was me who had the issues. But I made it through the 48 when they took me off the Magnesium Sulfate. I had to be monitored for 6 hours after just to make sure my BP didn't shoot up again. And it didn't!! That's when I got moved to my new room, my 'home away from home'. They removed my catheter and I was able to walk for the first time in two days. Which, is not as easy as it sounds after that complete bed rest. It felt like I had 80lbs of water being retained in each of my thighs and my legs just felt SO heavy. But I got back into it pretty fast. I needed help getting up the first few hours but I was even able to shower that night (with George's help) so I felt so much better. The initial danger was now over. I had--WE had--made it out of that 48 hour period and headed for the longer stay.
Since then, things have only gotten better. I'm still on bed rest and still have to stay here at the hospital until the baby is born. But as my Doctor said yesterday, I'm technically well enough to go home and I look great for how severe my situation came in as. Little George is doing great too. He's practicing breathing in the womb, his heart rate looks great, and he has plenty of room to keep on growing. My BP is in a mild range, still elevated but no where near the numbers it was when I came in. And as I said, today marks 28 weeks. The best case for a preemie baby! So, every day he stays put inside is a gift and I know that. George has been my rock this entire time. He stays with me through the week and goes home on the weekends to work. THAT is the hardest part right now.. The time here without him. But our bills won't stop coming just because I got admitted to the hospital. I miss him so badly when he's not here, it's almost like a little part of me just holds my breath until he comes back. But I know I have to stay calm and relax for the other George in my life so that we can have as much time as possible with him still on the inside. These two guys are my whole world, even though one of them hasn't technically been born yet. I'd do anything for them. Lengthy hospital stay.. Check. Fighting back tears when he leaves so he doesn't see me cry.. Check. They are doing their parts, I will do mine.
Well, my diabetic dinner will be arriving soon so this will be all for now..
In my last entry, I talked about being diagnosed with PCOS. Today, I am 28 weeks pregnant with my first child, a son, to be named George the 8th. Talk about a 360.
However, it's not all been peaches. Taking Chlomid to get pregnant, dizzy spells, fatigue.. And then finally, being diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes and Preeclampsia all in the same day. Which now has lead to a lengthy hospital stay until little George is born.
It all started a couple weeks ago, President's Day to be exact. That is when my first really bad swelling just kept happening. I left work to get it checked out by my Doctor. That same day, I had all little signs of Pre E so they sent me to Anderson Mercy hospital to be monitored and checked out. So, I went there for a few hours but then they let me go home. The Doc kept me off work while they continued to run tests on me and see how bed rest would affect my symptoms. My blood pressure was up from my 'normal' numbers but not in a dangerous range. They had me do blood work and I had to do my glucose test that was already scheduled to test for the gestational diabetes. On Monday the 7th, I went into my Doctor expecting them to tell me at the worst that I could go back part time or really, just stay off until the baby was born. When I went in that day, my blood pressure had shot up pretty bad. The protein in my urine sample was 4+ (which is a lot..) and so my Doctor sent me back over to Anderson Mercy so they could run my 24 hour urine I had provided and run blood work and monitor me and get all the results back faster. I figured it was no different than the time before that two weeks ago when they ended up just sending me home after a few hours.
I guess I have to stop expecting certain things.
What a whirlwind. I was immediately admitted to Anderson. My BP just kept fluctuating, going really high, normal, really high, really low. It wouldn't stabilize. I remained calm, didn't think TOO much of anything.. Because, after all, I've never had anything serious happen to me like this. My tonsils were never taken out, I've never had surgery, I've always been pretty healthy. Then they told me I had gestational diabetes. Okay, I can deal with that. My Mom has Diabetes so it runs in my family. But then, after my 24 hour urine results came in, it turned into a mad house. The Doctor came in and explained that I was being diagnosed with Pre E and that there was no way the baby would go to term--He would maybe have 2 weeks and with how severe it looked, it might be that same night. Of course, for the record, this did NOTHING for my blood pressure. I listened and nodded my head as he told me that I would need to be transferred by ambulance to University Hospital in down town Cincinnati because they have a Level 3 NICU and the Doctors are more capable of taking care of my severe situation. And that I would need to be on complete bed rest for at least 48 hours while they ran a round of anti seizure medicine through an IV to help with the blood pressure issues and prevent them from causing me to have seizures since my numbers were now staying in that range. I would also be receiving a round of steroids to help develop the baby's lungs faster since he would be coming out so soon. As soon as the Doctor left, and before all of this started, I just completely lost it. George was crying while hugging me and I could only think to say how sorry I was. Because I felt that I made my body do something it wasn't willing to do naturally and now I had caused this to happen. But that's a whole different story with my guilt and not something I'm anywhere near ready to share. After breaking down, all of that went into motion... IV, Magnesium Sulfate, steroid, catheter. It was all happening too fast and all I could think is that I didn't want anything to happen to me or this baby. I knew whatever I had to do, I'd do it.
At 10:30, the ambulance arrived to transport me from Anderson Mercy to University. I've never been in an ambulance before and that scared me. Because University is so secure after 9pm, George rode with his family down so I was in there alone. 30 minute ride just to think about everything that was happening and try to stay calm for my blood pressure. Although, that didn't really happen that night. When I got to University, I was rushed into 'Labor and Delivery' where I was greeted by 2 Residents (this is a teaching hospital), a nurse, and whoever else makes me sign off on paperwork. The male resident was telling me how he thought I would have to deliver tonight and he was 'ready to do the c-section' when all I'm thinking is WE'RE NOT. The female resident, however, was the complete opposite. She was telling me how they would just monitor me for that 48 hours and see if the baby and I could get through that first and take it hour by hour. In the mean time, the nurse was prepping me for a c-section just in case. I had to sign off on the surgery itself, anesthesia, permission to treat me, and permission to treat the baby. They had people in out to explain each one to me but honestly.. I don't remember much of it at all. At some point, after everything had been signed and George was with me, they had a Neonatal Doctor come and explain some of the things our baby would face being born at 26 weeks. Again, I don't remember a lot of what he said, or his name to be honest. What I DO remember was the order of importance. Lungs, Brain, Guts. The lungs would be the first concern, getting him to breath and that's why I'd gotten the steroid. Second, his brain and how the blood vessels may not have appropriately attached yet at this age of gestation. And then his 'guts' and how his digestive system would be operating so under developed. People are right when they say there is no fear quite like the one you feel when your child is in danger. Even if he's not out of the womb yet. It's intense and fierce and nothing else matters but his safety and his comfort. I've never felt so protective of anything in my whole life. I also remember him saying that every day counted. For every day I could keep him inside, it was 3 days off how long he would be in the NICU. The first goal would be to get through the 48 hours. So all we could do was watch the clock.
Those were the LONGEST 48 hours of my life. Completely bed ridden, in a room that was just about as big as a closet with NO windows, limited visitors, random hospital people in and out every hour.. It was so much. BUT.. We made it. The baby did SO great with the medicine they were giving me. He was fine the whole time, it was me who had the issues. But I made it through the 48 when they took me off the Magnesium Sulfate. I had to be monitored for 6 hours after just to make sure my BP didn't shoot up again. And it didn't!! That's when I got moved to my new room, my 'home away from home'. They removed my catheter and I was able to walk for the first time in two days. Which, is not as easy as it sounds after that complete bed rest. It felt like I had 80lbs of water being retained in each of my thighs and my legs just felt SO heavy. But I got back into it pretty fast. I needed help getting up the first few hours but I was even able to shower that night (with George's help) so I felt so much better. The initial danger was now over. I had--WE had--made it out of that 48 hour period and headed for the longer stay.
Since then, things have only gotten better. I'm still on bed rest and still have to stay here at the hospital until the baby is born. But as my Doctor said yesterday, I'm technically well enough to go home and I look great for how severe my situation came in as. Little George is doing great too. He's practicing breathing in the womb, his heart rate looks great, and he has plenty of room to keep on growing. My BP is in a mild range, still elevated but no where near the numbers it was when I came in. And as I said, today marks 28 weeks. The best case for a preemie baby! So, every day he stays put inside is a gift and I know that. George has been my rock this entire time. He stays with me through the week and goes home on the weekends to work. THAT is the hardest part right now.. The time here without him. But our bills won't stop coming just because I got admitted to the hospital. I miss him so badly when he's not here, it's almost like a little part of me just holds my breath until he comes back. But I know I have to stay calm and relax for the other George in my life so that we can have as much time as possible with him still on the inside. These two guys are my whole world, even though one of them hasn't technically been born yet. I'd do anything for them. Lengthy hospital stay.. Check. Fighting back tears when he leaves so he doesn't see me cry.. Check. They are doing their parts, I will do mine.
Well, my diabetic dinner will be arriving soon so this will be all for now..