What a Difference a Week Can Make

Well, it has been an eventful week, to say the least. I am sitting here counting my blessings that Autrey is home now and I am still pregnant. I came very close to having an emergency C-section 24 hours after Autrey came home. After work last Monday I was feeling great as we went to my weekly appointment. (In fact, to show how naive I was to the situation unfolding before me, we were planning on going out to Olive Garden using a gift card from one of Autrey's patients after the appointment was over to celebrate his return.) The doctor put 2 belly bands on me so he could monitor Dylan's heart rate and my contractions. I had been having Braxton Hicks contractions for quite a while, but they weren't painful and I thought they were completely normal. Oops. Now I know they shouldn't be happening that often at 29 weeks. Dr. Forseter got really serious and told me my contractions were happening every 8-9 minutes. He then discovered that I was dilated to 1 1/2 cm. Also, part of my cerclage stitching came out. We still aren't sure how much, if any, remains entact. I was promptly sent to St. John's Hospital to see if they could stop the contractions.

At the hospital, I was not allowed to eat or drink anything because if the contractions didn't stop I would have had to have a C-section. By the time all was said and done, I ended up fasting for 25 hours until they felt comfortable letting me eat and drink again. Normal delivery was out of the question because Dylan is still breech and too little to turn manually. (He was an ounce or two under 3 lbs. that night.) To slow the contractions, I was given 1 terbutaline shot in my arm that made my heart race, an IV of Magnesium sulfate for 48 hours that burned and made me feel like I was dipped in Napalm, and Indocin pills I am still taking 2 days on, 1 day off so my amniotic fluid levels are not reduced. Before the medicine started working, my contractions got down to about every 5 minutes. I was given 2 painful steroid shots to help speed up Dylan's lung development, should he refuse to wait any longer to make his entrance into this world. (Yes, my son has been given steroids. But keep that fact quiet. When he gets drafted to play baseball, we will tell the officials they were just B12 shots.)

I was hooked up to so many cords and totally confined to my bed during my entire stay. I had my IV fluids in my right arm, my blood pressure cuff that went off automatically every hour on my left arm, and heart rate and contraction monitors on my stomach. If that didn't make it difficult enough to sleep, there was also a lot of noise with the monitors constantly beeping and a steady stream of nurses waking me up at least every hour to check my CO2 levels, heart rate, temperature, and reflexes. My doctor also came to the hospital bright and early to check in with me everyday until I went home on Thursday afternoon. Even as exhausted as I became due to their constant presence, I was grateful for the close care and attention I was given by the hospital staff.

I am also extremely thankful for Autrey, who stayed with me night and day. He went home to get things for me, rented a few movies for us to watch, and even slept in a small, uncomfortable recliner next to me. I am so relieved I didn't have to be in the hospital alone. I was also glad to have the love and prayers of family, friends, and co-workers. Auntie Elaine sent me these beautiful flowers that brightened up my hospital room:

I appreciate mom relaying the updates of my ever changing condition when I wasn't able to. Now that I am home and on a firm bed rest until Dylan is born, feel free to call or visit. I am sure the days will seem longer after Autrey starts up his last clinical experience in Arnold, MO on Monday.

Once again, I realize how blessed I am. Blessed that Autrey is home. Blessed that he is taking such good care of me. Blessed to have wonderful friends and family. Blessed to have the benefits of modern medicine and good doctors. Blessed the contractions are under control and I can be at home. Blessed to have paid sick leave and maternity time off from work. Blessed that Dylan is happily oblivious to the flurry of excitement he caused. Blessed that he is still growing inside me and is not a week old in the NICU. It's amazing to think how my life changed this week...and how lucky I am it didn't change more than it has.