Update time

I realized that a lot has happened since I last updated!  You would think I'd be blogging nonstop with nothing else to do on bedrest, but it's really uncomfortable to sit at the computer.  My belly is too big to reach the keyboard!

A week after the last appointment we blogged about I went in for another doctor's appointment and my bi-weekly NST.  JM had to work that morning so Mom took me...although the doctor has never actually said it, I don't technically think I'm supposed to do any driving.  The doctor's appointment went alright, Ali sounded great but my blood pressure was still climbing.  Afterwards we headed over to the NST and during that, my blood pressure increased a little more.  The nurse called my doctor who wanted to keep me at the hospital overnight to monitor the blood pressure as it was getting dangerously (as in, let's get the baby out) high.  JM got there after work and we spent the afternoon with dimmed lights and low sounds, trying to get my blood pressure to drop.  Somehow, it ended up increasing even more.  At one point in the afternoon it was 191/99.  Yea, not good.  I did get the opportunity to do another urine test (which we all know I love) but at least this time someone else had to keep it on ice and it wasn't in my fridge or in a cooler in my bathroom. 

Around 6 pm or so my blood pressure started to even out and they ok'd JM going out to get us food and turning my lights up.  During this whole time I had no symptoms of preeclampsia (I actually haven't had ANY symptoms the whole time other than swelling) so they're trying to be cautious with me, but it's hard when I feel fine!  JM came back with dinner and I started having contractions.  They started just as one every 45 minutes or so, but they were much more severe than any others I had felt.  Ali was only on the monitor every 4 hours so I was the only one noticing these for the time being.  JM was writing the contractions down for me and all of the sudden they were lasting 45 seconds to a minute and happening every minute or two.  I scarfed down my food before we called the nurse (I knew if I was in labor I wouldn't be able to eat and I needed something in me!  I do have priorities!!!).  Luckily, I had the absolute sweetest nurse that night who hooked me up to the monitors and I was indeed in labor.  I was only dilated to 1 but I was 75% effaced and the contractions were increasing in strength and length. 

My doctor's partner was on call and she made the decision to try stopping the contractions.  We were not thrilled.  I was a couple of days from being considered term, Ali was a healthy size and I was expected to have her premature anyways because of the preeclampsia.  First the nurse gave me Nubain, which was a lot of fun at first.  It has the same effect as being drunk and I don't think it even took a minute to hit.  I suddenly found the overhead lights HILARIOUS and was laughing so hard I was crying.  But once the 'fun' part wore off I vomited...not fun.  Even with the meds, my contractions kept increasing.  JM and I were cheering Ali on, telling her to fight the meds :-)  The nurse had told us that if I was in true labor and my body was ready, no meds would stop her. 

Next up was Terbutaline.  It made my heartrate increase and I had the shakes...on top of being nauseous and having contractions.  Ali was a little fighter and I kept increasing in strength of contractions.  I thought at that point they'd let me deliver, but I guess my doctor's partner was determined to NOT let that happen.  After that didn't work they were going to start giving combinations of meds.  Nubain and phenergan were next and within minutes I passed out.  This was probably close to 11pm.  I was in and out of consciousness for the next few hours and was still having strong contractions, but by 2 am they had dropped to 4 an hour and the nurse unhooked me from monitors and I was officially done laboring. 

It took until about mid-morning the next day to get to the point that I could keep my eyes open to have a conversation, and by then I was having small contractions a couple of times an hour, which happens daily for me.  JM and I were really disappointed.  We had gotten so excited when the meds weren't working and we thought we were having her.  But I guess either her or my body wasn't totally ready so they both get some more time to prepare.

My urine test while we were in the hospital showed that the protein was less than the preeclampsia level.  It also turns out my doctor's partner didn't know I was preeclamptic to begin with.  I have to wonder if she would've let me deliver had she known that...but oh well.  When I discussed the low protein count with my doctor yesterday she said that I am still preeclamptic (you aren't suddenly NOT preeclamptic) but it's being controlled with bedrest.  She also has absolutely no desire to get Ali out any earlier so it's up to Ali to make an earlier appearance.

Side note, not sure if I've mentioned this but we have been scheduled for induction.  We will be admitted to the hospital Saturday, Sept. 11th at 7 pm.  At that time they'll put the tablet cream on my cervix to thin and dilate it, then they'll start the pitocin on Sunday morning with expected delivery that day, the 12th. 

We also had an ultrasound yesterday.  Again, we got a little excited because the tech couldn't find much amniotic fluid.  While this isn't a good thing, it means they'll induce you right away.  Of course, she finally found a big pocket under my left ribcage.  This now explains why her movement has been giving me so much pain...there's very very little amniotic fluid anywhere else so everytime she moves there's no buffer between her and I.  She has what she needs in that pocket, but I don't!  She's in position and all of that, but that's never been a problem.  She is, however, kind of out of room!  Her head is so far into my pelvis that on the ultrasound we were only able to see her lips and bit of her nose.  Her butt is just under my right ribcage and her little feet are in my left ribs.  They think she's weighing about 7 pounds 7 ounces, which is an appropriate gain from our last ultrasound.  Her bladder is incredibly full, too, which was hilarious.  Poor little thing is going to come out with her legs crossed if she keeps trying to hold it in! 

After we had the ultrasound we met with the doctor for our weekly appointment.  Not a whole lot to note there except my blood pressure was 154/108.  You can tell she's getting frustrated (as are we) because if I was having ANY symptoms, they could induce me.  But I'm not having anything...at all.  She said yesterday she thinks that the high blood pressure isn't being caused by preeclampsia so she went ahead and started me on blood pressure medicine for the rest of the pregnancy.  And before everyone starts telling me to relax and all of that...this high blood pressure isn't being caused continuously by anything I'm doing or feeling.  This is just my body's reaction to the baby.  Bedrest is meant to help take the pressure off my vena cava and increase blood flow, therefore decreasing blood pressure, but the bedrest is obviously not helping with my blood pressure, just the preeclampsia. 

With the high blood pressure, I had to do another 24 hour urine.  There's really nothing new to find on it, it's more routine now than anything just to make sure bedrest is still keeping the preeclampsia under control.

Today I had another NST which took FOREVER.  I am incredibly tired and I think Ali is, too.  Her heartrate was steady and she was moving, but they want to see increases and decreases in her heartrate and she was not cooperating.  After an hour (yes, an hour), the triage nurse gave me some apple juice to try to get Ali to react more.  Another 20 minutes later, no change (since I don't drink juice with the gestational diabetes, it usually makes her jump up and run around in there).  They decided to do a biophysical profile and put all the orders in.  About 10 minutes later I hear the the high risk delivery team get to the triage desk and suddenly Ali is partying hard.  I heard Dr. Dungy ask the nurse if it's bed 2 that they're there for, then they all laughed at seeing her monitor and they cancelled the test.  Silly little Ali.  At least she acted up before they got in the room and I was charged! 

So now we're back to waiting.  JM and I did go out for lunch yesterday at Tijuana Flats (yum!!!) and both tried some of their 'death notice' hot sauce.  No contractions, but some very sick bellies.  Another side note, if you live in Indy, check out Sullivan Hardware's mums.  They're only 6.99 for an 8 inch pot but they are HUGE and beautiful.  We went there after the doctor's visit to get a bush to plant in our back bed...it was the anniversary of the miscarriage and we wanted to do something for it.  The mums were an exciting surprise. 

We have another NST Saturday morning, doctor's appointment Tuesday, NST Wednesday, then induction on Saturday!  Yay!!!