Hello Everyone! I have been trying to keep everyone updated via facebook and phone calls, but most of the time it has been pretty watered down details so I thought since I have all the time in the world right now I would post an update on our blog.
It has been a long crazy week. Last Friday we went to Bear Lake for the weekend. We had a really great time like always, but by the end of Saturday I wasn't feeling so great. We had taken a couple bumpy boat rides and one really long ride in the big boat so the kids could go tubing. I had forgotten to take a drink with me and it was very hot so I'm sure I got a little dehydrated. Plus I got motion sick so I got into the water to swim which was way fun. When I went to climb in the boat though the steps that I thought were there, weren't. I guess there are no steps that get into the boats, I was thinking of the wave runner, So I had to pull myself up into the boat (with a little help from my mother in law) but when you are told no heavy lifting in pregnancy you never think about lifting yourself...at least I didn't.
So by the end of the day I was feeling pretty yucky and we drove home that night. The whole way home I was having pretty regular contractions at about 15 min apart, sometimes closer. Then the next morning I was still having them and was also starting to feel sick and overheated, so I stayed home from church. That evening I spoke with a friend who's daughter is a nurse and she told me that even if they aren't totally regular and aren't painful that since I was having them for so long and more than 6 an hour, that I needed to go into the hospital.
So we went to labor and delivery. It all started very routine with not much worries. It was more of a precautionary visit to ease our minds. But when the nurse over me checked my cervix I was dialated to a 3. You could tell that her demeanor changed a little and she was more concerned. So they hooked me up to a monitor, gave me an IV and took some tests. They also gave me some medicine, that I call speed because it makes my heart race and my body shaky. After a few hours everything was stabilized and they sent me home.
The next morning I woke up with regular contractions again. So I waited till about 1:30 and then called my doctors office to ask what to do. My doctor was/is out of town so I talked to his nurse that I'm used to dealing with and told her the story and she was very upset that I had left the hospital without steroid shots for the baby's lung development and told me to get back into the hospital right then. So we went back.
Same ordeal as the night before except even on the medicine after a couple hours my nurse checked my dilation again and I had gone from a 3 to a 4 and went from being under 40% effaced to 80%. So they came to the conclusion that I was in preterm labor. I got the first shot for the babies lungs and we spent the rest of the day in a delivery room watching things. Nothing seemed to be happening once the medicine stabilized things but they were still concerned so they moved me up to a postpartum room the next day.
That was Tuesday. Since then I have had a roller-coaster of things happen. I was given the last shot for the babies lungs tuesday So by wednesday at 4:30pm it was a lot safer to deliver the baby, so that is good!, however thursday night I was having contractions a minute and a half apart with more pain, and my nurse was saying she thought that was it! That I was having the baby! But everything continues to stay stabilized. Every time I take the medicine the contractions go back to normal and everything seems fine. I am still on bed rest at the hospital and will be until I reach 34 weeks, which is Monday! :) At that point they will decide if I can go home and be on bed rest there until 36 weeks.
Everything is so up in the air and on a day to day basis that it has been hard on us and those helping us to really be able to plan things out, but we really appreciate everyone who has chipped in to make it easier on Ryan at home. Thank you for the meals and the time watching Bella, and the phone calls and visits to me in the hospital, as I have been bored out of my mind all week! lol! We really appreciate it all!
And despite all the things that have been going on, Ryan and I are both very optimistic. We really feel like the baby will be totally fine and that even if I deliver him premature, he will thrive. So we are both calm and positive. We are just wondering how and when this is going to happen! We had an ultrasound that measured the baby at 5lbs 16oz as of tuesday so we know the baby will still be good sized! :)
Here is a maternity picture of me finally. Not the most flattering but I had to have one before he came so this will have to do for now! :)
Yesterday Bella finally started to miss me! They spent all day here at the hospital with me and then went home around 4. Bella fell asleep on the drive and when she woke up at 6 she was in the worst mood and didn't cheer up until Ryan said they could come visit me again! So they came back and we watched Barbie Rapunzel! She was so cute linking her arm in mine for like the first 20 min! They stayed till 9 and then went home. That has been my best hospital day so far, so I am looking forward to the possibility of going home on Monday. We will just have to see.
Another hard part about all of this is that my regular doctor is out of town until this coming Wednesday, so I have been speaking with a different doctor everyday about my condition. It will be nice when Dr. Terry returns! :)
oh and here's a fun picture of Bella with a goatee! When they come to visit I am allowed a 30 min wheelchair ride! Whoot! So we went to the cafeteria this one day and got ice cream! It was yummy!
Anyway I think that is everything. I'm sure I missed something but for the most part this is what is going on. I will try and keep this updated if anything crazy happens. Again thank you for all your prayers and support! We are very grateful! Hopefully the next post will be in a few weeks about our new little guy! :)
