This is no joke…

I was admitted AGAIN this week for contractions! 

I’m so tired, but I want to blog the story for my sake (as a record) and for the sake of our family and friends that live out of state.

Last Thursday was my last post and it was a  great day!  That evening my contractions started as usual and were the strongest I have had yet.  I made it through and Friday was a day full of irritability…my uterus that is, not me!  By Saturday, I was contracting regularly and by the grace of God, Laurie the head of the nurses was in and called me about my strip.  She went up drastically on my pump settings hoping that would calm things down.  By that evening I was doing okay.  Courtney and Jamie (the worlds best hostesses) came over that night to get a few things ready for the shower on Sunday and I started to feel as if I could actually make it!  Then Sunday morning came and I just didn’t feel like myself at all.  I was on so much medicine that I really felt like I was living outside of my body.  I was still having contractions and it was one of those days that I knew I was going to fly into a contraction vacation very easily. 

My house was transformed into a baby wonderland of blue, green and yellow.

It was the MOST BEAUTIFUL sight to me!  My favorite, blue hydrangeas, were all over my house and pictures of my precious Cullen were everywhere.  The decorations were amazing, but the food was out of this world!  Cafe Express catered with the BEST chicken salad I have ever had along with an assortment of salads, dips and desserts.  My shower was a dream come true for me.  I was pregnant (looking HUGE) and all of my closest friends and family were there to celebrate this miracle little boy. 

Come gift opening time my house looked like a department store! 

Ellie got some Big Sister gifts and even passed out ring pops to all of her friends while we opened gifts!

 As the fun came to an end I could feel my uterus acting up.  Before all of our guests even left I had to change into a comfy dress and put my feet up in our recliner…which quickly turned into me laying flat in bed! 

      

On Monday, I was super tired, but I didn’t feel as bad as I did the night before.  However, on Tuesday my body decided that it was just plain tired.

The day started with contractions and they slowly increased in frequency and intensity.  I was being given demand doses every single hour during the day and there was absolutely no change in the pattern of contractions.  My pulse wasn’t changing either…which is strange b/c the terb usually speeds up the heart rate especially when you get demand doses.  By 5pm it was clear that the meds weren’t working.  The nurse called Dr. K (high risk) and he told her he was having me admitted.  She called and told me to head to the hospital…which we did RIGHT after I straightened my hair!!!  I refused to leave here if I was going to have Cullen with a horrible looking hair-do.  I wanted to at least look good for a c-section.  All kidding aside, I had a gut feeling they would be able to stop the contractions with Mag at least which is why I felt I had the time to fix my hair.  B was packing his hospital bag anyway, so I really did have the extra 5 minutes…plus, I felt better about myself.  Right before we left I decided to change the vial in my pump.  When I took it out I noticed it was dripping from the bottom.  I turned the pump upside down in my lap and liquid came pouring out all over my dress.  It actually soaked my lap.  It crossed my mind that all of the meds they were giving me throughout the day had been backing up into my pump ~ therefore, I wasn’t actually getting any medication all day.  It was a fleeting thought…we were quickly out the door with contractions 4 minutes apart.

I demand dosed myself in the car at 6:54 (with the new vial of meds) and instantly felt a difference.  Increase in my heart rate and a decrease in contractions.  By the time we got to the hospital I actually walked myself all the way up to L&D with B…plus, our 2 bags, 2 pillows, and 1 giant purse!  I got checked in and had a really cute, young nurse assigned to my case named Katie.  Turns our we graduated from the same high school, but she was 6 years YOUNGER!!!  The hospitalist, Dr. Morgan, came in pretty soon thereafter and introduced himself and ran through the tests I was going to be going through.  This guy was SUPER INTELLIGENT and reminded me (and B) so much of my dad I almost felt weird with him doing my “exams!”  My contractions had slowed down a ton and I actually felt super relaxed and normal.  The doc even commented on how nice it was to be dealing with parents that were so relaxed.  I told him that if you have walked through the fire before you learn to departmentalize your fear.  We had 2 of our NICU nurses in there with us and we felt at home.  I had confidence they would stop my contractions and our Cullen would be safe for a few more weeks at least!  You know I had 4 million questions for the doctor and at one point he commented on how “well read” I was in the department of preterm labor.  Nice compliment, but I would rather be known for a million other things!  All of the tests came back negative: group B strep, and the litmus test for ruptured membranes.  They did an Ffn, but it turns out my peri really doesn’t believe in doing them, so they didn’t even send in the test to be run!  They did an old fashioned cervix check and then checked for any dynamic change by trans-abdominal ultrasound.  I am still measuring around 3.5, so NO change at all in my cervix from the contractions which is a HUGE blessing!  Cullen sounded great on the monitor, although he was being a wild man and moving all over the place.  After a few hours of starving to death, B ran down to the cafeteria when it opened back up (at 11pm) and brought me up 2 chickfila sandwiches which I promptly inhaled and some waffle fries…healthy stuff!  They moved me to an ante-partum room for the night and gave me meds to sleep ~ which took effect in about 30 seconds!  I slept until my monitoring session at 4 am when I got to hear Cullen have the hiccups for the very first time!  I tried to wake B up to listen, but he was all comfy cozy on his 6 inch long cot/bench next to me…fully dressed and snoring!!!   No contractions again and a healthy baby, so back to sleep I went.  By 7:30 I had compiled a list of questions on one entire legal pad of paper for Dr. K’s arrival.  He spotted it as soon as he walked in the door and chuckled.  I really think my questions helped him decide what to do next in my case.  He decided to try an oral drug called pro.cardia in addition to my terb as a way to control contractions at home.  If/when this combo quits working I am going to be admitted AGAIN for good to be put on Magnesium sulfate (better known as Mag).  If they can wean me off of Mag and back onto the terb pump I will be allowed to go back home again.  Dr. K did his own version of the old fashioned cervix check and said it felt “GREAT” and that he could see me making it well into the 30’s with it.  He said he would discharge me and that I was to head straight over to his office so he could check things out with his mega machine.   B and I got ready and were the best looking hospital discharge-ee’s I have ever seen!  I brought all of my new dresses and my bathroom products, so it was like getting ready at a hotel!  We headed across the parking lot and aside from the hospital bracelets I had on you would never know we spent the last 19 hours in the hospital!  As we checked in at his office I noticed another mom on the terb pump.  Turns out she had just been discharged that morning as well!  We got right in…which was a good thing b/c I started contracting regularly again.  Cullen looked great on ultrasound and is now weighing 2 lbs 11 ounces!  B hit that right on this week…so, he deserves his pat on the back!  Dr. K was a little worried about my VERY low lying placenta.  I told him I was checking that off of my list of things to worry about.  At the end of the appointment he asked me when HE was going to see me again and I laughed and said I would be back next week!  He giggled and said, “Whatever keeps you pregnant!”  So, I’ll be seeing him every week from here on out ~ a huge relief to me!

 

That is the long of it.  I had a bout of contraction vacation last night and again this afternoon and again tonight.  I don’t know how long I’ll be at home, but for the sake of Ellie (and myself) I truly hope it is a long time.  Truthfully, I know my body very well and I don’t have a great feeling about this new combo of meds.  NOT that I’m not giving it my best shot, but I’m a realist! 

Ellie got a chance to have a girls day out today with Mimi and Biddy.  They went to the mall to see the Easter Bunny and then to lunch.  Ellie ended her day at ballet and now we are all tucked in bed enjoying every single second we can together. 

 

I am so grateful for all of your continued prayers.  I know we are in the best hands and that this is all God’s plan.  I truly can’t wait for the next 6 weeks to fly by!

Blessings,

Angie