Long Week

It's been a long week.

Monday morning I had my appointment with the anesthesiologist. It was 15 minutes of questions that could have been covered under a pre-admissions questionnaire and saved me $6.00 in parking.

However, when she took my blood pressure it was through the roof. All three times. To my surprise, she let me leave the hospital.

All day I felt lousy. I had a scheduled appointment with my doctor that afternoon. He asked me how I was feeling and I burst into tears, spilling my complaints. He took my blood pressure and found it to be extremely high as well, and there was a lot of protein in my urine. He asked me a few specific questions and then said he wanted me to head over to the hospital to Labour and Delivery right away. He said he would call over and not to be surprised if they were to induce me that night.

I managed to hold it together until I got to the car and called Ian to tell him. Afterwards I called my mom who assured me that if they did induce, Matthew was now big enough to be born safely.

By the time I got home, Ian had the children packed with overnight bags and ready to go. I threw some things into my suitcase and we headed over to mom's to deliver the children.

Once we got to the hospital we checked in, then were sent to triage for me to be assessed. The took a urine sample and did some blood work, and then hooked me up to the fetal monitor. I met with two obstetricians, one who after checking me, announced my cervix was not favourable and therefore would not induce. However, she wasn't going to send me home. Instead, she wanted to admit me for 24-48 hours for observation.

Ian stayed with me until I was well settled in my room then had to go home to let our dog out. More blood work and fetal monitoring, then I could go to sleep. It was so hard trying to get to sleep without my Ian next to me.

Beginning at 6 am on Tuesday they began a 24 hour urine collection (grody). I had an ultrasound in the morning, and a NST (non-stress test) in the afternoon. Both Matthew and I fell asleep during it, so what should have taken 20 minutes lasted 2 1/2 hours.

Oops.

Ian came as soon as visiting hours began and I napped through most of his visit. My pastor came in mid-afternoon to visit with me, and then prayed over Matthew and me before heading off. Shortly after dinner, Ian came with the children. I felt like I hadn't seen them in forever!

Wednesday morning my doctor came in to check on me and said he understood that the admitting OB wanted me to hang on until I was 38 weeks before they induced me. He said he would be on call next Wednesday and to request that I be scheduled for that day. Later on I met with the admitting OB who agreed with my doctor, and I was cleared to leave. My blood pressure was good, my urine was good (umm... thanks?) and my blood work was just fine.

So, at this point the plan is to induce me on June 8th.

Whoa.

Early this morning, around 1am I started to get a headache, which is still pestering me to this very minute. I woke up from it several times during the night, and this morning had some nausea as well. Both are red flags for someone with pre-eclampsia. (ahem... me). I waited until late morning then called labour and delivery to tell them what was going on. I got as far as "headache" and "nausea" when the nurse said she'd heard enough and to come right in.

We dropped Jordan at my mom's and headed back to triage. More fetal monitoring, blood work and urine samples. I met with the resident (who looked younger than Doogie Howser) who checked me out completely. He met with the OB on duty and they both agreed to send me - and my headache - home.

I felt like I wasted everyone's time. I know it's better to be safe than sorry, but still... I felt like the boy that cried wolf.

So that's my week in a fragmented nut-shell. Matthew is fine and tolerating everything very well, and I am so thankful for that. The doctors' concern is for me and my health, which can take a turn for the worse very quickly.

I'm sorry for this drawn out and rambly post. My head is killing me and Ian is sending me to bed to rest.

I can't wait until Wednesday. I'll get to hold my precious son AND be done with pregnancy forever.

FOREVER!!

Amen.