The Next Chapter

It is really my own fault. I had this vision in my head of what hospital bed rest would be like. It was kind of like a resort and spa of sorts. Laying around in my adjustable hospital bed. Nurses at my beckon call. Food prepared for me as I ask it to be. Here just in case anything happened or progressed too quickly. Maybe that is why when the reality of it all set in, it hit me harder than I thought it would. Why the transition is so hard and why I have had a couple of ugly cry moments.

We had our follow up appointment last Friday and as soon as the ultrasound tech got started I knew it wasn't good news. In my vast ultrasound knowledge, I could see that the cervix had shortened quite a bit and had in fact funneled through the stitch. That earned us a trip back up to the third floor of Methodist Hospital. I was admitted to hospital bed rest.

Yes, hospital bed rest, except not like the bed rest in my head. Right away they talked about getting an IV started. "An IV?", I said. Why in the world would I need that? Well, to pump in the drugs to stop those contractions you are having silly. This threw me for the biggest loop. Having an IV just makes it that much more difficult to maneuver and get around. And then the drugs got started.

I had the same drug, magnesium sulfate, with Anna too. I knew it wasn't going to be pleasant. The initial doses of it make you feel very drowsy, loopy and HOT. And when I say hot, I mean laying on a bed of hot coals, hot. The dose has been slowly turned down since then and now on the maintenance dose of the drug I feel much better.

But another bubble was burst as the nurse rolled in the bedside commode. Know what that is? Go ahead and Google it! That for sure wasn't in my fantasy world! But it does ensure that I won't get further than a foot or two from my bed. Good for my cervix.

Overall, the Easter weekend was nice although I was feeling pretty crummy and adjusting to my new home. We were fortunate enough to have my brother David and his fiance Emma here from California. It was really really great to spend some time with them even if it was in the hospital. We had fun talking about their upcoming wedding and they took Anna to try on flower girl dresses. A highlight of her week with them for sure. We had them along with my mom and dad visiting on Saturday and Sunday which was nice to have some company.

Those nights though when every one would leave were tough and continue to be tough. Anna had a really hard time leaving Saturday night and I proceeded to have my first ugly cry moment. Was so hard to be separated from Chad and Anna and to be left here at the hospital. We have now set up the webcams at home and here so that on nights when we can't see each other in person we can talk on the webcams. Hoping that will help.

Monday brought some more bubble busting when I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. Hospital food is already ehh but then to add the restrictions on to it.. Ugh. And then that night the nurse brought in my moon boots. Lovely. They are these boot things that I wear on my feet that every 5 seconds or so air is puffed into them and they get tight around my feet. That just keeps the blood flowing and tries to prevent me from getting blood clots while I am laid up in bed. Not really like the spa treatment in my fantasy. For a good reason I know, but trying to sleep with them on that first night was tough. I was overwhelmed and ugly cried again. Poor nurse that witnessed that!

There have been positives. I was able to take a short sitting down shower on Monday. I was able to put on my own clothes after that shower. I found out today from Dr. Conservative that if I have trouble sleeping with the moon boots I can take them off at night. I am able to listen to the baby's heartbeat and movement every day in the morning for an hour and each night for an hour. I love that time with me and her. And the visits and calls and emails and flowers sent have been great.

So here I hang out for a while hopefully quietly while they control my contractions and keep that little one in there growing strong. I passed the 28 week mark which is a great milestone. The next is 32 weeks. Four weeks seems like nothing after 9 weeks of bed rest. Dr. Conservative mentioned today that at 30 weeks they will do another cervical ultrasound and reevaluate how the contractions are doing. Future decisions will be made at that time so I guess 30 weeks is a milestone too! Two weeks is nothing as long as things stay quiet.