Tuesday, July 31, 2007

07/31/07

07/31/07

We're now at 32 weeks and 1 day!! Yay me!

Today was another day of the same. The only difference is that we've had an increase in contractions. They are about 5 minutes apart, but not all of them are as strong or as long as they were. So, right now it isn't considered true labor and instead it's considered uterine irritability. It can change at any time though, or it can stay this way for the rest of the pregnancy.

Other than that, we don't have anything new to report or update you with! Have a happy night!

Monday, July 30, 2007

07/30/07

07/30/07

Nothing really new to report. Contractions are the same. We have the same blood pressure and heart rae. Contractions are still about 15-20 minutes apart and very slowly intensifying. We are haing a lot of decelerations with Matthew's heart rate, so the doctor will be talking about that tomorrow. As of right now, it's ok becuase his heart rate returns to normal after a minute or so. We just want to be sure that he isn't compressing his cord and denying himself oxygen rich blood.

We'll update more as we know more :)

32 weeks! Yay!

When I woke up on Sunday, I noticed that I felt movement in a new place. I couldn't feel Matthew's head where it normally was, so I asked the doctor about it. Dr. Chao felt around and couldn't feel the head and thought perhaps he had turned.

Dr. Chao wheeled in the ultra sound machine to do a quick scan. Matthew was not head down :( He had just shifted. Matthew's butt is engaged, his head is under my belly button, hiding out and his arms and legs are sticking straight out so his feet and hands are in my right side.

Dr. Chao figured he might as well check fluid while he was here. We are down to one pocket near his feet. The pocket is only 1 cm.

Dr. Lanouette was the doctor on today. While she agrees that the lower fluid does put us at a greater risk of infection, she does not feel comfortable delivering yet.

As of today, we are 2 weeks from delivery (at the longest) so about 17-20 days before I go home :)

I am still having steady contractions, they are painful (pain scale of 4-5) every 15 minutes or so. So, those are being monitored as well.

My temp is up and down. I'm surprised it isn't low since I've been told my room is really cold. My blood pressure and heart rate stay about the same.

Saturday, July 28, 2007

07/28/07

07/28/07

Most of today was pretty uneventful.

Around 6:30, I started to feel a little sick. I started to have really bad cramping and a strong urge to use the potty.

After an hour or so I realized it was getting a lot worse. That prompted me to call the nurse to get some answers and to let them know I had some serious pain and pressure.

My temp was taken and read 99.5. My blood pressure was 138/79, which is REALLY high for me and my heart rate was 117. I was hooked up to the monitor.

Even though contractions weren't showing up too frequently, I was still in some serious pain. The doctor was called and my room temperature was turned down because I was sweating so bad. My room is now a cool 60 degrees. My temp went back down to a normal range after about an hour and a half. I still have the pain pretty bad, but the plan for now is to wait and see.

I heard that the baby shower was a ton of fun. Thanks so much to everyone that attended. I'm sure I'll hear more details in a day or two. Dusty is going to bring me my camera so I should be able to upload some pics today or tomorrow. I want to give a huge thanks to my parents, Dusty's parents, Christina, Samantha, Christy and Jamie for all of their hard work.

I hope everyone has a great night! Tonight is our 8 week anniversary in the hospital and as soon as there is more to update you with, I'll gladly do it :)

Friday, July 27, 2007

07/27/07

So today make 31 weeks and 4 days and is also the last day of our 7th week of our hospital stay!

I had my blood drawn today. I had/have a lot of tenderness in my belly and I had an elevated temperature. My white blood cell count came back normal. Since I don't have any bleeding, it's more than likely that the inside of my tummy is all bruised from Matthew moving and there not being any fluid.

Other than that, everything is normal. My heart rate has been sky high most of the day, but that's getting to be typical so nothing to worry to much about.

Tomorrow is one day closer to 32 weeks ;)

Thursday, July 26, 2007

07/26/07

07/26/07

We're ending another day, 31 weeks and 3 days now :)

I've had a pain on my left side since Tuesday night so the doctor looked at it today. It could be one of three things. The most likely is that Matthew is laying there and causing bruising since there isn't any fluid. The other two causes could be placental abruption (when the placenta starts to tear away from the uterus) or an infection. So, we are still watching everything really closely.

My temp and blood pressure are staying stable. My heart rate is elevated again. I'm also up to 138 pounds! So, I might get to start being weighed once a week instead of every other day.

Saturday is Matthew's baby shower! Kaitlyn is so excited to wear her red tutu skirt and see the fire trucks :)

07/26/07

When we were first admitted, we were given some mini goals leading to big goals.

Our first mini goal was 26 weeks, which we passed with no problems. Our second goal was 28 weeks, which we passed with huge smiles, our third mini goal was 30 weeks, which we conquered 1 week and 5 days ago. Our major goal was 32 weeks. Monday marks 32 weeks.

When we hit 28 weeks, our big goal was moved to 34 weeks. They wanted Matthew to be as big as possible when he's born.

That goal was set when I still had a healthy amount of fluid. With my AFI (Amniotic Fluid Index) now below 3, my risk of infection is much higher.

Today is a slightly boring day, so I started researching things. This past Tuesday, we were given the option of delivering and declined.

If given the option on Monday, I will take gladly deliver. If it isn't offered, I will inquire to the possibility.

I found a few articles of research regarding delivering a baby at 32 weeks versus 34 weeks when the mother has been ruptured for some time. Nearly all of the articles recommended not waiting for 34 weeks since the risk of infection is so great.

The best and easiest to read article is by the Mayo Clinic:

Why deliver at 32 weeks

"Our findings show us that mothers and babies do just as well when the mothers are induced at 32 weeks rather than later at 34 to 36 weeks, the current standard of care," says Brian Brost, MD, Mayo Clinic high-risk pregnancy specialist and study co-author. "So, why take the risk of infection in keeping the baby in mom longer if there's no difference in how the babies do?"

In cases of prolonged early membrane rupture, obstetricians must do a careful dance to get the unborn baby as close as possible to term, while avoiding the increased risk of infection. Mothers in this situation are at risk for infection of the membranes surrounding the baby, and such infection can prompt premature delivery or infection of the uterus after delivery. Unborn babies are at risk for a host of infections, including one that can lead to cerebral palsy, from bacteria entering the baby's bloodstream via the membrane rupture.

"The idea is to deliver the mother before the baby gets an infection," says Dr Brost. "The dilemma is trying to deliver later so baby can get older but before an infection can set in."

The study found that infections in both mom and baby were significantly lower in mothers experiencing membrane rupture when they opted for induction at 32 weeks pregnancy rather than waiting for spontaneous labor. In addition, hospital stay for the newborn was considerably shorter in cases where the mother was induced.


"After 32 weeks, it's unusual for a baby to have lifelong problems," says Dr Brost. "If the baby is infected due to the membrane rupture between 32 and 34 weeks, however, the long-term outcome can be worse."

The Mayo Clinic researchers indicate their findings show induction at 32 weeks gestation is an option for women with prolonged premature membrane rupture and their obstetricians to consider to decrease potential infection risk. However, Dr Brost adds that it is important that such induction occur at medical center equipped to care for the premature infant. In order to confirm the study's findings and prompt a change in nationwide standard of care for mothers with premature membrane rupture, the Mayo researchers say their results would need to be replicated in a large study with multiple medical centers. Currently the practice at Mayo Clinic, says Dr. Brost, is to talk to women in this situation about the option of induction at 32 versus 34 weeks.

The Mayo Clinic researchers conducted their study by analyzing a prospectively maintained obstetric database for spontaneous membrane rupture between 24 and 31 weeks gestation between January 1992 and December 2003. They found 408 cases. The investigators examined the experiences of women with premature membrane rupture who were induced at 32 weeks. The experiences of these women were compared against women with early membrane rupture who waited for spontaneous labor and those whose induction became mandatory due to other medical factors.PregnancyAndBaby.com



Our goal all along was to have a healthy baby who does not suffer from long term disabilites. While I'll do what the doctor thinks is best, I hate the idea of risking infection if it will not benefit Matthew to stay inside that long.

By Monday he should weigh over 4 pounds and even close to 4 1/2!

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

07/24/07

07/24/07

This morning we met with Dr. Hedriana about our plan of action. He basically asked if I wanted to deliver now. While believe me, I do, and was incredibly tempted to vote for that course of action, we decided to wait it out.

He saw the ultra sound results and they show that basically Matthew has no fluid. One of the risks of no fluid is that you are at a greater risk of infection. So, we are going to keep a close eye on things. If at any time I show signs of infection, we will deliver immediately.

If I go into a slow labor, where the contractions just slowly start to increase in frequency or intensity they will visually check my cervix (as opposed to an internal exam to kee out infection) if it begins to open or the baby is at all visible, he will be delivered.

If I go into a fast labor, I will get a shot for the pain and I will be prepped for cesarean and deliver.

Dr. Hedriana thinks it's a matter of days now. So, we will be watching and waiting. Next Monday, we will re-evaluate since we will be at 32 weeks and decide what we want to do. Monday is our next goal :)


07/24/07 PM

So, we are ending another day.

This afternoon we had a consultation with the neonatologist about what we should expect once Matthew is born.

The neonatologist was really proud with how big Matthew was for his gestational age. Once babies hit 30 weeks, they go into two categories, small babies and big babies. To be a big baby, you have to be 1500 grams, Matthew is at 1700+! So that is great news.

We were also told what we could expect when Matthew was born.

Because I ruptured so early, there is a possibility that his lungs didn't have a chance to develop properly. If this is the case, he will be given surfectant to help them develop and be put on a ventilator.

It is more likely that they did develop. Since I have maintained fluid, he has had something to help him develop. In cases where women rupture early and maintain fluid, hormones and Mother Nature step in to speed up the development of the lungs. So, it is entirely possible for Matthew to be born breathing perfectly normal, or just need a nasal cannula for a few days.

When Matthew is born, he will automatically receive IV antibiotics and TPN (IV food). He will do an entire course of antibiotics. He will continue on the TPN until we know his breathing is stabilized. Once it is, we will start on a feeding tube with milk.

When Matthew is 2-3 days old, he will have an ultra sound on his head and on his heart. The ultra sound on his head will check for brain bleeds. The ultra sound on his heart will ensure that the valve that is present before birth has closed off like it should.

There is a strong possibility that Matthew will suffer from apnea of prematurely. It is when he forgets to breath for whatever reason. If that is the case, he will receive caffeine medication to help remind his body to breath.

Matthew will have the standard hearing test as well as an eye test to check for ROP to ensure that his eyes had a chance to develop properly.

If Matthew is born perfectly healthy, breathing, eating, and everything else on his own (which is not likely, so I'm not getting my hopes up) he will still be here for 7 days.

We should expect Matthew to stay in the NICU until he hits 36-37 weeks gestation, which puts us at August 27-September 3.

The neonatologist suggests that we don't go too far from 32 weeks (Monday) unless my fluid picks up. There wouldn't be much benefit and it can result in stiff limbs.

So, that's where we are at the end of today J

Monday, July 23, 2007

07/23/07

07/23/07

Today is 31 weeks!! Yay us!

We just got back from the ultra sound. Last time, they brought the machine to me and didn't come in until nearly 6:00 PM! This time, they woke me up at 7:30 and wheeled me down to the first floor for my ultra sound.

Matthew is without a doubt a boy lol. I was somewhat concerned about it since we never got a very clear shot and we didn't have a 3-D ultrasound like I really wanted. But, this time it was evident.

Matthew is still breech, and it isn't going to change. His estimated weight is 3 lbs 12 ounces. That is great news. Premature babies born over 3 lbs 8 ounces have a much better chance of getting through delivery and the first few weeks without any major health problems or long term medical issues.

While I had ruptured at 23w5d, I still had a good amount of fluid considering. Normal is 5-25 cm. I had 8.8 and 8.4 at each ultrasound with several pockets of fluid. That level dropped considerably. As of today, I have just under 3 cm. Which officially gives us the condition of oligohydramnios. Which means, low level fluid. There are now 2 pockets, one at his face where his hands are also and one at his feet. Those are the most important places to have fluid, so we are glad the pockets are there.

So, Dr. Lanouette is supposed to return either today or Dr. Hedriana will tomorrow to determine what we will do. The fluid levels are low enough to worry about growth restriction, but at this point he's still growing really well. Both doctors have went on and on about how thrilled they are that we made it this far and what a huge difference it has made to Matthew :)

So, when I know more, so will you.

Sunday, July 22, 2007

07/22/07

07/22/07

Today was more of the same. My blood pressure is staying the same, my heart rate is staying in the 105-115 range and I'm contracting every 15 minutes.

Tomorrow morning we are supposed to have our ultrasound. After the ultrasound, the team of doctors will make their official decision for the plan of action. We'll find out how much Matthew weighs, how much fluid he has and his position.

In other news, we would like to send our thoughts and prayers to Cousin Willy and his family. Last night, him and his wife were in a car accident and she was killed. Cassie leaves behind 5 young children, a husband and a large family that loved her very much.

Saturday, July 21, 2007

07/21/07

This morning I met with Dr. Hedriana. He is probably my second favorite, but it's a close call for first place. Dr. Hedriana and Dr. Lanouette (my third favorite) will be the doctors in the hospital next week, so they wanted to give me a heads up on the plan the team of now 5 has decided on.

On Monday, I hit 31 weeks. At 31 weeks, the odds of survival are 97% (compared to 98% at full-term 40 weeks) and while there is still a risk of long term effects, they are lower than before 31 weeks.

Beginning Monday, if labor starts on it's own with things like increased contractions, more powerful contractions or the like, they will not stop labor. They will immediately proceed with an emergency cesarean.

Because I've been doing so well for the pas 7 weeks, the start of labor will more than likely signifiy the onset of an infection. An infection is incredibly dangerous to both Matthew and me, so that is to be avoided at all costs.

On Monday, we will do an ultra sound for estimated fetal growth. He should be at about 3 1/2 pounds. That is our goal. Babies who weigh at least 3 1/2 pounds at delivery have much better odds of not experiencing long term medical problems.

Matthew has been having a lot of hiccups the past few days. This is a great sign since it indicates that he has fluid around his mouth which would have been helping his lungs develop.

Our next mini goal is July 30, which is when I hit 32 weeks. At 32 weeks, his outlook is so much brighter, his lungs may work on their own from the start and he'll be of a healthier birth weight. And of course, our long term goal remains at August 13, 34 weeks.

So, that's where we are at now :)

Friday, July 20, 2007

07/20/07

07/20/07

So today was bas..cally the same as yesterday. ..'m st..ll feel..ng a b..t s..ck, my blood pressure ..s st..ll elevated and my heart rate ..s st..ll h..gh. .. st..ll have a lot of pa..n and d..scomfort.

But, ..'m st..ll pregnant :)

Today ..s the last day of our 6th week here. ..t also ends the 4th day of the 30th week. Matthew ..s st..ll look..ng good and ..s tolerat..ng everyth..ng well.

.. d..d get a lot accompl..shed today. .. have Matthew's announcements made so all .. have to do ..s ..nsert the p..ctures when he's born and have them pr..nted. .. also started on Ka..tlyn's outf..t for the baby shower next Saturday. .. have her sh..rt 1/2 done, her bows done, her belt done and started on the shoes and pants :)

Enjoy your weekend everyone!

Thursday, July 19, 2007

07/19/07

Late this afternoon, I started to feel sick. Not terrible, but not good. I waited a while and mentioned it to the nurse when she came in. She took my temperature, which was raised. Not a good thing to see.

Because I was sick, she put me on the monitor. I was having the same contractions, about every 20 minutes, but Matthew still looks great.

For the past day or two, whenever Matthew moves, it is incredibly painful. I was told before that it was normal, so I didn't think too much of it. Turns out it isn't normal. My heart rate also jumped up to the 110-120 range.

So, the nurse called the doctor who requested blood work to check for infection. The results came back that I have a slightly elevated white blood cell count from Sunday. Right now, it isn't high enough to be of concern, but we'll keep watching it to ensure that we stay infection free. I'm sure we'll go all over it again tomorrow when the doctor is in.

So, that's our update for today.

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

07/18/07

07/18/07

Well another day and not much else going on!

As of today, Matthew will be here in 25 days!! It's amazing how far we've come.

My blood pressure, heart rate and temp are all staying the same. My temp has temporary rises, but it always goes back to normal. I'm also leaking a TON more fluid. It's like a new gush every hour or so, yuck.

So, we're just waiting and passing time :)

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

07/17/07

07/17/07

Things are.... the same. There isn't much going on. My blood pressure is still higher than they'd like, my pulse rate is still high and I've started contracting again, but instead of every 15 minutes they are every 20. So, it isn't terrible ;)

Dr. Chao is in toady. We are probably going to do an ultra sound on the 25th to check on his growth. Matthew should be over 3 pounds now, so we're hoping for the best. Based on where his head and feet are (from what I can tell) and where I feel his butt, I think he's about 16 inches. But, I'm no doctor :P

So, if we hear more, we'll gladly share!

Monday, July 16, 2007

07/16/07


I thought I would do a quick update since my blood tests just came in. Everything was normal, which is great. Evidently, the concern was a blood infection. If it would have came back showing one we would have to deliver immediatly. That explains why the lab ran up here so fast. It's pretty common and they have expected it to have happened already. It's just another reminder that every day is so important and in no way guaranteed. We are still at a point where we can deliver on a moment's notice regardless of how good we've been. To have lasted this long is a miracle in itself.

My heart rate is still high though. When it was taken I had been asleep, no movement at all and it was still 114. The nurse and doctor on call is concerned because it's really high, even for me and if it gets to or over 120, it becomes dangerous. When the doctor comes in today the plan is to try and figure out why it's doing that and what, if anything, should be done to try and bring it back down. Right now, I'm just on extra monitoring to make sure it doesn't get any higher.

On a good note, today we do hit 30 weeks!!! I can clearly remember one doctor when we were admitted saying there was no way we'd last 48 hours, and even when we hit 26 weeks my favorite doctor said it would be highly unlikely to hit this point and when we did we could celebrate! Not as much as when we hit 32, but 6 weeks and 2 days is something to be very happy about!



Well, I just saw the doctor. He is going to keep monitoring everything for now.

His concern is that Matthew's heart rate is decelerating so much for so long during each contraction. Right now, he is going to continue to monitor it since the heart rate comes up right after and my contractions have started to spread out.

The reason for the deceleration is more than likely cord compression. Because there is such a limited amount of fluid, when the uterus contracts, it squeezes the cord and cuts of oxygen to Matthew.

If the contractions return to a 15 minute apart span OR they start lasting longer, we will consider inserting a tube into the amniotic sac and replenishing the fluids.

They don't want to do that unless it's necessary for a few reasons. One is the risk of infection. Inserting anything into the amniotic sac puts us at a high risk for bringing in an infection.

The second reason is that it may not work. We don't know how big the whole is in the amniotic sac so there is a chance that all of the fluid will just pour out and we would be opening ourselves to infection for nothing.

For now, I am increasing my fluid intake (I'm not sure how that's even possible!) and we are going to continue to watch both Matthew's heart rate and mine.

Sunday, July 15, 2007

07/15/07


So today ends another day. It is the last day of the 29th week and it makes it 6 weeks and 1 day that I've been hospitalized.

Each day is starting to get harder. Since last night I've had consistent contractions every 15 minutes or so apart with little mini ones in between. I'm still having some light bleeding but right now we are just waiting and seeing what they are going to do. Our goal is to not dialate, but we don't know if I am or not and it isn't safe to see. Tomorrow the doctor might order an ultra sound for this week to check both Mathew's growth and fluid levels as well what my cervix length is.

My blood pressure is also high. Normally I'm a 99/50 type of girl with a heart rate of 95-100 beats per minute. Since last night it's been in the 115/60-121/74 range which is typically in the normal range, but still high for me and still high for a person on bed rest. My heart rate has also jumped up to 115+ which is really high for a normal pregnant person while walking, but much more of a concern because I'm on bed rest and not doing anything.

I also can't stop sweating. My room is set at 67 degrees and I wear a flimsy hospital gown and yet, the sweat doesn't stop. When the nurse noticed it today, she quickly called the doctor who ordered blood work and the lab was here in under 10 minutes. I don't think they came up that fast even n the day when I was admitted.

So, that's what's going on here. Matthew's heart rate still looks good. I should hopefully have some news tomorrow with what's going on and if there is a new plan of action.

Saturday, July 14, 2007

07/14/07

Sorry I missed an update yesterday.

Things are basically the same except I am so much more uncomfortable. The contractions aren't as friendly as they used to be, those little devils!!

My temp is back in the normal range. My blood pressure is higher, but normal and my heart rate is high, but normal for me.

I'm also gaining weight. I've now gained 38.5 in this pregnancy!! I've gained 3 in the last 2 days alone.

Matthew's baby shower is 2 weeks from today. I know Grandma, Nana, Auntie Christina, Auntie Sammie, Auntie Christy and Aunt Jamie are all working really hard. I'm sure it's going to be gorgeous and a ton of fun. I'm working on Kaitlyn's outfit and can't wait to see how cute she's going to be!!

I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend!

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

07/11/07

Sometimes, it's hard to believe that over 5 weeks have passed since I was first admitted to the antipardum section of the hospital to have all of my plans for a fun summer and easy pregnancy slashed in half!

I've been trying really hard to stay busy and since I like to pay attention to detail and I like to have things done WAY in advance, it hasn't been too hard.

I can pretty much guarantee that Kaitlyn will be spoiled rotten when I finally get to go home. I want to be sure to make up for all the time I've been here and her world being turned upside down. I want to get as much fun stuff in with Mommy and Daddy before RSV season hits and we go into hiding. (This website has a lot of great information if anyone wants to read it: http://www.rsvprotection.com/risk_factors/risk_factors.aspx) And really, I can't wait for the State Fair and I would honestly love to take a day trip to Great America, or Santa Cruz or Monterey, depending on how things are going.

With the idea that I'll make it to August, Kaitlyn will start school right after I go home L While she's really excited, I'm sure it'll be a really hard adjustment. Grandma is going to take Kaitlyn on Saturday to have some "ready for school" pictures of the big girl! I'm sure she's going to have a blast!

I'm sure after my first couple days home, I'm going to be putting together Matthew's nursery. I'm sure it'll be fast and fairly easy since I already know exactly what I want. I have the perfect vision in my mind and it'll be fun. I'm sure even Kaitlyn will enjoy helping me paint J

Even if we make it to mid August, Matthew will still be a preemie and be easily susceptible to diseases. The simple colds that we get and shake off, or full-term infants get and get over could result in hospitalization or worse for a preemie. So, we know and are prepared for the fact that beginning in October/November and lasting until Spring, we'll be in seclusion to protect him.

I have been able to plan nearly all the details for Kaitlyn's birthday party. Kaitlyn is having a "vintage" carnival party with a Disney emphasis. I've been able to plan all of the details including the fun favors (goldfish anyone) and find the perfect pony rides to be there. The only thing I haven't fallen in love with yet is her outfit. But, I have a pretty good idea of what I want and chances are I'll make it. I've also had to put thought into the fact that Kaitlyn's birthday does fall in line with RSV season, so Matthew will probably not be at the party. I've already come up with a plan for Matthew J All I have to do is decide between a cake or the cutest cupcake set up I've ever seen!

I've already started my Christmas shopping list. I was thinking I would start shopping and have a lot done before I go home, but I'm not good at keeping things from people for that long lol! So, I figure if I already have a good idea of who I'm buying for and what I'm buying I could easily have it done by October/November.

And of course, since our August trip to Disney isn't going to happen, I've been really excited about planning it for April. The weather will be nice, it shouldn't be too crowded and I know Kaitlyn will have a blast. I'm sure even Matthew will enjoy it since he should be 8 months old (6 months adjusted) and I'm sure Kaitlyn will have taught him all about Mickey and Minnie by then. Grandma and Grandpa are going and Auntie Christina and Uncle Brian are probably going and Auntie Sammie and Uncle Davey said they might even bless us with their presence J While we're there we even get to go to Universal Studios and pay ET a visit! The only problem is, I've picked out way too many ideas for outfits for Kaitlyn lol!

And I had really started to slack on sending out pictures. They sat in my wink flash cart since Easter, so I finally got those all ordered and separated and sent out. As soon as the 4th of July pictures of Kaitlyn and Camaryn are scanned, I'll be able to order and send those out too!

So luckily, the internet, word processor and spreadsheet have all become my best friends. I get to be organized and accomplish things while I'm here which is really nice. So I am proud to say that I've stayed busy and have not yet lost my mind :P Plus I do have 2 baby websites that I love updating as often as possible, another website I get to update with joy and a myspace that I can "pretty" up on a regular basis.

07/11/07

We're ending yet another day. Thanks so much to everyone that keeps up on us ;) I know it's boring right now, but boring is good.

Everything is staying the same. My blood pressure and heart rate are slowly climbing up so those are being monitored.

I had a headache most of the day today. I just hate laying in bed all day, every day. But, what can I do?

My uterus is also starting to get more irritated. Each day, my contractions get slightly closer together and slightly more painful with "uterine irritation" in between them.

So, we're still in the same boat ;)

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

07/10/07

It's so hard to believe that it's already July 10!

Things are going pretty good still. We're still stable. I wasn't feeling to great today and had a terribly upset stomach. I'm still contracting every 20-30 minutes, but it isn't terrible at all.

My blood pressure is staying at about 110/70 range and my temp is staying in the 98.2-98.7 range which is all awesome.

Today I got asked by the social worker to meet with another mom in the antepardum section who is in the same boat I am. I agreed and should meet with her some time tomorrow. I'll let you know how it goes ;)

I have had so many visitors for the past couple of days! Thanks so much to Leah for visiting and bringing Matthew the super cute shirts! And thanks to Dorin for visiting and bringing flowers (Kaitlyn loved them lol!) and of course thanks to my mom, Christina, Judy, Rich, Jamie, Christy, Dennis and Camaryn. And as always I was thrilled to see Kaitlyn and Dusty :D

Monday, July 9, 2007

07/09/07

Just wanted to give a quick update from the doctor. Because Matthew's level is staying so high for being ruptured and still leaking, and because Matthew is tolerating the fluid levels well and still growing it looks like we'll be waiting until 34 weeks to deliver.

So, that takes us until the middle of August and will hopefully mean that Matthew will be able to come home a lot sooner in better shape. Let's hope these 5 weeks pass by quickly!

Sunday, July 8, 2007

07/08/07

07/08/07

We're coming to the end of another day! Today is the last day of our 28th week!

This morning we got to have a quick ultra sound. Matthew is REALLY low. I mean, I wouldn't be surprised if he just fell out lol! Anyways, because he was so low, the doctor had hoped that perhaps he had turned. Our quick scan revealed that he hasn't turned at all, he is just really low and his butt is engaged. His head is about 2 1/2 inches below my navel and his feet are still at his head.

Other than that, today hasn't been too interesting. I've had a terrible headache and am really dizzy and light headed, so I'm just taking it easy!

Saturday, July 7, 2007

07/07/07


YAY 28 weeks!!!

Today was not a fun day. For one, I had to get the two very painful shots. The size of the needle for the betamethasone was enough alone to make me wish that I could be gassed first lol. The side they went in is still incredibly sore.

I'm still bleeding, and it's still being monitored. For most of the day, I had contractions every half hour, so I spent a good chunk of the day on the monitor to see if they got any closer. So far they haven't, so I get a small break and then back on the monitor until I go to bed.

Other than that, everything is the same. I didn't see Kaitlyn today :( Poor baby was sick. Hopefully she'll be better tomorrow so that she can come by.

Friday, July 6, 2007

07/06/07

Hello All!

So today, we've ended another day. We have now made it to 24 weeks and 4 days!!

Today was more of the same, there isn't much new to report really.

I did meet with Dr. Wolf today who is an awesome anesthesiologist. With his help and the medical statements of my regular OB, Dr. Zielinsky (whom I adore) and my gerontologist Dr. Hedirana I will probably be able to have the tubal ligation when I have the cesarean. They believe it will be in my best medical interest and Dr. Wolf and Dr. Hedriana believe that the Sisters will also approve it.

I hope everyone has a WONDERFUL weekend!! We hit 5 weeks this weekend :D

Wednesday, July 4, 2007

07/04/07



First, I hope everyone has had a wonderful 4th of July and got to enjoy some yummy food and beautiful fireworks!

Everything here is basically the same. Tomorrow I'll be 28 weeks and 3 days, which is awesome. I am still experiencing contractions, just not close enough to require medical intervention yet. My blood pressure and temp are staying the same, which is awesome.

I still have some back and stomach pains. I learned why I have the bruising feeling on my stomach and it's a simple enough answer (thank goodness for the internet and ability to research things on my own!) Matthew is kicking like a normal 28 week old baby, the difference is that there isn't much cushioning between Matthew and my stomach muscles, so he's just beating the heck out of me. But, it's good to know he's nice and strong.

We knew that this pregnancy would be our last, prior to even finding out that he was a boy. Since we found out that I will be having a cesarean, Dusty and I thought it would be best to have a tubal ligation at the same time. Not only do we not want to have more children now that our family is complete, but with the high risk of another pregnancy resulting in premature rupture of membranes (and more than likely even earlier than in this pregnancy) and being so grateful that we've beaten the odds with this pregnancy, we do not want to take that risk again. After talking to the doctor today, we found out that we cannot have a tubal ligation at this hospital. Because it's a Catholic Hospital, it can only be approved if future pregnancy could or would result in maternal death. So, we will be taking care of that after being discharged.

Tomorrow we will meet again with the NICU team. Since the last time we met with them, Matthew has grown so much and the challenges he would likely face are so different than when we were first admitted. We will also be heading to a NICU tour sometime this week. Dusty and I will do it together so we can both have a good idea of what Matthew may look like when he is born.

That's all for today! Again, we hope you had a safe and happy holiday!

Tuesday, July 3, 2007

07/03/07

07/03/07

We're ending another day. Everything is basically the same. My blood pressure is steady, my temp is down and I'm contracting. The contractions are about 15-20 minutes apart all the time. For the most part, they aren't painful, they are just really uncomfortable. There are some that are pretty painful, but luckily they are far apart and never last more than a minute.

Kaitlyn went to the doctor today. She has a viral infection and Dusty may have it too. So, they are both away until tomorrow when they shouldn't be contagious anymore. So, with any luck, I shouldn't catch it.

So, we have now been here exactly a month, with a good four weeks *hopefully* in store!

Monday, July 2, 2007

07/02/07

Normally, I go to bed around 11. I am woken up around 4 for vitals and then I sleep until about 8-8:30 depending on when the nurse comes in with breakfast.

Not this morning.

This morning I was woken up by a woman at 6:30 holding a tournequet and some empty vials awaiting my blood. Let me tell ya, while it may be easy to go back to sleep after you have your blood pressure taken, it isn't nearly as easy after 2 vials of blood have been drawn from your arm still bruised from the last blood drawing.

She leaves and I start to fall back to sleep when I have another awakening. Evidently, when my nurse last night took my blood pressure, it didn't record, so she wanted to take it at 6:45. Then, she wanted to know if I needed any juice. With a smile, I let her know all I needed was some sleep.

I tried for 15 minutes to sleep and just tossed and turned so I decided to get up.

The first thing I do every morning is use the restroom. I still leak quite a bit and it's refreshing to feel dry for a few moments.

Those that have had babies I am sure remember the hospital issued Maternity Pads. They are very similar to menstral pads, but they are not stick on one side, are longer and more absorbant. I use these constantly since they help to gauge how much fluid I'm losing and help to ensure that the fluid is still clear and without foul oder.

Yesterday morning was the first time I noticed that there was blood. We had bleeding a couple of weeks ago, but it was entirely different. Dr. Hedriana took note and thought that it would just be an irritation that would go away.

Last night, the bleeding was back. Last time I bled, it was just once a day basically whereas this time it seems to be constant.

This morning, the blood returned and there was more than yesterday.

I'm waiting for the doctor to come in, but there are two theories the nurse and on call ob/gyn (who isn't able to treat me regardless since I'm under the care of doctor's above her) believe.

The first theory is that there is blood in my amniotic fluid. The blood could indicate an infection, however I have no other signs of infection. Matthew's heart rate is great, he isn't in distress at all, I do not have a fever and my blood pressure is staying steady.

The second theory is that the blood is coming from my cervix and I am already starting to dialate. This is the theory that the doctor believes to be the most plausible. Right now, there isn't anything they can do to stop dialation. My cervix has been long and closed through all of pregnancy and even as of my ultra sound last Wednesday.

The only way to confirm that I'm dialating is to do an internal exam. Because I have been ruptured for over 4 weeks, that is out of the question. An internal exam can open the door to infection and that is something we are trying to avoid.

So right now, we are waiting for labor to start so that I can go back on the magnesium sulfate to stop it. Since contractions can start days or even a week or two after dialating, it isn't good to start the medication until necessary. Magensium sulfate is great for stopping labor, but it also has it's drawbacks. It not only slows the uterine muscles, but it slows the heart muscles for both me and Matthew and has some awful side effects.

I am also eagerly awaiting my betamethazone shot, <- dripping with sarcasm in case you didn't get it. I also found out that *joy* because I had my rhogam shot SO early because we thought we would deliver 4 weeks ago, I get to have that again today :( I'm going to be one sore mama!

Today is definatly going to be an owie day. But, it's only one day right?

Sunday, July 1, 2007

07/01/07


Hello July!

Today is more of the same ol' same ol'. My blood pressure is still stable and my temp is steady. I've started having more bleeding. It's not enough to cause concern with my doctors, just enough for extra monitoring.

Tomorrow is 28 weeks! Dr. Hedriana told us today that it is definatly a day to celebrate and be proud of :)

I hope everyone had a great weekend!