Thursday morning I went to my OB for my regular prenatal visit. I got there bright and early, 7:30 AM, so I could get finished quickly and pick up some McDonald's breakfast on the way back to work for my husband and I. (This has become a much anticpated treat for my husband and I with my monthly and now bi-monthly doctor's visits since there is a McDonalds right across the street from her office). Since my OB is also pregnant, and her due date is within a week of mine, she wanted me to meet with some of the other doctors in the office since chances are she won't be able to deliver my baby. So I met with a new doctor on Thursday and was scheduled to do my one hour glucose screening test with her. Before I started my screening she asked if I had any questions or concerns and of course I did. I pulled out my list (yes, I am always prepared with a list of some sort) and proceeded to go over my questions, but I only got to the first one... I told her I noticed some slightly pinkish spots in my undies. I wasn't too worried because this seemed normal from what I had read, but apparently it was cause for concern cuz the next thing I know I'm in a gown in the stirrups.
So after the doctor had a peek at my parts, she asked the nurse to get a Fetal Fibronectin kit because she noticed my cervix was short and soft and she was able to partially stick a finger in it. She did the swab for the Ffn and then put it in a Biohazard bag and gave it to me. She asked me to get dressed, and directed me across the street to the Labor and Delivery Ward of the University Hospital where they would run the lab on the sample and do an ultrasound to check my cervix. On may to the hospital I called my husband, hysterical and crying, and explained what was going on and that I would update him when I knew something. I hated that he wasn't with me and I so scared and alone but too independent to ask him to leave work and come be with me (even though he offered).
So after the doctor had a peek at my parts, she asked the nurse to get a Fetal Fibronectin kit because she noticed my cervix was short and soft and she was able to partially stick a finger in it. She did the swab for the Ffn and then put it in a Biohazard bag and gave it to me. She asked me to get dressed, and directed me across the street to the Labor and Delivery Ward of the University Hospital where they would run the lab on the sample and do an ultrasound to check my cervix. On may to the hospital I called my husband, hysterical and crying, and explained what was going on and that I would update him when I knew something. I hated that he wasn't with me and I so scared and alone but too independent to ask him to leave work and come be with me (even though he offered).
After answering dozens of questions about my medical history, I was given a bracelet and shown to a room. They asked me to undress and don the famous gown. The nurse then gave me an IV of fluids to ensure the contractions weren't due to dehydration, and hooked me up to fetal monitoring and monitoring for contractions. Then left me alone. I was alone for about an hour listening to Bri's heartbeat which was soothing to me and I nearly fell asleep. The doctor came in and explained to me that they were seeing some slow shallow contractions on the monitor and she needed to do a pelvic exam. So she too peeked at my parts and poked and prodded and swabbed and scraped then put me in a wheelchair to go get an ultrasound. The ultrasound started normally, I got to see my little Bri again which was heaven, but then she pulled out the wand... The trans-vaginal ultrasound showed my cervix to be only 7 millimeters long which is pretty flippin short and not supposed to happen until like week 38 of pregnancy. It also showed I have extra amniotic fluid and that Bri is large for her gestational age - 3.5 lbs instead of the average 2.4 - 2.75 (no wonder I feel like a beached whale!!!). They said the size of her is good though especially if she were to be born early, and the extra fluid is not normal but isn't really cause for concern (except that it is making my uterus heavier).
Ultrasound done, I get up to get in the wheelchair and notice blood on the table. I see a drop of blood on the floor too and the ultrasound tech gave me some towels, a pad and mesh panties and showed me to the restroom. I was bleeding, quite a bit. Not good!!! She wheeled me back to my room and the nurse came in (a male nurse this time who was nearly 80 years old!!!) and asked me to remove my fancy mesh panties and pad and lay them on the table so they could see how much I was bleeding. That was akward let me tell you! So he hooked me back up to monitoring and left me alone, again, for about an hour. At this point, I snuck out my cell phone and called Jason. He said he was on his way there and I couldn't stop him. I was so relieved I started crying, again. The doctor then came in and explained to me that with my shortened cervix, contractions and bleeding they were going to admit me. She said they would probably keep me at least through the weekend to monitor me for preterm labor and that someone would be coming to move me to a permanent room shortly. Fear set in...
At this point, it's nearly 1:30 and I haven't eaten anything since dinner the night before and the only thing I've had to drink was coffee at 4 am and my IV fluids so I was starving! The nurse came in with the glucose stuff I was originally supposed to drink at my doctor's office and said while we're waiting we may as well go ahead and do my glucose screening. So, with the IV fluids, this orange liquid and the ice chips they brought me, I had to pee like every 5 minutes! And this was no easy feat as I was hooked up to an IV and the monitoring machine. So after an hour they came and drew blood for my glucose test and shortly after 2 nurses moved my bed to the "L&D Special Care ward" to another temporary room. About 2:30, an angel appears at my door, my Jason! I was so relieved he was there I couldn't stop crying.
So finally they cleared me to eat and I ordered food at around 5:00. They came and got me and moved me to my real room and let me eat, thank god! Then my high risk doctor came in for the first time and told me that he was keeping me there at least through the weekend - it's Thursday! I was so exhausted that I just wanted to cry myself to sleep and hopefully when I awoke it would turn out this was all just a horrible nightmare. I made Jason go home around 8:00 because he too was exhausted and hadn't eaten any dinner nor had he packed a bag to stay the night with me so I told him to go home, feed the cats and get some rest. No sooner did he walk out the door then the tears came again, in floods. My mom called at just that moment. She heard how upset and scared I was and said she was on her way. She lives an hour away and I tried to stop her since it was so late but she wouldn't have it. We hung up and I fell asleep, but when I woke up, my mom was there and I felt so much better. We talked awhile and she raided the vending machine for me and we fell asleep watching tv. I just want to add that I could not have survived these past 4 or 5 days without Jason and my mom and my dad and all my friends. I love them all so much.
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