Another Week, Another Hospital Visit....

The title of this post says it all, only this time they think the elevated blood pressure was just an anxiety attack. I was supposed to go to the Dr. at 6:30 to discuss when we were going to be inducing me... apparently it got to me. At 2:00 I started feeling funny, and it just got worse. Finally I checked my blood pressure:

I called, went into the office, by the time I was sent to the hospital it was 160/102. I got to the hospital, started to relax, Mike came a gave me a big hug and told me that trip #3 was going to be uneventful and that the only way we were going to go home and not have a baby was if I calmed down. Here is Mike trying to make me laugh about trip #3:

We watched comedy central and while they ran my labs my BP dropped back down to normal. The doctor called them "Beautiful Levels"

This made me very happy.

As soon as we started talking to the doctor, however, about how this can not happen again because next time I am going to have a baby, it shot back up to 138/100.... this is when she said it was definitely stress related and told me to go home, relax, and sleep.

We have a follow up on Monday morning at 8:15, and we are taking it from there. The doctor is also going to try to jump-start things naturally, and told us ways that we can try to naturally create progress so that I can work towards my other goal, NOT having a c-section. So much for addressing one thing at at time. Regardless, I am so happy that I was able to wait it out another week,

now lets see if I can make it to 37 ;-)

Acceptance

So now that I have had a chance to process I am trying to see the positive of Nyla coming this week.

1- It is the best thing to do for both of us healthwise

2- Chinese New Year starts at the end of January leaves me a whole month that China will not be emailing me and so I can focus on adjusting to being a mom.

3- The pro-bowl is this weekend, who cares about the pro bowl anyways!?!?!

4- I will finally get to hold her.

5- I will be able to see my toes again.

6- I am able to take awesome BP meds as of this afternoon because they are no longer concerned about them masking Pre-E, so I am going to start to physically feel a little better.

7- I can have some say/control in the situation, and anyone who knows me knows i love to plan EVERYTHING.

8- They initially told me I would be lucky to make it to 32 weeks, I made it to 36, take that doctors!!!!

9- No matter what happens I have an amazing support system of family and friends who will be there for me to help me through whatever the future holds.

I think I am ok with this.

Maybe Baby....

I just got back from an appointment with my specialist, and she told me what I already knew she was going to say. Her professional recommendation is to have Nyla delivered by the end of the week.

I am still processing....

35 weeks!!

Woooo Hoooo!

We made it to 35 weeks, the last week in month 8!!! Considering that just 2 weeks ago we were having concerns that Nyla would be here by now, I am so happy to say that she is still staying put!

We went to the doctors appointment yesterday, and Nyla still looks absolutely perfect on the monitors. Me... eh... my BP was a little high (170/90) so they had me hang for a few hours and let me go home and back to bedrest when it hit 138/90.

I had a major happy day though, I reached a GREAT compromise with my doctors! They wanted to induce me next week (January 27th) and I had a lot of concerns about her still being pre-term. The doctors and I came to the agreement that unless my BP jumps up to a point where it is high and sustained (not just a random emotional spike) I can sit and bake this baby until AT LEAST 38 weeks!!!

Now don't get me wrong, I am over bedrest, being uncomfortable, all that, but to know that she can stay in there until she is ready seems to make it all better!!!

Tomorrow we have another ultrasound, and a follow up with the doctors to check my bloodwork and BP levels. Basically from now on I am living part time in bed and part time at my doctors office.

PS...... the produce this week is still a honeydew, just a fatter one...

Last Night

So now that the fun ultrasound pictures are uploaded (the best part of the day) I can bitch about last night/this morning (the worst part of the day) For no apparent reason yesterday, my blood pressure spiked up again, and we were off to the hospital. When I checked in I was at a lovely 158/106. I was not pleased. After a few hours, it gradually came back down, and I was told the same as before, BEDREST BEDREST BEDREST. The doctor also told me that she wants Nyla to make her debut January 27th. I might have a January baby, and January is almost over... I am nervous for her to come out so soon, but so excited to finally get to hold her! I just hope these trips to the hospital do not become a weekly thing...

Below are some pics documenting trip #2 to the hospital....

Me getting settled in the uncomfortable hospital bed:

Mike trying to figure out what the heck the monitor means:

AAnnndddd it's midnight:

Me waiting to go home (it was after 1am in this picture, I was ready to leave):

Smile Sweetheart, You Are NOT Having a Baby Today!

We made our 1st trip to labor & delivery yesterday, luckily we came home empty handed. I went in for my follow up appointment and while all my labs came back fine, my BP was still spiking so they sent me over to the hospital. I have to say it was kind of strange being in the room, seeing all the equipment and it freaked me out a little (no wonder the BP would not go down)

They monitored me, took more samples, and about 5 hours later sent me on my merry way. The nurse could tell I was getting anxious (i had not had anything to eat or drink since 9pm the night before and it was after 5pm at this point) and she just looked at me and said, "Smile sweetheart, you are not having a baby today!" So true. I want her to come, but not this soon!

Anyways, I am now on bedrest for the week, we will see what happens at my appointment on Monday. The great news- Nyla is doing wonderfully and everything with her is perfect, it is just me that is the problem!!!!

a few more pics from the cell phone....

mookie patiently waiting watching re-runs of law & order, the monitor, and what mike refers to as the super baby-heater-upper

bedrest

What a way to ring in the new year.

today started great, we had an ultrasound, and Chris came with us, which was awesome. Unfortunately no good pictures came out,

she is too big to get a good shot now!

We found out that my little chubster is already 4lbs 15oz, a full pound above average! She is measuring 33 weeks 5 days, and the doctor even mentioned that she may be a Valentines baby! Her heartrate was 144, and everything looked good. Then I went to the normal doctors appointment and it went downhill.

My blood pressure is elevating, and there were traces of protein in my urine :( Also my swelling is a little bit of a concern, and my uterus is measuring at 36 weeks (I am only 32) anyways, I am being transfered from my midwife to a "real" OB, and I am on bedrest until my appointment Monday am. I am monitoring my bp, and basically if it spikes I have to go directly to Labor & Delivery for a C-section. Looks like Nyla may be joining us sooner than we thought. I am just going to stay in bed and hope that nothing has elevated on Monday.

Echocardiogram

So today I went to the hospital for an echocardiogram.  My internist wanted to check on how my hypertension has effected my heart over the past 10 years and see how my heart can handle the stress of delivery.  Mike came because he thought the idea of seeing my heart on the ultrasound was cool.... he was impressed.  It was so strange looking!  It was crazy that the ultrasound tech could tell all about my lifestyle based on my heart. The best line she gave me after I told her I was a smoker until June, "the heart is the best lie detector... I could tell before you even told me because of the heart; just so you know when you are a smoker it is like using rabbit ears, non-smokers you are working with HDTV."   We get the results when I visit the Dr. in September as long as everything is ok, until then no news is good news!

ummm.... ok???

So I had my first moment of concern today.  I went to my general practitioner to change up my blood pressure medicine, and I was informed that I am considered a "high-risk" pregnancy because of my hypertension.  I am trying not to freak out, but the Dr. told me to call my new OB/GYN 1st thing in the morning and schedule an appointment.  Will update tomorrow....