25 Weeks!
Well, I am 25 weeks along. If I deliver the baby at 34 weeks like my doctor is recommending (and hopefully I will make it that far!) then I have just 9 more weeks in the hospital. Well, if I factor in a healthy baby, plus recovery time, I guess it will be about 10 more weeks in the hospital. BUT I won't be on bedrest anymore! Though, I am quite nervous about having a baby so early. I have never had a baby in the NICU. One nurse here told me that most babies delivered at 34 weeks or later, just have a short stay in the NICU--seven to ten days at most. I keep praying that my baby will be strong and healthy when he is born. One of my nurses had a baby at 34 weeks and he was a little over 7 pounds! Amazing!
Last week I received my betamethasone shots; it's a steroid. I got two shots, 24 hours apart from each other, and this will help develop the baby's lungs faster.
I had some welcomed visitors this week! On Tuesday my Bishop and his wife and two youngest boys came and said hi. He also gave me a wonderful blessing. I was grateful they would drive all this way to see me!
Wednesday I had an ultrasound. It was a quick one to check the fluid levels and heart rate of the baby. Every four weeks (so in three weeks) I will get an "in-depth" ultrasound where the ultrasoundographer will measure the baby and check out his organs. Those will be nice because I'll find out a good estimate of his current weight.
Wednesday after my ultrasound, I was brought to my "new" room. I really like it! I hope I can stay here for the rest of the time. If there are too few patients in antepartum, then I might get moved down to the postpartum area. I guess one of the antepartum patients went home because she was stable and reached 34 weeks. But it sounds like another patient arrived that is 20 weeks and also has placenta previa. I don't know any of these ladies. I just get bits of info from the nurses.
Thursday was a "busy" day. That afternoon I had a surprise visit from someone in my ward. I didn't know her very well (but now know her better), but had met her at church and learned her name. She and her daughter were at a horse show in town, and they came by to see me! It was great! I loved the surprise visit.
Thursday evening was eventful. Because I am high risk, my doctor wants me to always have a saline lock/IV starter. I can keep one in me for five days, and then I need a new one. Thursday was the fifth day, and that evening my nurse poked me to start a new one. Well, she didn't get the needle in the vein, so she dug around, but with no luck. She went and got another nurse. The other nurse poked me further down the arm and again, after digging around, had no luck with the vein. The head floor nurse (or whatever her title is) came in and poked me a third time. She was successful! YEAH! This is one of my least favorite things about the hospital--the saline locks. I will be poked a lot before I go home.
Later that night, my parents and Italian bound Anziano Bartholomew (aka Elder [Sheldon, my youngest brother] Bartholomew) visited me. They are on their way to take Elder Bartholomew to the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah. I'm sure you guessed, but Anziano is Italian for Elder. It was fun too see them. They also came Friday morning and said hi before officially heading out west.
Friday night Lee and Clark arrived. Lee brought up lots of goodies and treats from my friends here, which was really fun. Thank you! Lee and I watched Holiday with Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn. It was fine. The plot was a little on the boring side. Lee and Clark spent the night in my hospital room. There is a washer and dryer here so Lee did some laundry for me Saturday morning. They left Saturday afternoon. A family on our street got baptized and we wanted someone from our family there. Plus I was/am their gospel principles teacher. We are so excited for the whole family!
For Valentine's Day, Lee surprised me with some photos of each of our children and then one of Lee and I. It is a great present and the frame fits nicely on the bedside table/dresser. I also received some beautiful flowers from Lee's parents (shown in picture.)
Here is the family that was baptized on Saturday, the Wiley's. Lee offered one of the prayers at the baptism. It was really neat because the dad was baptized and after receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and then the Aaronic Priesthood, he baptized his wife and daughters.
Here are some pictures of my new room!
The bathroom
The room
The white thing on my right arm is covering my saline lock.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
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7 comments:
Hey Ruth, I just wanted to let you know that our family is praying for yours! I know how hard this is going to be for the next few months, but thank goodness for angelic family members who are helping you out.
You are looking great! Thanks for the update on what's happening there at the hospital. That's so neat that you have some new members in your ward.
Ruth, you are so sweet! Hang in there with the hospital, poking, and being away from all of your sweeties! Thanks for the great updates! Wish we were closer!
Those steroid shots do work. Madeline never had problems with her lungs when I delivered her at 34 weeks, just all the other health issues. She was put on a breathing machine due to side effects of her medication that she was on to keep her alive until her heart surgery. Those steroid shots hurt like no other, but they do help their lungs. If you have any questions about a NICU baby just let me know. Wayne's wife Heidi delivered at 23 weeks, the baby is fine and never had any problems in the NICU but she was there for three months.
Ruth! Sorry I didn't find out your situation until now! Hang in there and you, baby, and your family are in our prayer! You are amazing!
Hey girl!!! You are looking great! I hope your throat feels better soon.
I have a bloggy world friend of mine who would like to send you a package if that's OK. She also has a lot of readers and would like to put do a spotlight on you. This will generally just bring you a lot more readers who leave comments, especially women who have been on bed rest, and maybe a few treats in the mail as well. Let me know if you would be OK with this.
My Stepmother's niece was on hospital bed rest for a long time. The hospital had a 'get together' for the ladies once a week. For any of the partially mobile ones they all went to the room of someone who could not get up. It really helped them pass the time and make new friends. Maybe you could see if something like this can be set up for you.
OH ruth, That brings back memories when i went into pre term labor with the girls. Except they kept blowing my veins. Or the saline filled up to fast and made a big bubble in my arm. NOT fun! How is the bed? That is what I hated most. SO uncomfortable. Your new room looks really nice though. My girls were born at 35.3 weeks. And there was No NICU! I really believe those steroid shots helped them. He will be fine. Rest LOTS!
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