Pictureless Post

Well, the end of the week we had a few things planned. Other than the normal, busy kid things, here was the list:

Tuesday: Cleaning the bathrooms and floors upstairs
Thursday: Can 100 lbs of wheat with Lee (kids at a babysitters)
Friday: Laundry and a get-together with friends
Saturday: Go to the temple and go shopping!

Next weekend:
Friday: Babyshower & Valentine's Dance (Lee has the day off next Friday)
Saturday: Babysit for friends
Monday: Go to outlet malls, get maternity clothes--Lee has the day off for President's day too!

Monday, when I had my ultrasound, the lady said that my placenta was completely covering my cervix. With that news I started gearing up for a c-section as that is my only delivery choice! Little did I know what else was entailed in that finding.

Well, early Tuesday morning about 1:15am Lee got up to get Shanna and put her in her crib. Almost at the same time I woke up and felt something leak out of me. I knew it was not good. It was blood. After talking to the nurse at the hospital, I went to labor and delivery and rested on a bed there. I continued to bleed, though it wasn't too bad. After talking with my OB and another doctor and some tears, I found out that I had placenta previa, http://mayoclinic.com/health/placenta-previa/DS00588. I guess I knew I had that because my placenta was covering my cervix, but I didn't know that serious complications could arise because of the positioning of the placenta. I was being transferred by ambulance to a hospital in Columbia 2 1/2 hours away. Lee was already at the hospital, Clark at school and the kids at our good friend's house. Lee went to get some stuff done--like get some diapers to our friend for our girls while I waited for the ambulance.

A paramedic and his helper came and strapped me into an ambulance stretcher bed. It was kind of funny, as they were wheeling me out I was eating a popsicle, laying there and looking very content. At one point we were in the elevator and there were five men in there. One said: "I want a popsicle!" It was funny.

On the way to Columbia the ambulance was having troubles and couldn't go more than 35 mph. They called in another ambulance and in about 15 minutes we were on our way again. By that time Lee had caught up because we were going so slow. Larry, the paramedic (and deputy and captain at the fire station) said I was his nicest patient he's had in a long time. He was pretty upset that the ambulance wasn't working properly. He came with us on the other ambulance too.

We arrived at the hospital, gave Larry a copy of The Book of Mormon, and after being transferred to my third bed that day, I was greeted by four doctors. They asked me questions and did a quick ultrasound on me. The rest of the day was filled with phone calls, blood pressure checks, another doctor visit and ice chips! When I left the hospital on base they gave me jello and a popsicle and that was the last of my food for awhile.

Tuesday night Lee spent the night at the hospital with me. There was a couch in my room that turned in to a bed. Tuesday morning a nurse at the hospital on base put an iv starter in each hand just in case I needed an emergency blood transfusion or some liquid for dehydration. Tuesday evening they were very uncomfortable in my hands. I asked a couple of times if I could get them taken out. Nope!

Wednesday morning I went down to Maternal Fetal Medicine, a clinic here in the hospital. The doctors there are specialists in pregnancy stuff, and I received an in-depth ultrasound. The baby boy looked great. According to his measurements he weighed 1 pound 7 ounces. Also, according to his measurements his "due date" is May 26th. That was great news! I am not "due" till May 31, so to hear that he may be growing a little ahead of schedule is GREAT!

I was finally allowed to eat late Wednesday morning! YEAH! Later that day we found out the news. Since I have complete placenta previa, that means that I will be on bedrest in this hospital till I deliver my baby. At anytime I could go into labor or lose a severe amount of blood, and they want me right here just in case. When I was at the hospital on base I was put on a bed pan, and then they let me go to the bathroom after I was here for a few hours. Then yesterday afternoon I was put on a bedpan again and it sounded like I would be on one for a few days!

One of my brothers, Darrell, arrived early Tuesday evening to help take care of the kids. Thank you Darrell and Stacie! Wednesday he brought Cal, Haley and Shanna to the hospital. While they were here, they got to participate in the excitement of going to the antepartum unit! I was in Labor and Delivery, but L & D was getting full and since they now had seven antepartum patients (antepartum as opposed to postpartum) they re-opened the antepartum unit. I will be here till Monday. Then on Monday I am going to the newly remodeled antepartum unit and will be there to stay. The current place I am in is going to be a pediatric unit.

This morning Dr. Floyd, the specialist for high-risk pregnancies, came and talked with me, along with the resident doctor, Dr. Thompson. They said I could go to the bathroom! And take a shower. Such good news! I was very happy to hear that.

I also met with a preemie specialist (neonatologist?) and he told me what to expect if my baby is born as a preemie and an overview of what happens each week the baby stays in the womb to develop, or is born.

I am now getting heprin, a blood thinner in shot form once or twice a day. (I am not sure about that yet--if it's once or twice.) Since my body is trying to stop bleeding on it's own AND I am in bed practically all the time, I am at higher risk for clotting. I hope I don't have to give it to myself! I don't mind being poked with needles, but I want someone else to do the poking!

Also I am put on the monitor for 20 minutes twice a day. And every Wednesday I will get to travel out of my room and go down to Maternal Fetal Medicine for an ultrasound.

The amenities here are great! This really is a nice hospital. Besides the excellent care that I am being provided, they have great food and a "Hospitality" office or group or whatever. The menu is like room service at a hotel. I call when I want, and order what I want. Well, I do have to order dinner before 6:30 pm. I can choose any entree, three sides and any drink. Also, I can have snacks in between meals. The nurse just told me that I can even get a milkshake if I want! So I am trying to be pretty good and make some good meal choices. Also, since I am an antepartum patient, I can order off of the cafeteria menu. No other patients can, just antepartum patients because they will be here for so long. That menu changes every week, so I will have lots of variety to my diet. One of the nurses told me that every time I eat, I should eat big, because it might be my last meal for awhile. I can handle that!

Hospitality came today and refilled my water and brought me some paper and a pen. The lady, Donna even got me filtered water! (I don't care if it's filtered or not, but she said she didn't like giving the patients tap water.) She also said that they have games and crafts that I can do.

In my current room there is a flat screen TV and a DVD/VCR combo. So I am not lacking in anything. I am quite spoiled actually.

It is such a weird thought that I can't go grocery shopping, go outside, go to church, pick up my girls, see my family everyday, for (hopefully) four months! My Bishop should be contacting the ward here to have someone come on Sundays and administer the sacrament to me. Some of the kids will be with my siblings for awhile. Darrell bought us a webcam for our home computer and is letting me borrow his laptop for a little while. I will soon be borrowing Sam's laptop for the duration of my stay. Lee bought me a webcam for the computer here, so we'll all be able to stay connected.

Well, I guess I'll save money because I won't be buying some maternity clothes as I had planned!

I really, really appreciate all of my friends and family and people in my ward for stepping up and helping out. It's been great getting emails and messages. Guess the break I've been wishing for finally came!

This was funny: my nurse came in and talked to me and asked how I was doing. She later told me about a couple of the patients--one went into labor early and they are trying to stop her contractions, the other had a uterine rupture (if I remember correctly). She then told me, "But you, YOU are our high risk patient." I definitely don't feel high risk, but I am. Everyday and week that my baby can stay in me is essential to his development. The initial goal is to reach 34 weeks, but mine is 38!

I told Lee that we should just expect crazy things happening to us. After Lee being held up by gun point, our van stolen, our wonderful surprise twins, this shouldn't be a surprise. I guess we like to give people some excitement once in awhile! I wonder what will happen next year...