Thursday, February 18, 2010

Hospital visit

We had our first "scare" at the hospital today. It all started around 3, I was finishing up a lunch date with my old Yellowbook coworkers and went to the bathroom. I noticed that I was spotting and I had also been cramping a little bit. Not wanting to make a scene I did not say anything since we were wrapping up and getting ready to head out. I continued cramping until I left, I called the doctor's office immediately once I got into my van. After waiting on hold for 10 minutes, I talked to a nurse to see if I should come in to the office to be checked. I received a call back about 4:30 that my doctor wanted me to go to the hospital and get admitted to the labor and delivery floor to have the monitoring done.

Lucky for me, Greg was already on his way home so I did not have to drive myself in. I started to cry, only for a minute though because I did not want to go in with my makeup all over the place....no, I am not kidding. I was scared, I knew this could be it. I never had ANY sign of cramping, contractions or spotting with Makayla or Hannah so this is all new for me. "Am I ready for this?" I thought. That did not matter though, I know I have to deal with this pregnancy as it comes. I prayed silently on the way there; "please God, if this is it, if it is her time, give me peace. Help me handle this because I cannot do it on my own." I felt at peace the rest of the drive. I have never prayed this way before, never felt that I needed to be a "needy" prayer. I am so grateful that I have become that "needy" prayer or there is absolutely no way that I would be able to carry this load.

I get to the hospital, go to the registration desk. The girl working there looked me up and down when I told her what I was there for. I know that I do not look extremely pregnant but I do not need to be looked up and down over it. Once registered another woman came in to wheel me upstairs, the wheelchair was big enough to carry 6 people! She also gave me a look and stared right at my stomach, I just wanted to look her in the eyes and say "WHAT?!?!?" Instead I started smiling like a freak since Greg looked like he was going to explode with laughter at the HUGE wheelchair.

Once at the labor and delivery floor the nurse asked what was going on, I explained the cramping, spotting and contractions. I mentioned that Olivia has anencephaly which my doctor had already made her aware of. She first checked for a heartrate. I knew there would be one, Olivia had started moving more since 3:30 than she has the entire pregnancy. Not only that, she moved ferociously the whole time I was hooked up to the monitors. I was checked for dilation, I am currently 1 cm dilated. After getting me hooked up to the monitors, the nurse started taking my health history. The 3rd question in was, "Do you plan on breast feeding or bottle feeding?" I was stunned, we were just talking about the anencephaly! I just told her "uuummm.....neither." I know she felt bad because as soon as I answered she said "that was a stupid question, I'm sorry," and did not make eye contact with me the rest of the time she was in the room.

After she had left the room I started to cry again, that question triggered the right emotions. I had to get the TV on for noise, the silence was too much to handle. I have not been in a hospital for myself since giving birth to Hannah, it took me longer than it should, and I needed Greg's help to get the TV turned on. I'll blame in on the nerves. I'm glad the crying was not much more than a few tears since the nurse came back in shortly after and this time did look in my eyes. I think I would have lost it if she asked me how I was doing, but she did not and I am so grateful of that.

After being hooked up to monitors for 2 hours, having my urine tested (no infections!) I was sent home with no restrictions. I am happy that I do not have to sit in the hospital bed all night but I still have no explanation about my contractions/cramping that have not entirely let up. I was told that I am not in labor or prelabor so that is some consolation, not much though.

1 comment:

  1. In catching up with your story, I've found some similarities. We found out about our little ones having anencephaly about the same time - we on Dec 13th. Hard to believe that it's been over a year already - what a long road.

    When we were admitted to be induced after Noah had passed away, the nurse was asking all the standard questions. She asked us if we had a car seat to bring the baby home in...I just looked at her and said no, that we wouldn't need one. It took her another couple of seconds to realize what she had done. She felt so bad.

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