Yesterday Was Bad.. But Today Is Worse

I know I said yesterday was bad... but today has been worse. I woke up at 0500 this morning in so much pain, not in my stomach, in my chest. I was having a hard time breathing and could not get any relief in any position. I called my nurse. She listened to my heart and lungs and then hooked me up to the pulse oximeter. Everything looked and sounded fine- other than my pulse racing a bit, which was normal because I had just taken my Procardia. After a bit I had to call my nurse in again because I was hurting that badly. There was a sharp pain right through the center of my chest all the way through my back. She called the doctor and the doctor ordered an EKG- it actually looked normal other than a high pulse (they actually had to do a repeat EKG later because it didn't record on their tape, the second one looked fine too). They also ordered an ultrasound to check some of my organs. That came back normal too. To get to the ultrasound though they had to put me on a stretcher and push me to the other hospital- we had to cross a walkway, like the one at Athens Regional- and it was about a 5-10 minute ride! At first this morning they gave me Protonix (it's their version of Zantac) and Maalox to make sure it wasn't a gas bubble or heartburn. When that didn't help they gave me a shot of Nubain. They said they'd give me a shot every 2 hours if I needed it. The Nubain didn't knock out the pain completely. And in less than two hours I was hurting again. So when I got back from my ultrasound (they gave the first shot an hour before the ultrasound) I told my nurse I was hurting again. She talked to doctor and they decided to give me Percocet orally because it has an anti-inflammatory in it and they said it could possibly be Costochondritis because I've had it before. Also the oral medicine would last longer. Well by the time the nurse got in here to give it to me I was vomiting. So I had to have a shot of Zofran. I finally took my 10mg of Percocet and then I got my lunch. I'm on an all liquid diet because they said it could be my gall bladder. They really don't know. So for the time being I'm just waiting to see what happens and see if anything shows up in the bloodwork (did I mention they tookbmy blood?) If they don't figure it out and I'm still hurting tomorrow, they're going to do a CT scan. For the time being, I'm taking 5-10mg of Percocet and trying to rest. Of course they've put me on the monitor and Wendy is just fine. Oh, and they are skipping a few doses of my Procardia since it makes my pulse race so I'm now having contractions and leaking a bunch of fluid. I really try not to complain, but today has sucked and its only halfway over. I'm going to try to sleep and maybe I'll feel better later.

Ps- please excuse any misspelled words that were autocorrected on my cell phone. :)

Waiting on the Doctor

Before I begin, I'm going to go ahead an apologize for any misspellings or weird autocorrects from my phone. I'm not feeling my best, but wanted to update because alot has happened.

Yesterday I had my weekly ultrasound and cervix check. Everything looked fine. I had even more fluid than the week before, so my AFI was high but that seemed the only problem. Soon after having my cervix checked I began gushing fluid. I poured fluid for over 2-3 hours. The doctor didn't seem to worried when I told her. An hour or so later, I started cramping really bad. It was so bad they had to give me a shot of Nubain for pain. Once my night shift nurse came on I told her I wasn't feeling Wendy move. So I was put on the monitor and it showed I was having contractions. Luckily Wendy seemed fine. They started an IV and put me on a magnesium drip. And true to what the nurses warned it has made me feel like I have the flu. My pulse has been racing because of the magnesium and procardia (my pulse is already naturally high because of my mitral valve prolapse). They did an ekg this morning, which I'm sure came back abnormal- everyone I've ever had has came back abnormal. They also did another ultrasound today. My fluid level went from 32cm yesterday to 13cm today. So now I'm just waiting to see what the doctor says. And if she doesn't thnk I'm going to delver soon then I'll be talking to someone.e about getting s pick line because 2 veins blew yesterday and this IV is starting to hurt. Hopefully things will start getting a little easier soon.

Still Too Much Fluid

I just had an ultrasound done to check my fluid level and my cervix. My cervix looks fantastic- still long and closed. My fluid level has actually gone up from last week. Last week it was 27CM. Today it was 32CM. I don't understand how my body is producing so much extra fluid. I am honestly pouring, not leaking fluid, now. Its not very common to have PPROM and polyhydramnios. Of course, I have to have a weird pregnancy- I mean my baby has a chromosome translocation that the doctors can't find a record of. I'm just getting really restless and homesick. I miss my Peanut. I miss my bed. And I definitely miss my bath tub. :/ Hopefully these next few weeks will go by fast and we can get Wendy here as healthy as possible, and then I can go home!

Thankful for Progress

I thought I was having a rough morning... make that week. I barely slept Sunday night. Yesterday morning I was woken for bloodwork at 0400. Great way to start a day. And then I just couldn't get back to sleep and everytime I dozed off I was woken for more medicine. This morning I was put on the monitor and was actually falling asleep with it on, until my nurse came in and told me to turn all the way on my side instead of just being tilted because I was contracting pretty badly and close together. I had already taken my Procardia thirty minutes prior so I should have been fine.. even turning on my side didn't seem to help. So she made me get up and empty my bladder even though I could only go a little bit. I'm not sure if that little bit of pee was causing me to contract or if they just randomly evened out after that, but it worked. While I was laying there (not moving, because Wendy was already bouncing off my uterus walls and I didn't want to bounce her right off the monitor) I realized that my stay here could.e going much, much worse. What made me think that? I hard some poor girls IV going off. That was me a week and a half ago. Having an IV not only restricts how/when you bathe, but it also always seems to run out of fluids at the worst times- like as soon as you fall back asleep after being woke up. And after being thankful for not having an IV thought about how nice it is not to be on the monitor 24/7. The first two days I was here I had to have it on constantly unless I was showering. Even when I went to pee I had to unplug them from the machine and drape the cords over my shoulder... then come back plugs them in etc. It made going to the bathroom alone nearly impossible. And I was having to pee every hour then because I was being pumped full of fluids. So my point being- I've professed and I'm honestly grateful. And now my breakfast is here, so I'm going to go!

Craving Chocolate.... Badly :(

They ended up not changing my dosage of Glyburide. They changed the time that I take it. Instead of before breakfast and before bed, I now take it before breakfast and before dinner. That seems to have helped because I'm down to only 2 sticks a day instead of 4. They take a fasting one first thing in the morning and every day the second one will be rotated between breakfast, lunch, and dinner. My craving for chocolate has not subsided one bit. I do sometimes get decent snacks that are a bit sweet though, like Teddy Grahams and milk.

Another positive note, today marks 32 weeks! 3 weeks spent in the hospital. Hopefully only 3 to go. :)

Waiting on my Snack

While I'm waiting on my snack I figured I would post a quick update. I just had my blood sugar checked and it was 102- after dinner, which is great! Crossing my fingers this continues. I told Zed as soon as I have Wendy and we leave the hospital, we are finding a Cold Stone Creamery. I deserve a damn coffee lovers ice cream!

Higher Dose of Glyburide

Well ever since I started taking medicine for the gestational diabetes my blood sugar has been even higher. It really blows my mind that the day they checked my blood sugar and I was eating a normal diet, my blood sugar was under 120 after every meal- even though I had orange juice for breakfast and sweet tea and cherry cobbler for lunch. Now that I'm on this restricted diet it has gotten worse.. and it continuing to get worse with the Glyburide. One thing I am looking forward to after this pregnancy, chocolate and coke! And hopefully no more diabetes.

A Turn for the Worse

My day started off fine- but soon after going on the monitor for the second time today they realized my contractions were stronger and my uterus was much more irritable than usual. The doctor came in and decided to give me a shot of Terbutaline to stop the contractions and he upped my Procardia again. They're having to monitor my blood pressure because the last time I was on a higher dose of Procardia my blood pressure dropped to 80/30. So right now I'm not feeling too hot- I'm shaky and my pulse is racing from the shot and I'm starting to get a headache
Hopefully tomorrow will be better.

PPROM and POLY

I just had my ultrasound for today. I still have too much amniotic fluid- last week it was 28 and this week it was 27. My cervix is still closed and long (30). The last time they checked my cervix it was 39. So far, everything is still looking good. I'm eagerly awaiting 35 weeks... I'm ready for Miss Wendy to be here (just not too soon because we want her as healthy as possible).

As for me, they started me on oral insulin twice a day and my blood sugar has been great since then. I'm getting tired of not eating sweets though! I love me some chocolate!

Ultrasound Tomorrow

This morning I woke up and had lost a lot of fluid. It was 4am and I called my nurse. She said it was normal, that once your membranes had ruptured that you could get a gush of fluid when the baby changed position. However, it scared me to death because I haven't lost anywhere near that amount of fluid the whole time I've been here. They scheduled an ultrasound for tomorrow to check to see how much fluid I have left.

Also, I'm starting oral insulin today. My blood sugar has been high at lunch for the past 2 days. This whole diabetes thing is irritating. I've never had a problem with my glucose before, so I hate dealing with this on top of worrying about Wendy and being stuck in the hospital. On the bright side, I am off IV antibiotics so my IV was taken out today! Woohoo! I can finally shower without having to have my arm/hand wrapped up.

I'll try to post the results of the ultrasound tomorrow. :)

Almost Two Weeks

Tomorrow will be two weeks that I've been at Centennial. Seems like so much longer. The days are beginning to run together. And I really miss getting a full nights sleep.

Wendy is fine- she's been looking great on the monitor. The only thing wrong with me is my blood sugar has been a little high the past 2 days. Tomorrow I will probably start my oral insulin. Its weird that the day I ate normal food my blood sugar was fine, and now that I'm on this diabetic diet its been 140-160. But its only high at lunch. Breakfast and dinner are fine.

Its kind of frustrating... all these medications and all. Especially the IV antibiotics. My IV has started bothering me again, which means my vein is probably about to blow. I guess I will be getting a picc line when this one blows. I was hoping I was going to get to come off the antibiotics soon, but the doctor hasn't mentioned it. I'm going to write it on my board to ask him about that tomorrow when I ask him about my birthing plan. I want to go ahead and get it ready in case I go into labor sooner than expected.

31 weeks yesterday!

Delivery Date Set

One of my doctors came by today and he said he was shocked by the chromosome results and said he hated we didn't have any other cases to go by. But he said on the bright side, I was looking good and very stable and that we would deliver at 35 weeks (if I make it that far without any other complications). Tomorrow I will be 31 weeks- only 4 more weeks!

I had to have my IV changed again- the 4th one I've had since I got here- the 3rd in the last 4 days. My veins keep blowing, so if I don't get taken off all IV meds soon I will get a picc line. That'll last for my duration of the stay and I can have my meds through it and they can take my blood through it every week.

Other than that, it was just another boring, repetitive day in the hospital. I hope I can keep my sanity- because I'm really homesick right now.

One Unique Little Baby

Have you ever experienced a life-altering moment? A moment that you knew your life was about to change forever? In the few seconds it took those two pink lines to show up, I went from being scared, to nervous, to excited, to knowing that nothing would ever be the same.

March 13, 2011. It had been one month and four days since my husband returned from a year long tour of duty in Afghanistan. We both knew we wanted a baby, however, we had tried for a while before he left and on his two week leave, so we both assumed it would take a while for us to get pregnant. We assumed we would have months to adjust to him being home before we began growing our little family. We were wrong. One month and four days after he got back I found out I was pregnant. Zed didn't believe me or the positive pregnancy test so he made me take another one. 

April 11, 2011. I went to the hospital and took a blood test. During that first appointment, I also filled out paperwork and was told I would come back on the 28th to hear the heartbeat.

April 15, 2011. I made an unexpected trip to the hospital because I was vomiting nonstop. They did an ultrasound to make sure my body wasn't aborting the fetus and I got to see my tiny baby for the first time. The little jellybean was bouncing off my uterus walls, literally. The doctor said I must have one happy baby because he/she had a high heart rate and was moving a ton. I was told I was 8 weeks and 5 days pregnant. 

April 28, 2011. I met my midwife. I was still nauseas and vomiting quite a bit. I had lost 1.8lbs. 

May 10, 2011. I had to go to the emergency room because I was vomiting so much. I received 2 bags of IV fluid for severe dehydration. I was miserable. I was only 12 weeks pregnant and already I was ready for November 20. I loved my sweet baby, and the thought of holding my precious little one is the only thing that got me through the vomiting, the aching, and the hospital visits. 

May 26, 2011. At my checkup I found out I had lost more weight. I was down 5.5lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight.

May 28, 2011. Today was the big day. We got up early for our appointment in Nashville, TN. We were going to Focused 4D Imaging to find out what our little jellybean was going to be! I was so excited, but I was also absolutely positive I was carrying a baby Zayden Odith McLanahan. I was wrong. After a good, long 45 minute ultrasound we finally got a picture of jellybean's princess parts. We were having a beautiful baby girl who we had already named Wendy Lee. Zed and I picked out baby names way before we got pregnant. When we were only dating we decided if we ever got married and had a little girl, she would be Wendy Lee. Wendy was Zed's mother's name and Lee is mine, my mother's, and my great-grandmother's middle name. I later found out Lee was Zed's sister's, aunt's, and great-grandmother's middle name. Our boy name, Zayden, was picked out while Zed was deployed. I wanted something odd and something that started with a Z. I am now very happy we had a baby girl because several people have named their baby boys Zayden. 

June 9, 2011. I was 16 weeks pregnant and I had lost 9.8lbs. At this appointment they gave me another bag of IV fluids. They kept telling me my baby was fine, and I was only experiencing morning sickness, but I knew something was not right. I should not have been this sick, all the time. 

July 18, 2011. I had my "20 week ultrasound". I was really 22 weeks pregnant. At Blanchfield Army Community Hospital they do one ultrasound during your pregnancy. They do it at around 20 weeks. The only reason I had one at 8 weeks was because I was so sick and at 14 weeks because we went to Nashville and paid for it. 

July 21, 2011. I had a checkup and I received the results from my ultrasound. They said my baby was measuring a little small and that they found something. Coming from a doctor, the words "found something" completely fills you with dread. The midwife said my baby had Choroid Plexus Cysts. CPCs are a somewhat common finding in pregnancies and usually disappear on their own by 32 weeks, that's what we were told. Zed and I were given the option of a second ultrasound at BACH or we could go to a maternal-fetal specialist in Nashville. Zed was quick to say we were going to Nashville. As we left the hospital that day, I will never forget that feeling of dread. My heart was heavy as I called my mother. I told her what the doctor said and read off a list of statics the midwife had printed out for us. I kept telling my mom, it was fine, I was fine, Wendy was fine. But all I really wanted to do was cry. 

August 4, 2011. This was my first appointment with maternal-fetal group in Nashville. They did an ultrasound. We then talked to Dr. Mayor-Lynn. Wendy was measuring about a week behind and the CPCs were still present as well as fluid around her heart. Dr. Mayor-Lynn told us we had about a 1% chance of having a baby with a chromosome problem. 1% doesn't sound bad, but when you think about it, that means one in one hundred babies. We wanted to know for sure so that we could prepare and give our baby the best chance possible. I had an amniocentesis that day. We were told if the baby did have a chromosome abnormality it was most likely Down Syndrome or Trisomy 18. Those are the two most common with CPCs. Down Syndrome we could handle, Trisomy 18 we were told chance of survival was low. Most Trisomy 18 babies are stillborn, the rest usually don't make it past a year old. I was heartbroken. This was my baby and I couldn't do anything to help her or fix her. And on top of me feeling sad and helpless, I was hurting, physically, from the amnio. I was cramping and my belly was extremely sore.

August 12, 2011. At 25 weeks pregnant I was told Wendy had a problem with her 7th chromosome. They were doing further testing and we wanted to test mine and Zed's blood to see if we were carriers.

August 18, 2011. Zed and I went back to Nashville to give our blood samples. We still didn't have final amnio results. We were in limbo. We didn't know what to think or how to feel. All I could do was look up stuff on the Internet and that was scaring me to death. All I kept reading was mental retardation and leukemia. 

August 25, 2011. I was 27 weeks pregnant and we were heading to Georgia for my baby shower. We were stopping on the way to have yet another ultrasound. This time, they said I had too much amniotic fluid and would have to come back weekly for ultrasounds. At this appointment I also had 3D pictures done. When we left, I cried for the first time. She was beautiful and I was terrified that she wouldn't survive. I wanted Wendy so badly. I didn't know what to do or how to feel. Not long after we left Maternal Fetal Group, BACH called to tell me they wouldn't be seeing me anymore and that I would be finishing my pregnancy out with the specialists at MFG. I was happy about that, knowing Wendy and I would both have better care in Nashville than we would at Fort Campbell. 

September 6, 2011. We had been back from Georgia for a few days. I had went grocery shopping and cleaned my house top to bottom. I was cramping some and having Braxton Hicks contractions. I decided to take a warm bath because that always helped before. As I was getting undressed, I noticed some fluid leaking down my leg. It wasn't a lot so I didn't panic, but I did call my doctor. I had an appointment scheduled for the next morning. I asked if I needed to go to the hospital or if it would be okay to wait until the morning. My doctor called back a few minutes later and said just to be safe I should go to the hospital. They put me on the monitor and watched me for a few hours. They said I was having some irritabily but not full blown contractions and I wasn't in active labor they wanted to do a quick test to make sure my water hadn't broke and then I could be on my way. Well, instead of the nurse coming back to discharge me, the ER doctor came in and told me my water had broke. Zed actually said, "shut the ____ up". The doctor said I would be camping out at the hospital until I delivered. Zed was drilling him with questions. He was wanting to know would Wendy be okay if she came now. I was just trying to breath.

After 8 weeks of waiting, the results are in. However, I feel no better about it now than I did the day I had the amniocentesis. Wendy is missing part of one of her 7th chromosomes (the other 7th is fine) and she has a part of the 10th chromosome in the missing place of her 7th. You're probably thinking, "At least you know what is going on..", unfortunately, that's not the case because there are no recorded cases of any other child having the same genes as her displaced. Therefore, we still have no idea what to expect. The geneticist said that most cases of chromosome translocation the kids had mental delays, funny facial features, growth problems, and problems breathing. She said we will have to wait and see how Wendy is once she's born and deal with the problems then, but for now we need to keep her in utero as long as possible because premature birth can worsen any symptoms she will already have. The survival rate is not known either since there are no other cases. Also, once we go home, there will be a person who comes once/twice a week or as often as necessary (if it's necessary at all) to work with her from the time she's a month old- helping with exercises for muscle development, etc. No matter what, Wendy will be loved, but it's very frustrating not knowing the challenges we will face.

As for me- it's my 11th day in the hospital. I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes today. I think it's ridiculous because I have no symptoms of it (extreme weight gain, big baby, high blood pressure, etc). They are testing me 4 times a day- when I wake up and after every meal. For breakfast I had a regular diet breakfast- bacon, eggs, biscuit, jelly, and orange juice. My blood glucose reading was 108. I had a regular diet lunch- turkey and gravy, dressing, roll, butter, and cherry cobbler. My blood glucose was 113. It's supposed to be under 120 after I eat the diabetic meals. (I didn't get my first diabetic meal until this afternoon.) So in reality the only time my blood sugar is high is when I drink that insanely sugary cola. And I'm kind of angry they are making me eat 2000 calories a day- when I am used to only eating 1600 (I only ate 1200 before I got pregnant.) So now I feel like I am overeating because I have to have 3 full meals a day plus 3 snacks, and I have to eat all of it. On the bright side, I'm 30 weeks and 5 days- so I probably will only be here 4-5 more weeks, and I'm already a week and a half down. Another positive is my IV stays unhooked until time for my antibiotics so I am able to wear normal pajamas now.

Today has just been rough- with the diabetes thing, Wendy's test results, and my contractions have been awful. But today is almost over, and after all tomorrow is another day.