I had a rough start at first, struggling with morning sickness for almost 5 months. Months 6 and 7 were pretty fun as the sickness disappeared and Hudson started to move around.
I didn't ever really look pregnant. We figured that with this being my first baby, neither of us being very large in stature, and my uterus being tipped- I was probably just carrying deep and it was normal for me to look small.
At my 28 week appointment I noticed that the urine strip was discolored, but when I gave it to the nurse she didn't even make a note of it. She made a comment that my blood pressure was high, but she didn't seem to think it was a big deal. I told her, "You spend all day with seventy-five 6th graders and see if your blood pressure isn't a little high."
The doctor had been called to an emergency c-section so the nurse finished the appointment. When she measured me she looked concerned. She left the room and returned with another nurse. I was measured three more times and then they stood there arguing whether or not I should wait for the doctor to get back. They finally decided that it could be hours before he returned and I was probably fine.
Two weeks later I went back in and once again my urine strip was discolored. This time I picked up the bottle and found out what it meant. When I handed it to the nurse she quickly glanced and threw it away-just like last time. I bent back down, pulled it out of the garbage, and showed it to her again.
"Doesn't that mean there's protein in my urine?" I asked.
"Oh it is a little off, isn't it? Let's look it up."
She made a note of it and the fact that once again my blood pressure was up. "Uh-oh. You may have preeclampsia. Let me grab the doctor." Off she went.
The doctor ordered a 24 hour urine test, some lab work, and told me to take it easy that weekend. He explained that we were going to try to keep my blood pressure down, but if I had pre-eclampsia I would be having my baby before my due date. He estimated that best case scenerio- I had three weeks before baby.
I spent that night bawling hysterically- thinking of all the possible consequences of having my baby so early. Thank heavens for Casey! The doctor hadn't really taken time to explain anything to me so I was scared to death. I spent nearly three hours on the phone with him while he explained what it was, why it happens, and that it wasn't anything I did wrong or could have prevented.
[Pre-eclampsia is a condition where the placenta is faulty and doesn't allow nutrients to pass through to the baby like they should. For this reason, they can be growth restricted (small). Since blood and nutrient flow is restricted the mothers blood pressure will increase and the body won't absorb protiens so they end up in the urine. While high blood pressure is a symptom it isn't a cause. Along with the danger of the baby not getting nutrients, a mother's blood pressure rising is dangerous for her and the baby since it can cause seizures, harming them both.]
I spent the weekend in St. George with my mom, sisters, and my closest friends. Zane hung out with my dad and brothers seeing historical sites. I mention this because I think it was part of our miracle that Zane and I both went into the next week feeling rested, loved, and supported.
Tuesday I had an ultrasound and found out Hudson was measuring 4 weeks behind. My doctor wasn't in, so another doctor was taking my vitals. Both he and his nurse freaked out- my blood pressure had sky rocketed. He told me that there was no way I was going to make it 3 weeks until delivery and he wanted me to receive steroid shots to help the babies lungs develop incase he came in the next couple days. Once again, I bawled. I wasn’t mentally ready to have my baby already be here.
I received the first shot and was ordered on bed rest. I felt fine so I tried to argue with him about going back to work. He looked at me like I was crazy and said, "I don't think you realize how serious this is." I told him I had left my room a complete disaster and I at least needed to go back that night and get things ready for a sub. He turned to Zane and said, "Don't you dare let her. You take her straight home and put her to bed. You'll be taking care of dinner tonight."
We figured it would be our last chance for awhile if I was going to be on bed rest for three weeks (we still were having a hard time believing the doctors that it would be sooner than that) so we stopped at Wingers for dinner.Other than that, I tried my best to behave.
I stayed in bed all day on Wednesday. I did spend most of it sitting up, working on my laptop, and making phone calls to get my long term leave of absence started 8 weeks early- but I was still in bed doing no strenuous activity, right? I didn't shower, heck I didn't even get dressed until I headed to my doctor’s appointment that afternoon.
At the doctor's office I found out that my blood pressure was up yet again and my lab results were back- showing that I most definitely had pre-eclampsia. My doctor told me that I would not be going home. He wanted me on hospital bed rest so that they could be sure I wasn't getting out of bed. Once again I tried to argue- I felt fine! They gave me the second steroid shot and shipped me off to labor and delivery.
It was killing me to lie in bed. Zane and I couldn't even play cards, because I get competitive and that raised my blood pressure. I tried to finish tying up loose ends at work over the phone. The nurse came in while I was on the phone with a parent about her problem child. She looked at the screen, then at me. Her eyes were wild. She semi-lunged at the phone and then stopped herself. I took the hint and hurriedly ended the phone call. She was not happy. Apparently my pressure had been in the 'should be dead' range and consequently my phone privileges were taken.
It must have made for good nurse gossip, because the next four nurses that came in all scolded me for it. My doctor was even called down and he lectured me about not even thinking about work. I was so confused: how could I have 'should be dead' levels and feel perfectly fine?
I tried even harder to be good, but it turned out that even sitting up raised my levels significantly so... phone gone, unable to even sit up, I stared at the ceiling thinking bitter thoughts about how every doctor should have to experience bed 'a-rest' before they are allowed to prescribe it.
