Yay! Theresa’s my nurse again and we’ve already passed several minutes together chatting. I even got to see pictures of her adorable “little man” (16 month old baby). He’s too cute!
I’m counting down the hours until Daniel gets back from Hardin. When he gets here I’m going to decorate the room (maybe I’ll even post some pics of it!), put on some fresh clothes, and spend some time catching up with him --- oh and I’m going to see if he’ll bring me a burrito from Taco Bell. I’ve SO been craving one for the past few days!
Little girl has been active today! Maybe that means she’ll settle down some when it’s bed time. She has this horrible habit of going bonkers right when I’m ready to slumber. I hope that pattern doesn’t continue after she’s born! Speaking of…
One of the things I’m most nervous about is how I’m going to handle the lack of sleep and middle of the night feedings/changings. I know I CAN do it, but can I do it without being a grouch to everyone around me? Just another thing to add to my prayer list – to keep a cheerful disposition with strength to handle my lack of sleep and changing schedule.
Two more pieces of business before today’s list…
1) Please pray for the Mitchell family of Martin, TN. Ashley Mitchell was one of my best friends in high school and was even a bridesmaid in our wedding. Her Grandmother came to live with her family in 2004 after the passing of Ashley’s Grandfather. I just learned yesterday that her Grandmother passed away. Please pray for this family in their time of sorrow. They are such a loving and caring gang who are members of the Martin congregation.
2) Did you check out ‘The Christian Practice’ yesterday? If not, be sure to head over there to read my account of the helicopter ride and its effects on me: http://thechristianpractice.com/2011/03/30/womens-wednesdaycome-take-a-ride-with-me/
TODAY’S LIST
Are you a 'Know-It-All Mama' or a 'Clueless Chica'?
(I’m going to try to have some sort of list featured on the blog daily. Because, if you know me, you know I LOOOOVE lists!)
One of the fun parts of pregnancy has been learning a ton of new words, some medical some about baby gear. If you’re a mommy, I’m sure you know what these terms mean, but take a look anyway!
Give yourself 1 pt. for each word you know. (Not just a word that you’ve heard, but that you actually know the meaning of!)
1. Meconium
2. Apgar Score
3. Colostrum
4. Effacement
5. Dilation
6. Crowning
7. Engaged/Engagment --- no this is not what happens when he puts a ring on it!
8. Episiotomy
9. Oxytocin
10. VBAC
11. BabyBjorn
12. Bumbo
13. Boppy
14. Diaper Genie
15. Layette
How many did you get? If you aren’t sure if you really know what a word means or not – go Google it now before you count up your score!
1-4 pts. Clueless Chica. You probably haven’t ‘Been There, Done That’ yet if you scored that low!
5-8 pts. Gettin’ There Gal. Pregnancy may have been many moons ago for you or maybe you’re not quite to the parenthood stage in your life yet, but you’ve studies up on some key terms.
9-12 pts. Well-Informed Lady. You’ve got a great working knowledge of pregnancy and baby gear!
13-15 pts. Know-It-All Mama! You’re probably pregnant right now, recently been pregnant, or are just really well informed about all things mommy!
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Undeserving but Thankful
Today I had a cheer card, greeting card, and flowers all delivered to my room and I have to tell you I feel so undeserving!
I am beyond appreciative for everyone’s thoughts, prayers, calls, and goodies; and I can’t help but feel humbled by the acts of kindness. Who am I that I should receive such love from you all? You all who are busy in the outside world with work, chores, family, and more…
I’m not sure how to repay you all for everything you’ve done. I probably will never be able to. However, know that every comment on FB, call on the phone, or card through the mail I receive help to lift my spirits and keep me cheery all the day long. Hopefully that cheeriness can be an influence to all those I come in contact with here in the hospital and I can do a little evangelizing along the way (more on how to evangelize from a hospital bed to come in a later post).
Thank you all. For everything.
-Martha
I am beyond appreciative for everyone’s thoughts, prayers, calls, and goodies; and I can’t help but feel humbled by the acts of kindness. Who am I that I should receive such love from you all? You all who are busy in the outside world with work, chores, family, and more…
I’m not sure how to repay you all for everything you’ve done. I probably will never be able to. However, know that every comment on FB, call on the phone, or card through the mail I receive help to lift my spirits and keep me cheery all the day long. Hopefully that cheeriness can be an influence to all those I come in contact with here in the hospital and I can do a little evangelizing along the way (more on how to evangelize from a hospital bed to come in a later post).
Thank you all. For everything.
-Martha
Fun Nurses Make for Fun Days | Day 7 of 'Hospital Bedrest'
This morning, when Theresa came in at shift change, I laid there with one eye open trying to remember where I was because I was so deeply asleep. What a great sign! I’m becoming comfy and even having dreams at night. It was great to have her here this morning as I woke up; we chatted for about 10 minutes about my situation (this was the first time she had been my nurse since my stay here started), about natural childbirth (she had those plans for her labor, too; but, they unfortunately didn’t work out), and her 16 month old baby!
I was instantly in a good mood due to the socializing and relaxed a little before the big event of the day: AN ULTRASOUND! Dr. P’s patients have one every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; and, it’s so much fun to see baby on that screen. Everything was great with Jenaleigh. The tech commented on how much hair she has (!), her beautiful spine, and how she was practice breathing ‘like a horse’!
Yesterday, a friend from Sweetwater called to chat and asked the question that I asked myself just 3 days ago, “How are you NOT going crazy in there?” Thanks to advice from another expectant bedridden Mama, I’m using a schedule to help keep me on track and to make things feel more “normal”. Here's a glimpse into it for those of you wondering how I'm making it without going bonkers!
7:30 Wake UP! This is when breakfast comes in and the new nurse usually makes her rounds.
8:30 After eating I watch some of the Today Show and catch up on my e-mails & the nurse puts me on the fetal monitor for about half an hour.
9:30 Shower (one of my favorite parts of the day) OR if it’s ultrasound day I wait for later to take a shower! I learned that lesson the hard way – on Monday I had just taken a nice long shower when they asked for me in U/S. I came back from U/S gooped up with the gel all over me!
10:30 Ultrasounds on Mondays, Wednesdays, & Fridays
11:30 LUNCH TIME! (I wish it wasn’t so early, but oh well!)
12:30 Go for a walk. While I am here in the hospital, I’m not on complete bedrest. Dr. P doesn’t think that would be good for me – I’d go crazy! So, when Daniel’s here we’ll take a walk or when I’m here by myself, I get up to at least move around the room.
1:00 Daily Devotional. The great thing about being here in the hospital is that I have so much time for Bible study and prayer. I’ve also been listening to some wonderful lessons by great gospel preachers over at polishingthepulpit.com
2:00 Read/Blog/Internet Time. I’ve found the most fun game ever on Yahoo! Games – “Draw My Thing”. It’s like Pictionary and you actually get to play with people live over the Internet!
4:30 SUPPER TIME! (Again, it’s so early that I’m usually famished by bed time. I’m trying to save a little bit from each meal, like a roll, muffin, etc, for later)
5:00 Studying/Blogging/Reading
7:00 Daniel and Martha time! When Daniel gets back I plan on taking an hour or two each night for the board and card games he’s bringing back with him to help us have a little fun!
9:00 Baby Monitoring & T.V. (if anything’s on…)
10:30 Sleep Time!
3:00 Briefly wake up to take my Mag Ox pill, then drift back off into la-la land!
See it’s not that so bad, is it? This hospital stay’s going to be a breeze!
I was instantly in a good mood due to the socializing and relaxed a little before the big event of the day: AN ULTRASOUND! Dr. P’s patients have one every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; and, it’s so much fun to see baby on that screen. Everything was great with Jenaleigh. The tech commented on how much hair she has (!), her beautiful spine, and how she was practice breathing ‘like a horse’!
Yesterday, a friend from Sweetwater called to chat and asked the question that I asked myself just 3 days ago, “How are you NOT going crazy in there?” Thanks to advice from another expectant bedridden Mama, I’m using a schedule to help keep me on track and to make things feel more “normal”. Here's a glimpse into it for those of you wondering how I'm making it without going bonkers!
7:30 Wake UP! This is when breakfast comes in and the new nurse usually makes her rounds.
8:30 After eating I watch some of the Today Show and catch up on my e-mails & the nurse puts me on the fetal monitor for about half an hour.
9:30 Shower (one of my favorite parts of the day) OR if it’s ultrasound day I wait for later to take a shower! I learned that lesson the hard way – on Monday I had just taken a nice long shower when they asked for me in U/S. I came back from U/S gooped up with the gel all over me!
10:30 Ultrasounds on Mondays, Wednesdays, & Fridays
11:30 LUNCH TIME! (I wish it wasn’t so early, but oh well!)
12:30 Go for a walk. While I am here in the hospital, I’m not on complete bedrest. Dr. P doesn’t think that would be good for me – I’d go crazy! So, when Daniel’s here we’ll take a walk or when I’m here by myself, I get up to at least move around the room.
1:00 Daily Devotional. The great thing about being here in the hospital is that I have so much time for Bible study and prayer. I’ve also been listening to some wonderful lessons by great gospel preachers over at polishingthepulpit.com
2:00 Read/Blog/Internet Time. I’ve found the most fun game ever on Yahoo! Games – “Draw My Thing”. It’s like Pictionary and you actually get to play with people live over the Internet!
4:30 SUPPER TIME! (Again, it’s so early that I’m usually famished by bed time. I’m trying to save a little bit from each meal, like a roll, muffin, etc, for later)
5:00 Studying/Blogging/Reading
7:00 Daniel and Martha time! When Daniel gets back I plan on taking an hour or two each night for the board and card games he’s bringing back with him to help us have a little fun!
9:00 Baby Monitoring & T.V. (if anything’s on…)
10:30 Sleep Time!
3:00 Briefly wake up to take my Mag Ox pill, then drift back off into la-la land!
See it’s not that so bad, is it? This hospital stay’s going to be a breeze!
Pretty Cool Guy
My husband’s a pretty cool guy (of course, if you know him, I don’t need to tell you that twice!). Well, yesterday this pretty cool guy went to WalMart back home to pick up a site-to-store order that I had placed. This order included two essentials for baby. The first: a mattress for the crib. The second: … a breast pump! Did I mention that he’s a pretty cool guy? Honestly, what other husband would walk out of WalMart with his head held high carrying a breast pump? Mine did!
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Coming to Terms | Day 6 of Hospital 'Bedrest'
Both Daniel and I woke up this morning a little groggy (it’s amazing how tired I can be even though all I’m doing is resting all day!) My sleepiness is probably due to pregnancy, but I'm sure Daniel's is due to sleeping on a fold out chair/couch! Yuck!
After we got geared up, we walked over to the McDonald’s (in Kosairs, connected to this hospital through a walkway) where I indulged in a sausage egg and biscuit. It was the first time Daniel and I had eaten together outside of the hospital room since last Wednesday! What a treat – like a real life date!
Daniel then had to leave to go back to Hardin. He’ll only be gone until Thursday, and when he comes back he'll be loaded down with items from my lengthy list (including clothes, pillows, pictures, cards, etc!) I'm definitely looking forward to his return as it can get awfully lonely... BUT, the nurses are great and have been a lot more chatty with me today since they've noticed he's gone.
On the medical front, I learned that I will have to give myself a daily shot of blood thinner until baby gets here. I haven’t quite come to grip with how I’m going to do that. The pain itself isn’t intolerable, just the action of sticking something in me and the pushing down to inject a liquid through my body. Gives me the shivers!
I also did a lot of research on Protein S Deficiency and learned from Dr. P that I’ll have to be induced (either through stripping of membranes or medication) so that I can be taken off of the blood thinner prior to delivery to prevent hemorrhaging and so I can have an epidural if the need arises. Scary stuff!
It’s still difficult for me to believe that I had all of these “plans” for a natural childbirth that are crumbling as each day goes by. But, I’m pretty at peace with the lessened control and the disappointment has almost completely faded. I know she’ll get here the safest way possible and that’s enough joy to fill me for awhile!
After we got geared up, we walked over to the McDonald’s (in Kosairs, connected to this hospital through a walkway) where I indulged in a sausage egg and biscuit. It was the first time Daniel and I had eaten together outside of the hospital room since last Wednesday! What a treat – like a real life date!
Daniel then had to leave to go back to Hardin. He’ll only be gone until Thursday, and when he comes back he'll be loaded down with items from my lengthy list (including clothes, pillows, pictures, cards, etc!) I'm definitely looking forward to his return as it can get awfully lonely... BUT, the nurses are great and have been a lot more chatty with me today since they've noticed he's gone.
On the medical front, I learned that I will have to give myself a daily shot of blood thinner until baby gets here. I haven’t quite come to grip with how I’m going to do that. The pain itself isn’t intolerable, just the action of sticking something in me and the pushing down to inject a liquid through my body. Gives me the shivers!
I also did a lot of research on Protein S Deficiency and learned from Dr. P that I’ll have to be induced (either through stripping of membranes or medication) so that I can be taken off of the blood thinner prior to delivery to prevent hemorrhaging and so I can have an epidural if the need arises. Scary stuff!
It’s still difficult for me to believe that I had all of these “plans” for a natural childbirth that are crumbling as each day goes by. But, I’m pretty at peace with the lessened control and the disappointment has almost completely faded. I know she’ll get here the safest way possible and that’s enough joy to fill me for awhile!
Hospital Bedrest: The Background
I have been woefully negligent of this blog. But, now since I've got a lot more time to spend on the computer (read on to find out why), I thought I'd revive it in the last few weeks of pregnancy. It's my hope to keep you all updated with what's going on in our lives through this avenue and to share some of my other musings along the way...
*Warning* Lots of medical info is in this post. It may be boring to you. If it is, don't read it! ;-)
A couple of weeks ago (at 30W) I went in and complained about menstrual like cramping. So, the doc checked me and determined I had bacterial vaginosis and that I was effaced 50% with the outside of my cervix dilated to 3 cm, but the inside still closed.
We got that cleared up; but last Wednesday (at 32W) I started having cramping which was beginning to become pretty painful. So, after about 2 and a half hours of debating back and forth, Daniel and I decided to go on into L&D to have things checked out. (Read some of Daniel's thoughts about that day here: http://thechristianpractice.com/2011/03/28/but-i-dont-feel-bad/)
They put me on a monitor and weren't seeing any full on contractions, but rather a lot of little uterine activity. Finally the nurse checked me, then the midwife checked me, and then the doc checked me... The latter two felt that I was 2 cm, still about 50% effaced. Since there is no NICU care anywhere close to Mayfield, they called the perinatologist at Norton Hospital in Louisville (about 3.5 hours from home -- where they have the highest level NICU) who they routinely work with. He (the peri, Dr. P) thought it would be best if they transferred me, since they didn't know if they could stop the dilation there in Mayfield.
After they decided to transfer me, the nurses swarmed in, got me prepped (IV's, cath, etc) for the helicopter ride, which happened to be one of the most turbulent that the EMT had ever experienced (just adding the funness!). (You can read much more about that tomorrow at www.thechristianpractice.com)
Once I arrived on land in Louisville, they gave me more things to stop contractions, steroids for her lungs, and antibiotics in case of group b strep. I didn't stop cramping until they gave me morphine at about 4 in the morning. Dr. P was optimistic that I would be able to go home in a few days.
Fast forward a “few days” and my fetal fibronectin test came back positive and Dr. P found out I have a protein s deficiency (blood clotting disorder). {Side note: The PSD was probably what caused the blood clot which led to the spotting that I experienced early in the first trimester.}So, those two factors contributed to him wanting me to stay here in the hospital until I am 35 weeks (which is the time at which I could safely deliver at Jackson Purchase).
With this protein s deficiency I'm taking a daily injection of a blood thinner. Because of this, there is a likelihood that they will want to induce me between 38-40 weeks (the blood thinner takes 24 hours to get out of your system, which means absolutely no epidural if I'm on the shot; therefore if a c-section was needed I'd not have that as an option...) But, if they induce they can have me off the shot a day before in case an epi is needed. Also, while on blood thinners the risk of bleeding even from an un-medicated vaginal birth seems to be greater.
After I’m released from the hospital at 35W, I’ll still be under the care of the midwife and OBGYNs in Mayfield. But, most of my other plans are out the window right now; however, I am beyond thankful that all of this happened, so they could catch the protein s deficiency which can apparently cause clots in the placenta and cord late in pregnancy leading to fetal death.
Right now I'm on day 6 of hospital bedrest with about 15 left! So, tune in daily to see what's going on with me and baby!
-Martha
*Warning* Lots of medical info is in this post. It may be boring to you. If it is, don't read it! ;-)
A couple of weeks ago (at 30W) I went in and complained about menstrual like cramping. So, the doc checked me and determined I had bacterial vaginosis and that I was effaced 50% with the outside of my cervix dilated to 3 cm, but the inside still closed.
We got that cleared up; but last Wednesday (at 32W) I started having cramping which was beginning to become pretty painful. So, after about 2 and a half hours of debating back and forth, Daniel and I decided to go on into L&D to have things checked out. (Read some of Daniel's thoughts about that day here: http://thechristianpractice.com/2011/03/28/but-i-dont-feel-bad/)
They put me on a monitor and weren't seeing any full on contractions, but rather a lot of little uterine activity. Finally the nurse checked me, then the midwife checked me, and then the doc checked me... The latter two felt that I was 2 cm, still about 50% effaced. Since there is no NICU care anywhere close to Mayfield, they called the perinatologist at Norton Hospital in Louisville (about 3.5 hours from home -- where they have the highest level NICU) who they routinely work with. He (the peri, Dr. P) thought it would be best if they transferred me, since they didn't know if they could stop the dilation there in Mayfield.
After they decided to transfer me, the nurses swarmed in, got me prepped (IV's, cath, etc) for the helicopter ride, which happened to be one of the most turbulent that the EMT had ever experienced (just adding the funness!). (You can read much more about that tomorrow at www.thechristianpractice.com)
Once I arrived on land in Louisville, they gave me more things to stop contractions, steroids for her lungs, and antibiotics in case of group b strep. I didn't stop cramping until they gave me morphine at about 4 in the morning. Dr. P was optimistic that I would be able to go home in a few days.
Fast forward a “few days” and my fetal fibronectin test came back positive and Dr. P found out I have a protein s deficiency (blood clotting disorder). {Side note: The PSD was probably what caused the blood clot which led to the spotting that I experienced early in the first trimester.}So, those two factors contributed to him wanting me to stay here in the hospital until I am 35 weeks (which is the time at which I could safely deliver at Jackson Purchase).
With this protein s deficiency I'm taking a daily injection of a blood thinner. Because of this, there is a likelihood that they will want to induce me between 38-40 weeks (the blood thinner takes 24 hours to get out of your system, which means absolutely no epidural if I'm on the shot; therefore if a c-section was needed I'd not have that as an option...) But, if they induce they can have me off the shot a day before in case an epi is needed. Also, while on blood thinners the risk of bleeding even from an un-medicated vaginal birth seems to be greater.
After I’m released from the hospital at 35W, I’ll still be under the care of the midwife and OBGYNs in Mayfield. But, most of my other plans are out the window right now; however, I am beyond thankful that all of this happened, so they could catch the protein s deficiency which can apparently cause clots in the placenta and cord late in pregnancy leading to fetal death.
Right now I'm on day 6 of hospital bedrest with about 15 left! So, tune in daily to see what's going on with me and baby!
-Martha
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