I spent the day in my own bed today, and it was lovely. I was sent home yesterday evening, but was worried about announcing it to the world-didn't want to jinx it! The doctor on call for the practice we go to came into my room Monday morning and asked, "Are you ready to bust outta this joint?" I was shocked they were thinking about letting me go because I was still having runs of contractions that were 5-8 minutes apart. She decided to add in a demand dose on my Terb. pump since my heart rate has gone down a little bit. That way if I have more than 6 contractions in an hour, I can do that before we would have to go back to the hospital. The deciding factors would be the cervical check and the morning monitoring session of the babies and my contractions. She checked my cervix and found that it had not changed since I arrived at the hospital. I was relieved the hear that-I was worried about that!
As I waited for my nurses to come in and hook me up to machines, I was excited and nervous about the possibility of going home. I wanted to go home so badly, but I didn't want to risk the health of the babies of myself. I figured that they wouldn't be sending me home if it wasn't safe though, so I started to hope that the monitoring would go well. The babies did great during monitoring, which wasn't surprising since they had been great the whole time I was in the hospital. My contractions were also low, mainly just irritability (not surprising either with 3 babies in an overstretched uterus)! So it looked like I would be going home!
I have a Terbutaline (sp) pump that gives me a constant dose of the medication that is supposed to help minimize contractions. I was using the hospital's pump, but if I was going home I would have to get one through the same company that I have my home uterine monitor from. So I couldn't go home until a rep came and taught me how to use/change the pump and site. I also had to wait until Brad could leave work to come pick me up. I ordered what I hoped would be my last lunch at the hospital for a little while. The rep came and showed me how to change the medication vial in the machine, switch the site where the meds go in, etc. Not too tricky, especially since I was used to giving myself meds when we did IVF.
Brad came a little later and we were on our way! It was great to actually see the outside and not the brick wall outside my window. And then we went outside and it was cold-which I absolutely loved. I was so worried I was going to spend the beginning of fall inside the hospital! Brad had picked up frozen Gino's East pizzas for dinner-yum! I had to monitor again when we got home and I was terrified that I would have too many contractions and be sent right back, but luckily I only had 1!
It was great to sleep in my own bed-I actually slept for a couple hours at a time! I decided to camp out upstairs in our bedroom because I knew if I was downstairs I would be doing more than I was supposed to. So Brad helped bring up all my "bed rest supplies," for the day since he had to go to work. I monitored in the morning and had 8 contractions, (my limit is 5), so I had to give myself a higher dose of meds and drink 4 glasses of water. I was convinced I was going to have to go back into the hospital that day, so tried to mentally prepare myself for that. Luckily, the next monitoring session showed 0 contractions, just moderate irritability. Same thing for the evening session! Maybe this medicine is going to help me stay home a little longer than I thought!
We go this afternoon for our weekly appointment, so we'll get to see the babies again! My ultimate goal is still 32 weeks, but I am so happy and grateful that we made it to 30 weeks and had the steroid shots. I still can't believe we will meet these little ones soon. It took so much time to get to this point, it just doesn't seem real yet. It probably won't until we see their little faces and hopefully hear their cries. I will try to post a belly picture today-it has grown even more in the past week. Good for the babies, not so good for the stretch marks! :)
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Still here
So I am still in a Labor and Delivery room so I can continue to be closely monitored. The babies have been doing great and have been a bit too active when we are trying to monitor them! I, however, am still having contractions. Last night they picked up to every 5-8 minutes even though I slept through them. They continued like that into the morning and they decided to up my dose of Terb. Great-more jittery and higher heart rate! I just hope it does what it is supposed to do! They wouldn't have me do the larger doses (bolus) because of where my heart rate is now-ranging from 100-130. I am not sure what will happen if this dose doesn't work-I am too scared to ask!
I was originally hoping to moved to a Perinatal room today, but maybe in the next few days. I was denied permission for a shower and was devastated. I get headaches when I don't get to shower regularly and I just wanted to feel human again, so I was not very happy when they said no. My nurse and another nurse took pity upon me and washed my hair for me with buckets while I was in bed. My headache went away! I was able to clean up in the bathroom and put on a new gown while she changed my sheets-I am going to have to write a letter to admin to let them know how wonderful she was!
So I have no idea if or when I will change rooms. I could also remain here for the remainder of my pregnancy, which may not be that long if they can't control the contractions. I miss my bed, house, our dog, and, of course, my husband (not in that order). I know this is all for a good reason and it's relatively a short time, but I still feel like it is going to take forever! 4 days until 30 weeks and 18 days to 32 weeks! Thinking we'll be lucky to make it to 32 weeks now, but I feel like 30 is within our reach. We had our second steroid shot last night, so hopefully that'll help if they come earlier.
Thanks for all your support!
I was originally hoping to moved to a Perinatal room today, but maybe in the next few days. I was denied permission for a shower and was devastated. I get headaches when I don't get to shower regularly and I just wanted to feel human again, so I was not very happy when they said no. My nurse and another nurse took pity upon me and washed my hair for me with buckets while I was in bed. My headache went away! I was able to clean up in the bathroom and put on a new gown while she changed my sheets-I am going to have to write a letter to admin to let them know how wonderful she was!
So I have no idea if or when I will change rooms. I could also remain here for the remainder of my pregnancy, which may not be that long if they can't control the contractions. I miss my bed, house, our dog, and, of course, my husband (not in that order). I know this is all for a good reason and it's relatively a short time, but I still feel like it is going to take forever! 4 days until 30 weeks and 18 days to 32 weeks! Thinking we'll be lucky to make it to 32 weeks now, but I feel like 30 is within our reach. We had our second steroid shot last night, so hopefully that'll help if they come earlier.
Thanks for all your support!
Thursday, September 24, 2009
How Quickly Things Change
I am in the hospital right now listening to three heartbeats and a constant beeping from the pulse thing on my finger. I have been here since last night because I was having contractions. With my uterine monitoring, my threshold is 4. Well, I hit that late afternoon, remonitored and ended up with 5. The company called the doctor on call and they said that I didn't have to go in unless I felt them getting stronger or other symptoms. I ate some cereal, but was still having the constant tightening. I felt horrible because I already rely on Brad to do so much for me and around the house; I knew all he wanted to do was lay on the couch and relax. Being the wonderful husband that he is, he left the decision up to me and did not try to talk me into staying home. I figured we would quick go, my cervix would be fine, and we would be sent on our way like the last 2 times. No such luck.
We were escorted up to a Labor and Delivery room, next to a woman in labor.They hooked me up to the uterine monitor for contractions, the three monitors for the babies' heartbeats, an IV for fluids, and the fun little finger pulse checker. All this after I changed into the ever-so-sexy hospital gown, which does not quite fit my pregnant belly or behind anymore! I was contracting about every 3-4 minutes at that time, so we waited for the fluids to go in to see if that helped. It only helped in a very minor way. A resident came in and said that they would do an ultrasound and then check my cervix because the doctor was in surgery. Ultrasound was good-fluid, movement, heartbeats. She pulled this enormous light out of the ceiling, which was cool and scary at the same time-it looked like it was made in the seventies. She first did the fFn test, which come to think of it, I haven't heard any results from. Hmm. Gotta love that speculum! When she first manually checked myy cervix, she said it was still up high and closed. Then, a heard her say, "Wait, you are about 1 and 50%." She must have seen the look on my face because then she tried to console me and say that woman come in at 30 weeks and are like that too. Still did not make me happy. So, they talked to the doctor on call from the practice we go to. The decided to first try Indocin to stop the contractions, which were still occuring every 3-4 minutes. So I took the pills and prayed. They worked, for about 4 hours.
In the morning, my contractions were now occurring every 1-2 minutes! Not good! I had not eaten anything since before we left for the hospital, just in case I needed a c-section. They gave me another dose of Indocin. So, a hungry, contracting, hormonal girl does not handle stress well, in case you couldn't have guessed that on your own! I had the doctor come in with 2 nurses, and a resident, all of whom I broke out into tears in front of! Junior high behavior, here I come! I just couldn't stop crying! One of the ultrasound techs from our office came down to do our growth scan and also witnessed my blabbering. They tried to console me, but I wouldn't stop! The doctor said, "Think of your happy place, " and I said, (while sobbing), "Outer Banks, NC." They all said good and ran out the door as fast as possible. Except my nurse and us tech since they had things to do with me. The doctor decided we were going to try Terbutaline next, so the nurse shot me up with a booster dose. Thought my heart was going to bounce through my chest and land on the floor! One of the lovely side effects. If this worked, they would plan on setting me up with the pump though, which has a much smaller, steady dose of medicine. Ultrasound was set and ready to scan me-in my own hospital room.
She was also consoling me (or took pity on me), and was able to help me calm down long enough to look at the screen to see the babies we are doing all this for. So, at 29w2days, Baby A weighs approximately 3 lbs. 4oz!!! I was hoping for 2.5 lbs, so I was greatly relieved by that number. Baby B is about 3 lbs and Baby C is a little less than that, but all within the normal range for their gestational age! She printed out a ton of pictures for us, (pity does wonders), and said that they looked great-moving well, full stomachs showing that they are swallowing fluid well. Yea, some good news!
I was still pretty shaky from the medicine, so just laid in my bed and watched tv until Brad came. He had taken the day off to go to our appointment, so he came back out after only a couple hours sleep-something he does not normally deal well with! He brought the rest of my things that I didn't bring with-like the computer I am updating with! In the meantime, still not allowed to eat yet and was getting very hungry! Something amazing was happening though-the contractions were starting to spread out to every 3-4 minutes, then every 5-6, etc. The doctor checked my cervix one more time before letting me order room service-it was still the same at 1 and 50%. I was so happy all those crazy contractions didn't make it worse! So they ordered the Terbutalane pump and we waited. Brad came in just as the nurse was putting it in my leg. I ate a late breakfast and we hung out. I mainly watched tv and he played on the computer for a while. The contractions continued to go down and I don't think they are showing up on the monitor right now. I know that can change rapidly though, but I am glad this medicine is working for now.
So, the word on the street is they will re-evaluate things in the morning and if I stay like this they will move me down to perinatal section where there is less strict monitoring. If that goes well, I may be able to go home this weekend! While that prospect terrifies me because my cervix changed so quickly, I desperately miss my bed, bathroom, and couch. I would still be on the pump at home and if my contractions increased again, I would be sent back here again. We requested to talk with a NICU doctor and have my anesthesiology consult while we were here. They came in and the NICU doc was pretty doom and gloom, which I had anticipated. He went through all the problems that babies at our gestational age (29w2d) would encounter. I asked if 30 weeks is our mini goal and each week and day after that is a bonus, and he agreed. So, I will feel better again on Tuesday when we hit 30 weeks, and even better when we hit 32 weeks (I hope)! The anesthesiologist came in and you could tell he had already looked up Myotonic Dystrophy! We talked about how we would obviously be doing the epidural if the c-section was planned and to avoid general anesthesia at all costs. He explained some of the other things they typically do, which will benefit me too-pain drugs injected into the spinal fluid after the c-section for 18-24 hours of pain relief! He said they would monitor my heart and breathing closely, but hopes that since I am not too symptomatic that I should be okay.
So, I decided to update this blog early tonight when things are still going well-hopefully I don't jinx anything! I will miss the shower tomorrow at Brad's work and we have to rearrange our refinance meeting for the house so the guy will come here, but as long as those babies stay inside where it is safe, it will all be worth it! They have been handling the contractions really well, at least that's what the doctors and nurses have been saying all day. I just hope they will wait a little bit longer to enter this world. I am not ready to lose my precious time with them-even if they do kick me in the lungs and intenstines. I want them to get to a safer zone so we can enjoy them at home sooner rather than spend their first few months in the NICU. I am past being scared of how we will take care of them-we will love them, everything else will fall into place. Now we just have to get another name for Baby C! Congrats to our friends (B and K-don't want to put their names in here), and I must say that I love your taste in names!
So if anyone out there in the real world gets bored, first pray for the babies and us, then send me a comment on here or facebook, or on e-mail. I have nothing but time for you all-and that'll be it for about 3 years! :)
Sorry again for typos-I am typing with an IV in one hand and the pulse thingy on my other hand-go easy on me!
We were escorted up to a Labor and Delivery room, next to a woman in labor.They hooked me up to the uterine monitor for contractions, the three monitors for the babies' heartbeats, an IV for fluids, and the fun little finger pulse checker. All this after I changed into the ever-so-sexy hospital gown, which does not quite fit my pregnant belly or behind anymore! I was contracting about every 3-4 minutes at that time, so we waited for the fluids to go in to see if that helped. It only helped in a very minor way. A resident came in and said that they would do an ultrasound and then check my cervix because the doctor was in surgery. Ultrasound was good-fluid, movement, heartbeats. She pulled this enormous light out of the ceiling, which was cool and scary at the same time-it looked like it was made in the seventies. She first did the fFn test, which come to think of it, I haven't heard any results from. Hmm. Gotta love that speculum! When she first manually checked myy cervix, she said it was still up high and closed. Then, a heard her say, "Wait, you are about 1 and 50%." She must have seen the look on my face because then she tried to console me and say that woman come in at 30 weeks and are like that too. Still did not make me happy. So, they talked to the doctor on call from the practice we go to. The decided to first try Indocin to stop the contractions, which were still occuring every 3-4 minutes. So I took the pills and prayed. They worked, for about 4 hours.
In the morning, my contractions were now occurring every 1-2 minutes! Not good! I had not eaten anything since before we left for the hospital, just in case I needed a c-section. They gave me another dose of Indocin. So, a hungry, contracting, hormonal girl does not handle stress well, in case you couldn't have guessed that on your own! I had the doctor come in with 2 nurses, and a resident, all of whom I broke out into tears in front of! Junior high behavior, here I come! I just couldn't stop crying! One of the ultrasound techs from our office came down to do our growth scan and also witnessed my blabbering. They tried to console me, but I wouldn't stop! The doctor said, "Think of your happy place, " and I said, (while sobbing), "Outer Banks, NC." They all said good and ran out the door as fast as possible. Except my nurse and us tech since they had things to do with me. The doctor decided we were going to try Terbutaline next, so the nurse shot me up with a booster dose. Thought my heart was going to bounce through my chest and land on the floor! One of the lovely side effects. If this worked, they would plan on setting me up with the pump though, which has a much smaller, steady dose of medicine. Ultrasound was set and ready to scan me-in my own hospital room.
She was also consoling me (or took pity on me), and was able to help me calm down long enough to look at the screen to see the babies we are doing all this for. So, at 29w2days, Baby A weighs approximately 3 lbs. 4oz!!! I was hoping for 2.5 lbs, so I was greatly relieved by that number. Baby B is about 3 lbs and Baby C is a little less than that, but all within the normal range for their gestational age! She printed out a ton of pictures for us, (pity does wonders), and said that they looked great-moving well, full stomachs showing that they are swallowing fluid well. Yea, some good news!
I was still pretty shaky from the medicine, so just laid in my bed and watched tv until Brad came. He had taken the day off to go to our appointment, so he came back out after only a couple hours sleep-something he does not normally deal well with! He brought the rest of my things that I didn't bring with-like the computer I am updating with! In the meantime, still not allowed to eat yet and was getting very hungry! Something amazing was happening though-the contractions were starting to spread out to every 3-4 minutes, then every 5-6, etc. The doctor checked my cervix one more time before letting me order room service-it was still the same at 1 and 50%. I was so happy all those crazy contractions didn't make it worse! So they ordered the Terbutalane pump and we waited. Brad came in just as the nurse was putting it in my leg. I ate a late breakfast and we hung out. I mainly watched tv and he played on the computer for a while. The contractions continued to go down and I don't think they are showing up on the monitor right now. I know that can change rapidly though, but I am glad this medicine is working for now.
So, the word on the street is they will re-evaluate things in the morning and if I stay like this they will move me down to perinatal section where there is less strict monitoring. If that goes well, I may be able to go home this weekend! While that prospect terrifies me because my cervix changed so quickly, I desperately miss my bed, bathroom, and couch. I would still be on the pump at home and if my contractions increased again, I would be sent back here again. We requested to talk with a NICU doctor and have my anesthesiology consult while we were here. They came in and the NICU doc was pretty doom and gloom, which I had anticipated. He went through all the problems that babies at our gestational age (29w2d) would encounter. I asked if 30 weeks is our mini goal and each week and day after that is a bonus, and he agreed. So, I will feel better again on Tuesday when we hit 30 weeks, and even better when we hit 32 weeks (I hope)! The anesthesiologist came in and you could tell he had already looked up Myotonic Dystrophy! We talked about how we would obviously be doing the epidural if the c-section was planned and to avoid general anesthesia at all costs. He explained some of the other things they typically do, which will benefit me too-pain drugs injected into the spinal fluid after the c-section for 18-24 hours of pain relief! He said they would monitor my heart and breathing closely, but hopes that since I am not too symptomatic that I should be okay.
So, I decided to update this blog early tonight when things are still going well-hopefully I don't jinx anything! I will miss the shower tomorrow at Brad's work and we have to rearrange our refinance meeting for the house so the guy will come here, but as long as those babies stay inside where it is safe, it will all be worth it! They have been handling the contractions really well, at least that's what the doctors and nurses have been saying all day. I just hope they will wait a little bit longer to enter this world. I am not ready to lose my precious time with them-even if they do kick me in the lungs and intenstines. I want them to get to a safer zone so we can enjoy them at home sooner rather than spend their first few months in the NICU. I am past being scared of how we will take care of them-we will love them, everything else will fall into place. Now we just have to get another name for Baby C! Congrats to our friends (B and K-don't want to put their names in here), and I must say that I love your taste in names!
So if anyone out there in the real world gets bored, first pray for the babies and us, then send me a comment on here or facebook, or on e-mail. I have nothing but time for you all-and that'll be it for about 3 years! :)
Sorry again for typos-I am typing with an IV in one hand and the pulse thingy on my other hand-go easy on me!
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
29 Weeks!
Time is really starting to go by quickly now, and hopefully it continues that way for the sake of the babies! I have to admit that I am now starting to have mini-panic attacks when I think of how things are going to be in a few weeks. I did not allow myself to think ahead of how life would be because I was afraid something would go wrong. While that plan got me through the early times, it has not been helpful with dealing with the future! I wonder how we are going to do everything and take care of 3 little babies all at once. Obviously, we will have the help of our families and friends, but ultimately the job of parenting is left up to us.
In my heart, I know that everything will be fine and we'll get through it. But, my mind is swirling thinking about the logistics of it all. I can't wait to see their little faces, but I want them to stay inside of me to keep them safe. I want them to stay in until 35 weeks and then bring them home soon after delivery, but that also terrifies me because we are not anywhere near being ready for them at home. I can't wait until bedrest is over and I can run out to the store when we need something, but I know I will never be able to lay on the couch and watch t.v. again! So many things to think about and get done before they join us out here, but I feel so unprepared. And those who know me, know that I hate being unprepared and I have to have a plan for everything. I think that may be one of the most difficult things that I have been dealing with-not being able to completely plan out everything that is going to happen-when they come, how they will be, etc. I have just been taking everything one step and one week at a time, so to actually think ahead more than that makes my heart beat a little faster. Don't get me wrong, I am so excited to finally be in this place after our struggles. I am just afraid and nervous, about so many things! I assume everyone goes through this before becoming parents. I just wish I hadn't put off thinking about it this whole time!!
But yea for 29 weeks!! I am excited and nervous for our appointment this Thursday-growth scan and biophysical profiles. We will see how they have grown-hopefully a lot since week 25. For the BPP, part will be on ultrasound and part should be a non-stress test, although they didn't mention that when I scheduled these appointments. They will see how many movements they make, practice breathing, etc. I hope they are all overachievers! It's another late afternoon appointment and since it'll be a long one, I may not post until Friday. Keep your fingers and toes crossed for big babies!! :)
In my heart, I know that everything will be fine and we'll get through it. But, my mind is swirling thinking about the logistics of it all. I can't wait to see their little faces, but I want them to stay inside of me to keep them safe. I want them to stay in until 35 weeks and then bring them home soon after delivery, but that also terrifies me because we are not anywhere near being ready for them at home. I can't wait until bedrest is over and I can run out to the store when we need something, but I know I will never be able to lay on the couch and watch t.v. again! So many things to think about and get done before they join us out here, but I feel so unprepared. And those who know me, know that I hate being unprepared and I have to have a plan for everything. I think that may be one of the most difficult things that I have been dealing with-not being able to completely plan out everything that is going to happen-when they come, how they will be, etc. I have just been taking everything one step and one week at a time, so to actually think ahead more than that makes my heart beat a little faster. Don't get me wrong, I am so excited to finally be in this place after our struggles. I am just afraid and nervous, about so many things! I assume everyone goes through this before becoming parents. I just wish I hadn't put off thinking about it this whole time!!
But yea for 29 weeks!! I am excited and nervous for our appointment this Thursday-growth scan and biophysical profiles. We will see how they have grown-hopefully a lot since week 25. For the BPP, part will be on ultrasound and part should be a non-stress test, although they didn't mention that when I scheduled these appointments. They will see how many movements they make, practice breathing, etc. I hope they are all overachievers! It's another late afternoon appointment and since it'll be a long one, I may not post until Friday. Keep your fingers and toes crossed for big babies!! :)
Friday, September 18, 2009
And the Countdown Continues!!
I apologize to those of you who check this on Wednesdays and Thursdays looking for appointment info for not posting sooner. I was a bit tired after the day, so chose sleep over blogging! We had a good appointment, but there a lot of waiting for our ultrasound since 2 doctors were in the office yesterday. My mother-in-law drove me to the appointment and was able to see the babies with ultrasound for the first time. Then, our ride home took awhile since it was rush hour. We did stop and get some dinner on the way home though-yum!
Here's the weekly info-I did gain weight, but nobody needs to know how much I actually weigh! :) I am now measuring 44 cm, which would be equal to the number of weeks for normal pregnant women. My blood pressure is still good too. Cervix is still high and closed-yea! He doesn't measure it on ultrasound anymore, so I don't know if it has shortened, but I'll take a closed cervix anyday! The ultrasound was good too, although the babies are definitely starting to run out of stretching room now! They were all pretty calm and gave us some nice profile shots for the pictures. They all had a good amount of fluid and the membrane between the boys was moving nicely (which means that baby C has enough fluid and he isn't Saran Wrapped into is area). Dr. K came in and checked everything for himself, although he did make my MIL nervous because he was so quiet while looking at the babies. It is getting more difficult to tell who is who in there! He was starting with baby A and then moving up to find B and C. At one point the had all their heads together-like a football huddle. I fear they are already plotting against us! :) So, while Dr. K was following heads to find bodies, he was really quiet. While Brad and I know that is how our doctor is when he is looking at the ultrasound, my MIL did not and was worried that something was wrong. Luckily, he spoke up in a little bit and said that everything looks good. I asked Dr. K about getting my regular flu shot and he said if they aren't in at his office at my next appointment, I should just go somewhere local to get it sooner. I still didn't get a clear answer on the H1N1 shot-just that the CDC and other organizations are recommending it. I couldn't get him to say that he recommends it, only that usually 1 out of 5 of their patients refuse to get the regular flu shot. Brad would really prefer that I not get it and I am still thinking that it would probably be better to wait until after the babies are born. I am not in public areas, except when I go to the doctor and I am obsessive about hand washing and using hand sanitizer while I am there. We talked about how we are happy that we made it to 28 weeks and how complications go down dramatically now. He did say to not get cocky and be cautiously optomistic like we have been up to this point. I then asked about touring the NICU and he said that we may not need to worry about the NICU. I joked, "Now who's being cocky?!" While I would love to avoid the NICU, I would rather be prepared because I have the feeling we'll still be visiting our babies there for a little bit at least. I am going to have a consult with the anesthesiologist because of the risks of surgery with myotonic dystrophy, so we decided that we'll set up our tour for that same day.
Next week is our big appointment with another growth scan and biophysical profiles. I am excited and nervous to see how much they have grown-hopefully a lot! I will be 29 weeks on Tuesday and it feels like things are speeding up now, thankfully. I think this weekend we are going to be putting together another crib, (actually, Brad will be doing that), and taking some gifts out of their packages. I have to continue to work on thank you cards for my co-workers since Brad's co-workers are doing a shower for us next Friday. I am hoping to be allowed to go, but it will depend on how Thursday's appointment goes.
Thanks for everyone's support and assistance again-we really appreciate our families and friends for everything they are doing to help us through this! I can't wait until our hopefully healthy babies are here and then they can help with them too! :)
Here's the weekly info-I did gain weight, but nobody needs to know how much I actually weigh! :) I am now measuring 44 cm, which would be equal to the number of weeks for normal pregnant women. My blood pressure is still good too. Cervix is still high and closed-yea! He doesn't measure it on ultrasound anymore, so I don't know if it has shortened, but I'll take a closed cervix anyday! The ultrasound was good too, although the babies are definitely starting to run out of stretching room now! They were all pretty calm and gave us some nice profile shots for the pictures. They all had a good amount of fluid and the membrane between the boys was moving nicely (which means that baby C has enough fluid and he isn't Saran Wrapped into is area). Dr. K came in and checked everything for himself, although he did make my MIL nervous because he was so quiet while looking at the babies. It is getting more difficult to tell who is who in there! He was starting with baby A and then moving up to find B and C. At one point the had all their heads together-like a football huddle. I fear they are already plotting against us! :) So, while Dr. K was following heads to find bodies, he was really quiet. While Brad and I know that is how our doctor is when he is looking at the ultrasound, my MIL did not and was worried that something was wrong. Luckily, he spoke up in a little bit and said that everything looks good. I asked Dr. K about getting my regular flu shot and he said if they aren't in at his office at my next appointment, I should just go somewhere local to get it sooner. I still didn't get a clear answer on the H1N1 shot-just that the CDC and other organizations are recommending it. I couldn't get him to say that he recommends it, only that usually 1 out of 5 of their patients refuse to get the regular flu shot. Brad would really prefer that I not get it and I am still thinking that it would probably be better to wait until after the babies are born. I am not in public areas, except when I go to the doctor and I am obsessive about hand washing and using hand sanitizer while I am there. We talked about how we are happy that we made it to 28 weeks and how complications go down dramatically now. He did say to not get cocky and be cautiously optomistic like we have been up to this point. I then asked about touring the NICU and he said that we may not need to worry about the NICU. I joked, "Now who's being cocky?!" While I would love to avoid the NICU, I would rather be prepared because I have the feeling we'll still be visiting our babies there for a little bit at least. I am going to have a consult with the anesthesiologist because of the risks of surgery with myotonic dystrophy, so we decided that we'll set up our tour for that same day.
Next week is our big appointment with another growth scan and biophysical profiles. I am excited and nervous to see how much they have grown-hopefully a lot! I will be 29 weeks on Tuesday and it feels like things are speeding up now, thankfully. I think this weekend we are going to be putting together another crib, (actually, Brad will be doing that), and taking some gifts out of their packages. I have to continue to work on thank you cards for my co-workers since Brad's co-workers are doing a shower for us next Friday. I am hoping to be allowed to go, but it will depend on how Thursday's appointment goes.
Thanks for everyone's support and assistance again-we really appreciate our families and friends for everything they are doing to help us through this! I can't wait until our hopefully healthy babies are here and then they can help with them too! :)
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
28 weeks and a long vent-you've been warned!
We made it!!! 28 weeks and counting; let's hope for a few more weeks now! I have been counting down to this day for so long, it feels odd that it has actually arrived. I am relieved, but know that we aren't out of the woods yet. I have still been feeling pretty good lately, although it is getting more difficult to move around. It is especially tricky to get off the couch and roll over or get out of bed during the night. I usually end up having a contraction after moving, so I am trying to move without using my abdominal muscles (which is pretty tough-try it)! Since taking more Prilosec my acid reflux has calmed down a bit, thank goodness! After a night time episode my throat is sore though. Hopefully I won't have any permanent damage from it!
While I am so happy that we are at 28 weeks, I wasn't able to enjoy it as much as I had hoped. As most of you know, I am on bed rest and not able to work. Currently I am receiving a paycheck, but I don't have too many paid days off. So, I am stressing out about certain issues concerning extra paid time off that my workplace has and how to qualify for that benefit. Along with that, I am worrying about how we are going to pay our bills when my paid time runs out. We made the mistake of calling one of our credit card companies to see if we could lower our interest rate and told them our situation, including that we might have a difficult time paying that bill in a few months. Keep in mind we haven't used that card in over 6 months and have been paying more than the minimum on time for quite a long time (I was one of those stupid college kids who signed up for a credit card on campus and used it way too much for way too long). So, they said there was nothing they could do to help us except waive the $15 fee they charge to talk to someone about issues. Later in the day, I was trying to figure out a budget and signed on to check the interest rate of that card and noticed that they lowered out credit limit to within a few hundred dollars of what we owed. I called this morning and asked about the situation and the man basically told me that they did that because they considered us a risk-nevermind all the payments we make! I was not happy and after a few more comments back and forth I told him we wanted to close the account because I didn't want to do business with a company that treats their long time customers like this. By the way, they didn't waive that fee either! I am so glad the government gave them money. Apparently they forgot that not so long ago they needed help themselves-so much for helping out the customer. So, needless to say, I had a few contractions this morning!
Sorry for that long vent-gotta get it out somewhere. Unfortunately, it looks like I will be returning to work at least part time, but more likely full time this year. While I miss being at school and working with students and staff, I really felt like it would be better for our family if I stayed home this year. It just doesn't seem possible at this time, especially with the financial needs of three babies looming over our heads. These are the times that I get most frustrated about both of us having student loans from college, along with car payments and credit card bills. We were able to defer 2 out of our 3 student loan payments (still working on that last one), and that will save us over $400 a month-that'll buy some diapers! So going back to keep us financially afloat is fine, but I have to be extra cautious about germs (kindergarten students are not known for their good hand washing skills). We are also going to be putting a strain on our families to help care for these babies, so I feel guilty about that too.
All in all, I can't wait to meet these little additions to our family, and I know everything will be alright (in the words of Bob Marley). I just hate not being able to plan everything out and see visually that we'll get through this. I guess I'll just have to believe in my heart that it'll work out.
Next appointment is Thursday! I am going to do everything in my power to not stress out tomorrow or Thursday morning-I know the stress can't be good for them in there. And we are now reaching for the mini-goal of 30 and big goal of 32 weeks. It does seem to be going a little faster now! We should meet our babies within about 7 weeks now! All this will be so worth it when we have them in our arms. Thanks for letting me vent-I feel better now!
While I am so happy that we are at 28 weeks, I wasn't able to enjoy it as much as I had hoped. As most of you know, I am on bed rest and not able to work. Currently I am receiving a paycheck, but I don't have too many paid days off. So, I am stressing out about certain issues concerning extra paid time off that my workplace has and how to qualify for that benefit. Along with that, I am worrying about how we are going to pay our bills when my paid time runs out. We made the mistake of calling one of our credit card companies to see if we could lower our interest rate and told them our situation, including that we might have a difficult time paying that bill in a few months. Keep in mind we haven't used that card in over 6 months and have been paying more than the minimum on time for quite a long time (I was one of those stupid college kids who signed up for a credit card on campus and used it way too much for way too long). So, they said there was nothing they could do to help us except waive the $15 fee they charge to talk to someone about issues. Later in the day, I was trying to figure out a budget and signed on to check the interest rate of that card and noticed that they lowered out credit limit to within a few hundred dollars of what we owed. I called this morning and asked about the situation and the man basically told me that they did that because they considered us a risk-nevermind all the payments we make! I was not happy and after a few more comments back and forth I told him we wanted to close the account because I didn't want to do business with a company that treats their long time customers like this. By the way, they didn't waive that fee either! I am so glad the government gave them money. Apparently they forgot that not so long ago they needed help themselves-so much for helping out the customer. So, needless to say, I had a few contractions this morning!
Sorry for that long vent-gotta get it out somewhere. Unfortunately, it looks like I will be returning to work at least part time, but more likely full time this year. While I miss being at school and working with students and staff, I really felt like it would be better for our family if I stayed home this year. It just doesn't seem possible at this time, especially with the financial needs of three babies looming over our heads. These are the times that I get most frustrated about both of us having student loans from college, along with car payments and credit card bills. We were able to defer 2 out of our 3 student loan payments (still working on that last one), and that will save us over $400 a month-that'll buy some diapers! So going back to keep us financially afloat is fine, but I have to be extra cautious about germs (kindergarten students are not known for their good hand washing skills). We are also going to be putting a strain on our families to help care for these babies, so I feel guilty about that too.
All in all, I can't wait to meet these little additions to our family, and I know everything will be alright (in the words of Bob Marley). I just hate not being able to plan everything out and see visually that we'll get through this. I guess I'll just have to believe in my heart that it'll work out.
Next appointment is Thursday! I am going to do everything in my power to not stress out tomorrow or Thursday morning-I know the stress can't be good for them in there. And we are now reaching for the mini-goal of 30 and big goal of 32 weeks. It does seem to be going a little faster now! We should meet our babies within about 7 weeks now! All this will be so worth it when we have them in our arms. Thanks for letting me vent-I feel better now!
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Cross another one off the list!
We had another appointment this morning and it went pretty well again (knock on wood). I was a bit worried because Brad did not park on the level I always park on in the parking garage-hey, can you blame me for being paranoid and wanting to avoid jinxing anything?! I honestly don't know how he puts up with me and my craziness sometimes!
The ultrasound tech first check all the fluid levels for the babies, and of course, she measured our twins as having levels in the 7 range. While I knew that was not correct, I have given up trying to convince them that baby C should be lower because baby B's pocket goes on top of C's. Our doctor always checks the levels for himself, so I usually just wait for him to tell us everything is good. I used to be able to tell if the levels were in the normal ranges by looking at the screen during the scan, but it is more difficult to tell now that the babies are bigger.
The tech also did Dopplers on the umbilical cords to make sure the flow was good. I thought it was going to be quick, like usual, because the babies were pretty calm during the fluid checks. Apparently, they decided it was play time though-everytime she had a cord in the view on the screen, he/she would move. So, the tech became good at chasing them around! I thought they would have worn themselves out on the way to our appointment because they were moving so much-I think they have started teaching each other karate moves in there! Brad was able to see my belly move and see kicks when he would look over! The cord flow was normal for everyone-yea!
Good fluid levels, good cord flow, on to the exam room for more checks! Well, my belly is now measuring a whopping 43 cm, which equates to 43 weeks! Yes folks, I am going for a record. I didn't really gain much weight though, so it seems the babies are taking everything and making my belly grow! The boys were hanging out on the left side today, so I look a bit lopsided!
Dr. K came in to check my cervix and go over everything. We were joking around and he decided to wait to make fun of me until after checking my cervix-I appreciated his professionalism! :) Cervix is still closed, so the lovely contractions still haven't changed anything-whew, hopefully that'll continue! I asked about the flu shot and mentioned that would prefer to not have the swine flu shot, mainly because I think they are trying to push it through a bit too fast and not fully test the impact of it. He said that the major medical organizations are recommending both shots, but that usually 1 in 5 women don't get flu shots. He didn't really answer my question, so next week I will ask if they will give me the regular flu shot there or if I have to get it somewhere else. My wicked acid reflux is back in full force, and he gave me the go ahead to keep taking Prilosec instead of stopping after the 2 week dose. Hopefully it'll work because I am sometimes afraid to eat at night, even though I am hungry because I don't want to wake up choking on stomach acid!
We set up more appointments and are now scheduled through mid October-33 weeks! I really hope we can make it that long! I am really looking forward to 28 weeks right now and then 32 weeks after that. I am looking forward to cooler weather, seeing leaves falling onto the ground, and seeing all the birds migrate south. All of these things mean we will be in a safer zone, ready to meet our babies!! In the meantime, we will be dealing with Brad's insurance (why don't they ever cover anything???), setting up things in the nursery and items for the downstairs, and writing thank you notes. Thanks for all your support and well wishes-we need all the help we can get right now to keep us all going!!
By the way, still can't find that darn spell check button, so I apologize for typos!!
The ultrasound tech first check all the fluid levels for the babies, and of course, she measured our twins as having levels in the 7 range. While I knew that was not correct, I have given up trying to convince them that baby C should be lower because baby B's pocket goes on top of C's. Our doctor always checks the levels for himself, so I usually just wait for him to tell us everything is good. I used to be able to tell if the levels were in the normal ranges by looking at the screen during the scan, but it is more difficult to tell now that the babies are bigger.
The tech also did Dopplers on the umbilical cords to make sure the flow was good. I thought it was going to be quick, like usual, because the babies were pretty calm during the fluid checks. Apparently, they decided it was play time though-everytime she had a cord in the view on the screen, he/she would move. So, the tech became good at chasing them around! I thought they would have worn themselves out on the way to our appointment because they were moving so much-I think they have started teaching each other karate moves in there! Brad was able to see my belly move and see kicks when he would look over! The cord flow was normal for everyone-yea!
Good fluid levels, good cord flow, on to the exam room for more checks! Well, my belly is now measuring a whopping 43 cm, which equates to 43 weeks! Yes folks, I am going for a record. I didn't really gain much weight though, so it seems the babies are taking everything and making my belly grow! The boys were hanging out on the left side today, so I look a bit lopsided!
Dr. K came in to check my cervix and go over everything. We were joking around and he decided to wait to make fun of me until after checking my cervix-I appreciated his professionalism! :) Cervix is still closed, so the lovely contractions still haven't changed anything-whew, hopefully that'll continue! I asked about the flu shot and mentioned that would prefer to not have the swine flu shot, mainly because I think they are trying to push it through a bit too fast and not fully test the impact of it. He said that the major medical organizations are recommending both shots, but that usually 1 in 5 women don't get flu shots. He didn't really answer my question, so next week I will ask if they will give me the regular flu shot there or if I have to get it somewhere else. My wicked acid reflux is back in full force, and he gave me the go ahead to keep taking Prilosec instead of stopping after the 2 week dose. Hopefully it'll work because I am sometimes afraid to eat at night, even though I am hungry because I don't want to wake up choking on stomach acid!
We set up more appointments and are now scheduled through mid October-33 weeks! I really hope we can make it that long! I am really looking forward to 28 weeks right now and then 32 weeks after that. I am looking forward to cooler weather, seeing leaves falling onto the ground, and seeing all the birds migrate south. All of these things mean we will be in a safer zone, ready to meet our babies!! In the meantime, we will be dealing with Brad's insurance (why don't they ever cover anything???), setting up things in the nursery and items for the downstairs, and writing thank you notes. Thanks for all your support and well wishes-we need all the help we can get right now to keep us all going!!
By the way, still can't find that darn spell check button, so I apologize for typos!!
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
27 Weeks!
Okay folks, we are getting closer to our next goal!! One week until 28 weeks when viability jumps up over 90%! I can't wait to hit that goal, and then hopefully keep on going! While I am getting more uncomfortable with each passing day, I just keep thinking about how important it is for these babies to stay in as long as possible. I also keep reminding myself that this will be the only time that I am pregnant, so I am trying to enjoy every little kick and punch from our babies. Soon I will be able to share these little ones with our families and friends, but I think I will miss these moments I have with them now.
Our appointment is on Thursday this week, and the next few are also on Thursdays for those of you who check in on this blog on appointment days. I am hoping for more of the same-closed cervix, good fluid levels, etc. Luckily, this past week it seems my contractions are dropping off a bit (knock on wood), so hopefully that will continue for a bit so I won't worry as much.
The wonderful girls I work with at school threw a shower for me last week which was wonderful. It was nice to get out of the house and actually talk to people! I was definitely tired after, but had fun while I was there. We received a bunch of diapers, clothes, and gift cards, along with some other things. I now have more thank you cards to write, which will occupy my time for a bit. I can only write a few at a time because my hands hurt and my writing gets messy (which drives me nuts)!
I will update on Thursday with details, so think good thoughts for us please!
Our appointment is on Thursday this week, and the next few are also on Thursdays for those of you who check in on this blog on appointment days. I am hoping for more of the same-closed cervix, good fluid levels, etc. Luckily, this past week it seems my contractions are dropping off a bit (knock on wood), so hopefully that will continue for a bit so I won't worry as much.
The wonderful girls I work with at school threw a shower for me last week which was wonderful. It was nice to get out of the house and actually talk to people! I was definitely tired after, but had fun while I was there. We received a bunch of diapers, clothes, and gift cards, along with some other things. I now have more thank you cards to write, which will occupy my time for a bit. I can only write a few at a time because my hands hurt and my writing gets messy (which drives me nuts)!
I will update on Thursday with details, so think good thoughts for us please!
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Another appointment down, one day closer to the goal!
I don't want to jinx anything, but we had another good appointment today. We first had a quick ultrasound to check fluid levels, which all seemed to be good. The tech first measured Baby C's level at 9.2-obviously she did not look for the membrane first! I said that Baby C is usually the one with the lowest level-around 4. She said, "Well, that's why we do more than one measurement, because the membrane is always moving." Good cover-I know the membrane is constantly moving, but not that much! So she found the membrane and measured it again in the 4 range. So, they all had decent fluid levels. She said that they all looked good and that I could get up. If there had been anything wrong, she would've gone and gotten Dr. K. Since everything was good ultrasound was over and to go wait for a nurse to call me. Okay.
Blood pressure is still good, "lost" 1/2 a pound (I blame it on the fact that I wore normal shoes last week and flip flops this week), and am measuring 41 weeks. I asked about my GD test and I passed! My level was 109 and they want it to be under 140 or you have to do the 3 hour test. Whew-I can keep eating my normal food! :)
Dr. K came in with his new associate who I assume is joining the whole practice. He seemed nice, but didn't say too much. He checked my cervix and it is still holding well. No more ultrasound measurements, which makes me nervous just because I like to know the actual numbers! Oh well, he has been doing this job for a while, so I suppose I should trust him! He said, "You know I want to check the fluid levels for myself, right?" I told him that I figured, but this tech never listens to me when I tell or ask her something. So, back to an ultrasound room! He told his associate that we were dealing with the toughest type of pregnancy-first triplets, then having a set of identicals in there (I would think that quads or higher would be tougher, but I suppose since those are more rare he left them out). He went on to show him the membranes-the thick one and the thin one separating the twins. He also pointed out the good bladders on both our boys; always a good sign!
I didn't get to ask my list of questions (I always have a list, my poor doctor!), since I was all gooped up on the table and my purse was across the room. We are keeping our next three appointments and he added Biophysical Profiles at our 29 week appointment on Sept. 24. So the next 2 will be fluid checks, cervical check, blood pressure, and weight. I am hoping we keep having these types of appointments-I like when they are uneventful!
We have less than 2 weeks now to the all important 28 weeks! I can't wait! I am so ready to be at that point, and then keep on going hopefully! I would like to get there without a hospital visit because of contractions, but I have a feeling it's coming soon. Last night I had 4 and then 3 (just under the wire), so we almost had to head out to be checked. I feel a little bit better knowing that my cervix is unchanged, but I should be worrying again by the weekend! I just have to make sure I am resting as much as possible. It helps that Brad's mom made a whole bunch of meals for him, so I don't feel bad not cooking for him! Thanks to my parents, Brad had gyros and homemade fries for dinner tonight. It's so nice that we have our families close by so they can help out!
Blood pressure is still good, "lost" 1/2 a pound (I blame it on the fact that I wore normal shoes last week and flip flops this week), and am measuring 41 weeks. I asked about my GD test and I passed! My level was 109 and they want it to be under 140 or you have to do the 3 hour test. Whew-I can keep eating my normal food! :)
Dr. K came in with his new associate who I assume is joining the whole practice. He seemed nice, but didn't say too much. He checked my cervix and it is still holding well. No more ultrasound measurements, which makes me nervous just because I like to know the actual numbers! Oh well, he has been doing this job for a while, so I suppose I should trust him! He said, "You know I want to check the fluid levels for myself, right?" I told him that I figured, but this tech never listens to me when I tell or ask her something. So, back to an ultrasound room! He told his associate that we were dealing with the toughest type of pregnancy-first triplets, then having a set of identicals in there (I would think that quads or higher would be tougher, but I suppose since those are more rare he left them out). He went on to show him the membranes-the thick one and the thin one separating the twins. He also pointed out the good bladders on both our boys; always a good sign!
I didn't get to ask my list of questions (I always have a list, my poor doctor!), since I was all gooped up on the table and my purse was across the room. We are keeping our next three appointments and he added Biophysical Profiles at our 29 week appointment on Sept. 24. So the next 2 will be fluid checks, cervical check, blood pressure, and weight. I am hoping we keep having these types of appointments-I like when they are uneventful!
We have less than 2 weeks now to the all important 28 weeks! I can't wait! I am so ready to be at that point, and then keep on going hopefully! I would like to get there without a hospital visit because of contractions, but I have a feeling it's coming soon. Last night I had 4 and then 3 (just under the wire), so we almost had to head out to be checked. I feel a little bit better knowing that my cervix is unchanged, but I should be worrying again by the weekend! I just have to make sure I am resting as much as possible. It helps that Brad's mom made a whole bunch of meals for him, so I don't feel bad not cooking for him! Thanks to my parents, Brad had gyros and homemade fries for dinner tonight. It's so nice that we have our families close by so they can help out!
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Close, yet so far away
26 weeks today!!! Two weeks until the safer zone! I cannot wait for that day! The other day, Brad and I were talking about when we can start putting some of these things away (and *gasp* actually take things out of the packages they came in). I said anytime after September 15th would be fine, but in the back of my mind I was still a little worried. There are no guarantees in life, especially not with a triplet pregnancy. I just can't wait to start thinking about the future with these little ones and not be thinking what if. I think I will have to make myself a countdown chart today because we really are so close to where I want to be. 2 weeks to a little safer, 6 weeks until much safer, 9 weeks until the end! Really not so far, but it takes forever to get there! I really appreciate everything our families and friends have been doing for us while I am permenantly indenting the couch. They have been cleaning, cooking, and shopping for us, among other things. They have been great, but I am looking forward to the day I can do things for myself again. Sometimes I look around and think, "I can just clean that really fast, and then lay back down," but I am usually kicked by a little one right then! They are good at reminding me why I am doing all this-for them. This will come in handy for guilt trips when high school rolls around! :)
Tomorrow afternoon is our next appointment, yea! I have not heard about my GD test from last week, so hopefully that means I passed it. I am not sure what else they are doing-biophysical profile or non-stress test maybe. I am hoping he is going to measure my cervix too! Our little girl has been kicking down low the past couple days-it feels like she is trying to escape! They have been much more active the last few days, which is comforting. I would take constant kicking over quiet belly any day!
I have to turn in my computer on Thursday so my sub can use it while I am gone. My lifeline! My parents were thinking about buying a laptop in the future, so they are going to buy one now and let me use it until the babies come. They're awesome! We have a desktop, but it's in the basement-too many stairs! I know I won't really have much time to sit around and be on a laptop once the babies are here, so it'll work out nicely to borrow theirs for a couple months. They aren't sure when they will get it (it's out of stock), so I may not be able to update for a little while. I will definitely update tomorrow night though to fill everyone in on the appointment details. Fingers and toes crossed please!
Tomorrow afternoon is our next appointment, yea! I have not heard about my GD test from last week, so hopefully that means I passed it. I am not sure what else they are doing-biophysical profile or non-stress test maybe. I am hoping he is going to measure my cervix too! Our little girl has been kicking down low the past couple days-it feels like she is trying to escape! They have been much more active the last few days, which is comforting. I would take constant kicking over quiet belly any day!
I have to turn in my computer on Thursday so my sub can use it while I am gone. My lifeline! My parents were thinking about buying a laptop in the future, so they are going to buy one now and let me use it until the babies come. They're awesome! We have a desktop, but it's in the basement-too many stairs! I know I won't really have much time to sit around and be on a laptop once the babies are here, so it'll work out nicely to borrow theirs for a couple months. They aren't sure when they will get it (it's out of stock), so I may not be able to update for a little while. I will definitely update tomorrow night though to fill everyone in on the appointment details. Fingers and toes crossed please!
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