Another Unexpected Trip to L&D

Yesterday, Michael and I spent 8 hours in the labor & delivery unit at Fairfax Hospital. I guess we got a free trial run out of what was a very difficult day for the both of us.

I had been trying to get in touch with my OB for 2 days to discuss the fact that I have been sick for the past week or so and get some advice. When the OB called yesterday morning I happened to mention what I thought was a harmless occurrence. Before I could even finish my sentence, my OB insisted that I go immediately to Fairfax Hospital to be monitored. I was very unhappy (mad) about it, but it ended up being a good thing that I went. It turned out that by the time we got to the L&D, I was having contractions that were 2 minutes apart. Though the monitor usually read between 20-65, I was having contractions that registered above 100, which I didn't even know were possible. It was very painful and daunting... Fortunately my OB -- Dr. Silas (the one who will hopefully be delivering Noah on September 3rd) determined that my water had not broken - though he told me that if it had, he would have delivered Noah yesterday. The idea that we could have had a baby yesterday is still a little alarming. (There is still so much I need to do to prepare!) It was a big wake up call for both of us...

Dr. Silas also discussed with me the issue of my platelets and what the OB told me at my last appointment. The platelet count taken at the office on Monday showed that my count had gone down to 70,000. The OB who warned me about being hospitalized until it could go up (the same one who sent me to Fairfax yesterday) insisted that I make an appointment immediately with the hematologist. Fortunately, a manual count at the L&D showed that they were closer to 84,000 which is still low but not at alarming. Dr. Silas said he would not presume to speak for the anesthesiologists at the hospital and that we would cross whatever bridge when we got to it. He said that if the count went below 75,000 again I'd most likely have to go on steroids but his outlook seemed much more positive and his approach more flexible. That made me feel a lot better about the situation...

The remedy for the contractions I was having was to give me IV fluids (since it was likely dehydration from being sick that led to all this in first place) as well as to give me an IM shot of Terbutaline, which is the drug that gave me very bad side effects the last time I was having pre-term contractions. Fortunately, it did not have as bad of an effect this time. My contractions eventually slowed to every 10 minutes but the doctor on call did not think that this was sufficient. And so, I got a second injection right as Michael and I thought we were going to be permitted to go home. (I felt like a pin cushion to be honest and neither of us were thrilled about having to stay any longer in the unit than we already had.) My heart rate, needless to say to anyone who is familiar with this drug, stayed up around 120 for most of the day. I feel like I ran a marathon. Noah was true to form and spent most of the day kicking the monitor that was reading his heartbeat (which I was no less than thrilled to listen to all day). It sounded like someone was constantly hitting a microphone with full force and it gave me a lot of good laughs through all the confusion. 

Once the contractions slowed down enough I was released... just in time to go get something to eat with my husband's band and all the other D.C. Serve volunteers, who were gathering to celebrate a job well done. Given that I had not eaten since the early morning and it was now almost 8:00PM, I was thrilled... even though a big part of me was longing for my own bed.

So... I hope I made that long story as short as I could. I am home in bed now on strict orders to take it easy, stay off my feet, and drink a ton of water, etc. etc. etc. still trying to come to grips with the fact that Noah could really be arriving any day now -- though in my heart of hearts, I just pray it's a Thursday so I can at least have him delievered by our doctor of choice. 

4 weeks and 6 days (max) until we meet our son.

It's all in God's hands...

Nan<3