A trip to the hospital...

When I woke up yesterday I was feeling fine, but on my way to work I was starting to feel a little funny. After settling in at my desk and starting to dig in to work, I noticed some odd cramping going on. I tried to drink water, switch positions, but I just couldn't get comfortable, it felt mostly like menstrual cramps that would change in intensity. I went for a walk, to see if a change in position would help, but it only seemed to make things worse.

I decided to call Ron and run it by him. He thought it was something I should call my OB Nurse about, so I dialed up Andrea who wanted to know how soon I could be in the clinic. Ugh... on my way to the clinic. There they did a urine culture that came out clean and Andrea checked my cervix, dialated to 1, 80% effaced. I guess this was not good, when the numbers were ran by my doctor he thought it best if I went across the street to the hospital to be monitored for a few hours.

I headed over to St. John's hospital, called Ron and checked in. They hooked me up to a monitor to measure contractions and baby's heart rate. Because I came in around lunch time they handed me a food menu... best part about hospital stays! I ordered up my lunch and was starving when it arrived. Ron came through the door to keep me company while I lie in the hospital bed. Since the Michael Jackson memorial was taking place, we flipped on the TV and watched the coverage from the Staples Center in LA.

Ron asked some good questions of the nurse who told us that at this point the baby would be okay, but would need to stay in special care for a while to mature her lungs if delivered now. We were also told that there were things that could be done to put off labor, but that most likely I was looking at a couple weeks of bed rest. A million things ran through my mind, but mostly: How was I going to take care of a 2.5 year old on bedrest?? Would he understand that I couldn't pick him up anymore? Would he be sad that I wouldn't be able to play with him? Poor kid.

After two hours of monitoring the contractions were becoming a bit more intense and my cervix was checked again, but this time the nurse thought I was only about 60% effaced, good news. However, after that the contractions sped up and seemed to come closer together, while not painful, it was obvious that they were contractions. After monitoring again for another couple hours they consulted Dr. Ashford who decided three rounds of Terbutaline was the way to go.

The needle went in and almost immediately I began shaking like a leaf, a side effect of the medication. But not long after this first injection the contractions seemed to disapate. After 20 minutes the nurse came in to check my pulse which was at 117 just under the 120 mark of not being able to give another injection. After the second injection the shaking and racing heart heightened, but again the contractions were minimal. Another 20 minutes and another injection was given.

Dr. Ashford came over to see me and was happy with the last hour of monitoring, he checked my cervix which had not progressed... a great sign, still 1cm. Contractions were just Braxton Hicks and nothing to be concerned about. I am now 34 weeks and some practices do not choose to stop labor at 34 weeks, but Dr. Ashford does. However, by next week, Terbutaline would not be administered and I'd be allowed to deliver 5 weeks early. So, doctor Ashford sent me home... yay... no restrictions!

Today I am home just laying a bit low after an eventful day yesterday, trying to get rid of the massive headache and nausea that the Terbutaline caused and will be full speed ahead... starting tomorrow.