It started out just like any other Thursday. I was enjoying some fun in the sun with the preschoolers before leaving for my routine weekly doctor's appointment that afternoon. I felt fine and planned on returning to work after the appointment. Unfortunately, that didn't happen! While at the doctor they took my blood pressure and discovered it was high (136/100). For a normal person this wouldn't be that high, but your blood pressure naturally drops while pregnant, so throughout the past 36 weeks mine had been around 80/60. Comparatively, this was high! Things seemed to get kind of serious, quickly. The nurse took my BP two more times to confirm it was in fact high and began rattling off questions faster than I could answer. It became evident to me that she was trying to determine if I had pre eclampsia. I had heard of the disease before and knew it had to do with high blood pressure. The doctor came in and told me he wanted to send me to the hospital for a 24 hour urine collection and to top it off, he was going out of town for the weekend. Have you ever been given news where you knew your reaction should be something specific, but your facial expressions would not cooperate? Rick was in Silverthorne working, about 40 minutes away, and I just remember the doctor telling me things like, "the only way to cure pre eclampsia is to deliver the placenta" "you're far enough along that delivery now would mean little risk to your baby" "this disease makes you sick incredibly fast so we want to watch it closely" I was in a fog. Appropriate feelings would have been scared, nervous, overwhelmed accompanied by a panicked facial expression, maybe even tears. Instead, I could not stop smiling! I remember thinking, "This is serious! Stop smiling. You might have to get induced and you haven't even packed a bag!" But alas my facial expressions would not cooperate. Finally the doctor asked if I had any questions. "Yes, a million questions," I responded. "But I can't think of one of them." This doctor thought I was looney tunes and I was ready to admit myself into the looney bin. Good thing I was heading to the hospital. I remember thinking how ironic it was that Rick wasn't at this particular appointment. I had just had a conversation with a friend of mine who asked if Rick was coming that day. "Oh no, he doesn't come to these routine appointments, only if there's an ultrasound or something." My friend responded that she would never again attend a prenatal appointment without her husband and I remember wondering if I should adopt that policy. Yes. The answer is yes.
I left the doctor's office and headed home to pack and digest the news that I may be at the beginning stages of pre eclampsia with the only cure being delivery. When you think you have another month or so of pregnancy, this news comes as a bit of a shock. I expected Rick to be a wreck, but he wasn't. He was really calm and probably psyched at the prospect of meeting his son sooner than expected. Turns out he was surprised I was as calm as I seemed to be...I guess in these situations you just never know how you'll feel. The hospital experience was actually as close to pleasant as it could have possibly been. I had great nurses who comforted me with news that pre eclampsia is extremely common and especially at this last stage of pregnancy, usually isn't a problem. One nurse even told me that my doctor hates it when his patients don't get epidurals because he can't stand seeing them in pain. In fact he often has to leave the room to get away from the screaming. I HAVE FOUND THE RIGHT DOCTOR! I spent the night and sent Rick home to get some sleep. They gave me an ambian (not too shabby!) and I slept better than I had in a couple of weeks. Throughout the 24 hours they monitored my blood pressure, took blood, and collected my urine. All of my tests came back normal, so after the 24 hours it was home to bed rest for me.
There isn't much I hate more than bed rest. I remember back when I was doing invitro I had to be on strict bed rest for 2 days. I think I'd rather give myself a shot! Luckily, this bed rest wasn't as strict and I was allowed to get up and walk around a bit. My mom was kind enough to fly out Sunday to be here to help. My aunt, Becky, drove her up and stayed for a couple of days. We had a great time hanging out and getting last minute things done in preparation for Charlie. We hoped that at my next doctor's appointment we'd be told that I'd be induced. Unfortunately, things didn't work out that way. I brought Rick along to this appointment (lesson learned) and he tried to strong arm the doctor into letting us meet Charlie sooner rather than later. But the only symptom I've had to support pre eclampsia is high blood pressure. Everything else looks fine, so there isn't really a case to induce. Good news (yay, I'm not really sick!) but bummer we don't get to meet Charlie this week and my mom flew out here without getting to meet her grandson. We did learn that our doctor won't let me go past 39 weeks (June 30th) so it looks like Charlie will be a June baby. I've got a week and a half to two weeks left of being pregnant (on bed rest) to look forward to. I still hate bed rest. Why is it that when you want to relax and read a book all day you never can but as soon as that's the only thing you can do it sounds like a vile proposition? I'm trying to relax and go with the flow. At this point I know my days of quiet solitude are numbered, so I should enjoy the peace and quiet and take it all in. It's hard to believe that in a couple of weeks Rick and I will be parents to our son! We are so excited and cannot wait to meet him. Family will be here on and off for the next few weeks which will be great. We are so lucky to have such loving and wonderful families. Charlie is going to be so loved!
Here is Charlie's nursery!
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| The baby pictures are all pics of family members. And the center empty frame will be for Charlie's newborn photo. |
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| Charlie already has an ipod...proof he is his father's son! |
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| 37 weeks pregnant |
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