Week 39 has been more eventful than I would have liked it to
been. I went in for my routine weekly
doctor checkup, 39 weeks 2 days. I
hadn’t been feeling very good overall and that morning in particularly I really
wasn’t feeling well, just hot and felt a bit shaky/uneasy. Nurse took my blood pressure as she normally
does. Then took it again and said it was
pretty high, 167/102 I think. Doctor
came in and took my blood pressure twice as well, checked my cervix (which was
closed), measured my tummy and told me we need to talk. I don’t know much about blood pressure, I’ve
always had normal blood pressure so I didn’t know how concerning 167/102 was
but when she said we needed to ‘talk’ panic was starting.
She checked my reflexes and said I was definitely
hypertensive. Then she told me they
found trace protein in my urine sample and all this points to signs of
preeclampsia. Which was not a foreign
term to me, I have read up on it and know that is not good at all. She told me I need to go to the hospital and
chances are I’ll be induced. That really
threw me for a loop because I was just coming in for my normal appt and had
intentions of heading into work from there.
Ya, I hadn’t been feeling well but just attributed it to my ‘norm’
feeling anymore. I asked her if I could
run home real quick before I went to the hospital and she told me absolutely
not. Then I started to sweat and really
freak out, why can’t I go home?! My
doctor is really concerned which made me go into major panic mode. I left and called Aaron and just started crying
because I was so overwhelmed. He headed
over to the hospital and as he was pulling in, I called him again and I told
him to go home and get the bags and this part is funny, I said and don’t forget
my mascara, lipstick and cell phone charger.
Of all things going thru my head, I made sure to mention that!
They got me checked in and hooked up for continuous
monitoring of the baby’s heartbeat, which by the way was completely perfect at
both the clinic and the duration I was at the hospital. As well as hooked up to have my blood
pressure automatically taken every 10 minutes.
My blood pressure was starting to drop but slowly. By the time Aaron got there, I was relaxed and
calmed down and had already had my blood work drawn. Aaron was all frantic and told him I’m fine
now and to relax. About an hour or so,
the nurse came in and told me my blood work is all coming back normal and my
blood pressure at this point came down into the 120s/80s, which is normal.
The doctor came in and told me that I do not have
preclampsia but I’m most likely developing it so he gave me a few options, be
induced now or else they could watch it closely and assess it again on
Monday. I didn’t understand why being
induced was even an option now since everything was good and his answer was there
is really no reason to wait, I’m 39 weeks, the baby is fully developed and
waiting much longer won’t be an option now since I’ve had this little episode. I told the doctor I have a real concern being
induced and increasing my chances for a c-section, especially before my due
date and he acknowledged that it does increase my chances but doesn’t mean I
will necessarily have one.
After talking it over with Aaron we decided the plan was to
wait. It had been such an overwhelming
morning already and the thought of being induced right that minute; I just
wasn’t ready for it. It’s like I want it over but want to put it
off at the same time. We decided that we
would monitor my blood pressure at home (we have a nifty little machine now)
and were given guidelines if I get a high reading. The doctor did say he doesn’t see anything
changing between now and Monday so I need to be mentally preparing myself for
my Monday appt that I could be induced Monday night with Cervidil and then
Tuesday morning I’ll probably be started on Pitocin.
I asked the doctor if I was making the right choice by
leaving and choosing not to induce that day.
It’s definitely not worth putting the baby or myself in harm. He said look, we wouldn’t let you leave if we
were that concerned. It’s totally fine
to wait at this point. And he goes, I can tell from talking to you that you just
aren’t ready and that is okay. Wheew! I wanted to say, no I’m not ready!! I have like 5 pages to read in my book on
getting baby’s to sleep and I have some pictures to put in her photo album yet!
Plus my husband forgot my mascara after
I specifically asked him to bring it so let's just call this a 'trial run'.
So we went home, called my boss and got my maternity leave
officially started and the remainder of the day my blood pressure remained
slightly elevated. The next morning, I
was fine and my readings since have been normal.
Arg! Totally not what
I was hoping for. I really wanted to
labor at home during the initial stages.
But my birth plan isn’t completely down the crapper, if this is the only
deviation from my birth plan, then I’ll be pretty happy overall.
So last week I was on ‘unofficial’ bed rest now I really am
on official bed rest. Remember last week
how I said my guess was Thursday and Aaron’s was Monday? Well we both had some sort of intuition. I had the option of being induced when this
episode happened (Thursday) and looks like it could be as soon as Monday night
that I’d be induced. Chances are she
won’t be born until late Tuesday or even Wednesday, which is nice because my
preferred doctor is on call Tuesday.
There is one doctor I really don’t want, if he comes in on Wednesday,
I’m crossing my legs and shaking my head no and keeping her in until Thursday!
So this may be my very last pregnancy journal posting. But who knows… on Monday they could tell me
well let’s just keep monitoring things closely.
But I’m going to be mentally prepared this time that I could be sent
straight over to the hospital from my appointment or else that night. Pray for me that it all goes well because I
am still pretty darn nervous about this whole labor and delivery process to
come.
Hope to have a birth announcement very soon!
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| 39.5 weeks really, not an ideal picture but cut me some slack, I'm on bed rest and was not going to do my makeup just for this picture |
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