Trip to Labor & Delivery #1

*"in real life" friends please keep the following confidential*

Wow, what a days it's been!  I woke up this morning not feeling well, my dr's words echoed in my head about calling him if I start getting head aches or just feel off.  I got ready and went to work and my head started to hurt more by this time I was feeling nauseated and cold but sweating.  Yep time to call, they had me come right in.  Oh boy, I called V "there is no pretty way to say this, I don't feel well so I called my dr and they want me to come in right away."  Thankfully V works only 3 blocks from me so I just picked him up on the way.  I could tell he was nervous but he did such a good job of being strong for me.  I love him so much but he usually takes cues from me, Jen freaks out=V freaks out but with all the crazy things we've been through during this pregnancy he really stepped up and has been my rock, I'm so thankful for that!

We arrive at Dr Wonderful's office about 10am, my blood pressure is up a little. Ut oh.  My weight isn't up but I'm apparently "hyper-reflexive" (which I only learned later can be a sign of swelling on the brain).  Since my head was still hurting he decided to send me to Labor and Delivery to have some tests run, namely: a Non-Stress Test, Blood tests and Urine Tests as well as continual Blood Pressure monitoring.

For more info on a Non-Stress test go HERE. I spent a good three hours hooked up every which way (it felt like).  I was to push a button every time little guy moved to see if his heart was accelerating the way it should which I did, meanwhile my blood pressure was being taken every 15 minutes.  We learned I was having mild contractions!  I had no idea!  (My nurse said this wasn't abnormal.)  We had a great nurse, Linda, who was pretty straight forward and funny!  Thank goodness for her!  After I'd say a half hour she came in and said "ok he is having accelerations but they aren't big enough for this town." Translation, he's not passing the test, gulp.  I was asked, er told, to chug some ice water.  During this time I had blood drawn and a little later I would have a second urine test.  I tried hard not to stare at the machine watching his heart rate change (and contractions occur, ek!)  At least it was a lovely spring day and we could see out side.  V and I talked and laughed, God I love that man he can truly make me laugh no matter what is going on!

After what felt like a lifetime (reality was it was about 3 hours) Linda came back in and said his heart rate changes were looking beautiful but my blood platelet numbers were lower than they'd like.  She had called Dr Wonderful and he would be over shortly.  (Thankfully his office is just across the parking lot).  Linda had also ordered me lunch, yay!  I won't lie I was so hungry by this time, I don't care if it is hospital food, I'll take it!  Soon Dr Wonderful arrived and said that not a whole lot made sense really.  My blood pressure is good, little guy's heart rate changes were good, but my platelet's are low and I'm hyper-reflexive with a continued headache and excessive swelling in my feet (my face is also rather swollen).  He gave me a laundry list of things to look for and asked me to head home and rest and to follow up with him next week (I already have an appt set for Tues).  I know I've said this a billion and one times but I really adore my Dr, I can tell he genuinely cares about my health and my baby's, this isn't just a job for him.  It's really refreshing especially considering he's been doing this about as long as I've been alive!

So there we are, my symptoms are mixed and honestly confusing.  But what matters is little guy is ok and still baking!  Only about 2.5 weeks and we'll be full term, until then I really hope he can just bake away!  If you have room for us in your thoughts and prayers that would mean so much to us.