After spending an entire summer in Children's hospital many of the nurses, doctors, volunteers and employees became like family! Although I am glad to be gone they will be missed because they made the scariest and trying times in my life bearable.
On May 11
th I went to see Dr. Schultz and had mild cramping. Many of you know I had surgery on my ovaries right before I found out that I was pregnant so after an exam and ultrasound everything looked fine minus a small cyst nothing that would cause any major problems. I had just entered my 2
nd trimester and was feeling better less tired , less vomiting..the usual pregnancy
May 17
th while at work I started have severe stomach pain but kind of thought I was getting sick nothing pregnancy related. At lunch time I told Stephanie I was running to urgent care but that I would be back I didn't want to get dehydrated.....I would soon eat those words.
After arriving at Unity they checked my vitals and I started to get the feeling something was not right they quickly sent me to the OB department not the ER.....at 22 weeks and 3 days I was terrified. At this point I tried to stay calm stress is a factor and can cause stress on your baby. The nurse reassured me that it was probably fine, then she hooked me up to a monitor........and immediately checked me and informed me that I was dilated to a 1. They hooked me up to an IV and gave me 2 doses of
turb to stop my contractions, they stopped and I was sent to
OU.
OU...after getting checked in I was sent to an urgent care room where they gave me fluids and reminded me that if I went into labor my daughter was not viable. I was dehydrated but at this point I had been throwing my guts up so that didn't surprise me then they noticed I needed potassium. At this point they checked me again and my contractions stopped they brought a machine they call R2D2 an older sonogram machine checked my cervix and thought that everything had stopped. She almost released me to go home but then I started vomiting everywhere. So then they admitted me for observation.
May 18
th.................they next morning the first person I see is Mary the first nurse to be on Megan watch 2010. I can tell you that this day was the scariest of all 45 and she helped me through it. After a cervical check you know it is not good when they say the doctor will be in soon, and a team of white coats come in. We find out that dilated to a one is accurate but my cervical length was not there I am not sure exact length but it was not there under a cm. Basically getting to 24 weeks (viability) was going to be a challenge. After they left I contracted again and went to a 1-2. This point is when I broke down and Mary let me cry but stayed so calm and comforting that it helped in a way no one could have at that moment.
I was given
Indomethacin to try to calm contractions and prayed.
Plan of attack: Usually you wouldn't be admitted at 22 and 4 but well I was. Bed rest in a hospital until delivery. Most short cervix patients would get a
cerclage but at this point it was thought it would not do much good. So progesterone suppositories were an attempt to keep her in at least until 24 weeks and 48 hours to get steroids. This is also when I meet Dr.
Dorsett you will here more about her in a moment.
ps.. at this point I was in a creepy room that was dreary, next day Mary gets me moved to my official room
Week 1-3 : nothing no contractions :) we get our first round of
steroids courtesy of Lesley !
At this point we have a doctor act as if I may need to go home...Dr
Dorsett assures me this is not the case
Week 4(our first scare) just 25 weeks I get a familiar cramp....I call my nurse , Jennifer was on that day and tell her she throws me on the monitor and there was the contractions right on the screen. she comes in with the IV and Dr.
Dorsett I am dilated to at least a 3 then the bleeding comes. Now I am a 4 so over to labor and delivery I go and
magnesium is started. After 24 hours the contractions are gone :) and I am sent back to my regular room!
Week 5- Scare 2 now I am 26 weeks but like 80% effaced. The day started normal Jeremy and I were watching a movie courtesy of Miss Jessica :) I fell asleep and woke up and felt something I thought my water broke but it actually was a bleed starting. I call Lori who is my nurse that day. This was probably one of the more terrifying scares because when I am checked they say they can feel her head and I am now a 5 rushed to labor again. we get a second round of steroids and my contractions stopped so back to my room.
Week 6 : I start bleeding again and am rushed over dilated to a seven..This time they don't let me go back to my room they keep me in labor until P is here.
Week 7: p is coming. after dilating over several days July 2nd they said it was time to break my water. hearing her cry was the most amazing sound in the world!