About 2 weeks ago I was given rest and relaxation orders. Now to many this sounds great! However, my rest and relaxation orders were given due to our little boy trying to make an early entrance into this world. :) I guess he's getting as excited to meet us as we are of him! :) We had to remind him, though, that he needs a little more time cooking! :) It took some convincing too . . .
Wednesday, July 27th, I woke up feeling very crampy. Now I've felt this way before, but it usually goes away quickly enough. This time it didn't. So after having cramping for about 3 hours (I had had some the night before as well) I decided to call my OB's office. I figured they would tell me it's nothing, probably Braxton Hicks or something like that. Nope. They wanted me to go to the hospital to be monitored and checked out. Yay. :/ So I finished feeding Reese her lunch, ran her over to my sister's house (whose husband was very kind to watch her along with his four) and then met my husband at the hospital. They got me situated pretty quickly and hooked up to the fetal monitors. After a little while they told me that I was in deed having actual contractions and that they were going to start giving me turbo (I don't know how to spell the full word). I got a shot about every hour (up to 3 shots). The first shot actually did stop them for a little bit. The next 2 did nothing. Bummer. And unfortunately after going through all of that, it turned out that I had actually dilated - so I was admitted to the hospital and was going to receive magnesium in an effort to try to stop the contractions. Not what I wanted to hear, but if it stopped the contractions and kept little man safe then it was worth it.
I ended up receiving fluids, plus magnesium, plus antibiotics. I was also given 2 shots of steroids that would help speed up little man's lung maturation (just in case he did come early - I was only 32 weeks at this point). Thankfully after receiving the magnesium for about 2 days my contractions actually stopped (for the most part - I still had a few, but nothing like when I arrived on Wednesday) and I was able to start taking procardia (a pill that's supposed to relax the uterus and prevent contractions). It was a relief to know that things had been halted - thankfully I hadn't dilated any more over the course of those 2 days. After being monitored for another day or two I was able to go home - with strict instructions to be on bed rest.
My parents actually left for FL the Wednesday night I was admitted and made it to the hospital mid morning on that Thursday. It was so nice to see them and have them here! My dad has since gone back home, but my mom has stayed to help out. I am so thankful for her being here!! Because she's here, Reese has been able to be at home with us and even though I can't pick her up or play with her, I at least get to see her and talk with her every day. How much I would miss that if my mom weren't here! I am also thankful for my in-laws who will watch Reese in a heartbeat - they actually kept her during my time in the hospital and for a couple days after I got home. Frank and I are extremely blessed with family who take such good care of us!!! I don't know what we'd do without them!!
Anyway, that's my exciting story! Lord willing, little man will stay put until I'm at least 35 (I say at least, but we're praying for him to make it to 36 or 37 weeks) weeks. That's how long I'll be on the medication, so we'll see how it goes after they take me off. :) I appreciate everyone's prayers!!!! :)
