Friday, September 27, 2013
Pic of the day: 32 Weeks
Time for a belly update! Here I am at 32 weeks with twins. I expected I'd look bigger but the bump really does wrap around my belly towards my back more than sticking out in front.
Thursday, September 26, 2013
32 Weeks...we made it!
Wowee! We've made it to the 32 week mark. I can tell you, when I was admitted to the hospital at 27w5d, I did not think we would make it this far. This was my goal week and we are here. Now I'm aiming for 34 weeks and I have a good chance of making it, I think. After 34 weeks, I'd feel pretty relaxed for the babies to come at any point in time. I know if they came now, we still could have a bit of an NICU stay, but a couple more weeks would make that stay substantially shorter.
This week was pretty uneventful (which I do think I am saying a lot these days). I think I had a swing of hormones combined with the realization of being in the hospital for 4 weeks, and that brought my mood down for a few days. The other day I didn't really get out of bed till 2pm and I just felt very depressed. I've also been way more tired again, and I read that could be due to a surge in progesterone around this point in time. It's hard to motivate myself to do much of anything... I really just could lay around in bed all day. I try not to, because that doesn't necessarily help my mood. Even if I get some knitting done, or read a book, or make a blog post, I feel like I am accomplishing something. It makes me worried that I am going to be useless when I do leave the hospital because I feel so comfortable being lazy right now (and yet I don't like it at the same time too).
Physically, I am more and more sore each day. Those ligaments are stretched to the max and every move I make hurts. Sleeping at night is tough, and rolling over is just painful. I can't sleep in any position longer than an hour, which is why I am probably so tired (restless sleep). I have quite the collection of stretch marks around the sides of my belly and now starting down my inner thigh (who knew?). My hips, rump and upper thighs feel HUGE! I think that is going to be the hardest weight to lose. Fortunately, I don't have any other swelling in my ankles or face just yet. I almost don't think I've gained a pound in my face at all.
I think I am having more braxton hicks contractions lately. It's a weird sensation, almost as if a wave moves through my belly like a ballooon blowing up and then subsides. The babies are somewhat active, but not too crazy. It's just like a roley poley kind of movement. They are crowding towards the outside of my belly, though, and there have been multiple times I have felt specific body parts (usually I'm guessing, but I'm sure I've felt a hand, a bum, and a foot). And Baby B still gets the hiccups every day.
That's about all I can think of right now. I'm still waiting to hear when I will be transferred to the hospital closer to our home. I'm occupying myself with reading (a novel series, and a book on infant brain development), watching downloaded TV shows (Scrubs, and now the fall series that are beginning - Modern Family, New Girl, The Mindy Project), and knitting (finished my preemie toques and baby legs for my niece, and am working on a neck cowl for myself and considering starting a baby sweater). We've had sun this week that is supposed to turn to rain so I've been outside almost every day too, which is just lovely!
Happy 32 weeks!!!
This week was pretty uneventful (which I do think I am saying a lot these days). I think I had a swing of hormones combined with the realization of being in the hospital for 4 weeks, and that brought my mood down for a few days. The other day I didn't really get out of bed till 2pm and I just felt very depressed. I've also been way more tired again, and I read that could be due to a surge in progesterone around this point in time. It's hard to motivate myself to do much of anything... I really just could lay around in bed all day. I try not to, because that doesn't necessarily help my mood. Even if I get some knitting done, or read a book, or make a blog post, I feel like I am accomplishing something. It makes me worried that I am going to be useless when I do leave the hospital because I feel so comfortable being lazy right now (and yet I don't like it at the same time too).
Physically, I am more and more sore each day. Those ligaments are stretched to the max and every move I make hurts. Sleeping at night is tough, and rolling over is just painful. I can't sleep in any position longer than an hour, which is why I am probably so tired (restless sleep). I have quite the collection of stretch marks around the sides of my belly and now starting down my inner thigh (who knew?). My hips, rump and upper thighs feel HUGE! I think that is going to be the hardest weight to lose. Fortunately, I don't have any other swelling in my ankles or face just yet. I almost don't think I've gained a pound in my face at all.
I think I am having more braxton hicks contractions lately. It's a weird sensation, almost as if a wave moves through my belly like a ballooon blowing up and then subsides. The babies are somewhat active, but not too crazy. It's just like a roley poley kind of movement. They are crowding towards the outside of my belly, though, and there have been multiple times I have felt specific body parts (usually I'm guessing, but I'm sure I've felt a hand, a bum, and a foot). And Baby B still gets the hiccups every day.
That's about all I can think of right now. I'm still waiting to hear when I will be transferred to the hospital closer to our home. I'm occupying myself with reading (a novel series, and a book on infant brain development), watching downloaded TV shows (Scrubs, and now the fall series that are beginning - Modern Family, New Girl, The Mindy Project), and knitting (finished my preemie toques and baby legs for my niece, and am working on a neck cowl for myself and considering starting a baby sweater). We've had sun this week that is supposed to turn to rain so I've been outside almost every day too, which is just lovely!
Happy 32 weeks!!!
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Hospital time count: Four weeks
Four weeks. That is how long I have been in the hospital. Four...long...weeks.
Which makes my total time on "bed rest" 10 weeks. That's almost a whole trimester spent just on bed rest. Wow. And there still is another month to go before I could potentially go home, unless these babies arrive before then.
I must say, this is not how I expected pregnancy to be, even with twins. I also can't honestly say I have enjoyed pregnancy. The physical part of being pregnant has been fine, but all this other stuff has definitely brought me down. In some ways, it has taken out the joy of being pregnant that I so looked forward to. Throughout our battle with infertility, one of the things I longed for was to experience what it was like to be pregnant. I didn't just want to end up with a baby, I wanted to be pregnant, to give birth, to go through all those bits and pieces. I guess I feel like this experience has stripped me of a lot of those moments. Don't get me wrong, the end result will be more than worth it. The thought of meeting these babies is the only thing getting me through! It's just disappointing that it can't have been more fun all along.
Which makes my total time on "bed rest" 10 weeks. That's almost a whole trimester spent just on bed rest. Wow. And there still is another month to go before I could potentially go home, unless these babies arrive before then.
I must say, this is not how I expected pregnancy to be, even with twins. I also can't honestly say I have enjoyed pregnancy. The physical part of being pregnant has been fine, but all this other stuff has definitely brought me down. In some ways, it has taken out the joy of being pregnant that I so looked forward to. Throughout our battle with infertility, one of the things I longed for was to experience what it was like to be pregnant. I didn't just want to end up with a baby, I wanted to be pregnant, to give birth, to go through all those bits and pieces. I guess I feel like this experience has stripped me of a lot of those moments. Don't get me wrong, the end result will be more than worth it. The thought of meeting these babies is the only thing getting me through! It's just disappointing that it can't have been more fun all along.
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Sneak Peek
Yesterday DH and my dad finally hung the wallpaper in the nursery! The walls are painted (the pic makes it look more blue than it actually is...it is supposed to be soft grey), the cribs are ready to go and it's time for the rest of the touches to prepare the room. Did I mention that a bunch of my girl friends are coming over to set up the nursery for me? (Most of them are moms already, which will be so helpful). I love it so far and I can't wait to see it done!
Here's a sneak peek:
Monday, September 23, 2013
Having a day
I'm having a day today.
P.S. This is NOT the dinner my SIL brought, but a sample of what I could expect from hospital dinner tonight.
I am sore and uncomfortable and don't want to be pregnant anymore, but it's too early for these babies to come.
I am sick and bored of being in the hospital, but I know it's the best place for my babies.
I am hungry, but so sick of the hospital food and can't eat what I'm craving anyways due to gestational diabetes.
I want to go home, but I am worried of the risks of going into pre-term labour and the possibility of having my babies via c-section, only to have them flown to the nearest big hospital while I stay to recover.
There are just no win-win scenarios right now.
Biding my time, one day at a time.
Hopefully the dinner my sister-in-law is bringing to me tonight will cheer me up some.
Saturday, September 21, 2013
What Blogging Means to Me
I decided to join the PAIL list of bloggers. PAIL stands for Parenting Adoption Infertility & Loss. Besides categorizing different blogs, the site offerrs a monthly topic to ponder and write about. As I've read a few other bloggers, it has sparked me to look at how and why I blog.
I have been blogging about the topic of infertility for close to 3 years. When I first started my blog, DH and I had been TTC for 4 years on our own. We had just finally reached out for help and were put on a waitlist to see a fertility specialist,while we initated testing with our OB. I wrote in my very first post that, "I decided it might help if I were better able to process some of the feelings and thoughts running through me." This blog became that outlet. At that point, there were very few people who knew of the struggle we were going through. I blogged somewhat anonymously, and have only shared this space with a couple very close friends. I have often wondered about going "public" with these thoughts, but I feel there are many posts I would like to censor and, frankly, I don't have the time to go through all 394 posts. Having said that, I have wrestled with the question of what if someone I knew were to come across this blog and make the connection (I really don't hide my identity that well). I concluded that if anyone I knew were to come across this blog and actually be interested in what it had to say, then I hope it would be of some value to them. Sure, there are posts I might be slightly embarrassed about, but I feel like the people I know would be sensitive enough not to make it a big deal.
Anyways, back to the topic at hand... I can't emphasize how important it has been for me to write throughout this journey. As you may be able to tell (if you've read any of my blog), I am a verbal processor. But infertility is sometimes difficult to verbalize directly to someone else. I found that sitting down and writing allowed me to sort out my thoughts enough to then reach out to the supportive people around me with how I was feeling. It also provided me with a community where others could support and encourage me and where I could read stories of others who have been through similar experiences. I don't think I would have made it this far without those stories. This is the other reason I blog (and have continued to, even while pregnant). I want to show others that there IS hope. I want to help others see that they are not alone in their struggle. I want to provide a place where people struggling with infertility can gain information, learn what works and what doesn't, and feel accepted by strangers they don't even know.
When I became pregnant, and realized the babies were going to stick around, I wrestled with whether to blog about pregnancy or not. I decided to keep blogging because I personally found it valuable to read of other bloggers who struggled with infertility and then became pregnant. Pregnancy after infertility is a whole different ball game than pregnancy without infertility. And, as we all know, pregnancy does not resolve infertility. There still are struggles I have as I await the birth of these precious little ones. After they are born, I do plan to continue blogging about infertility, but also about parenting. I do not want to overwhelm my blog with babies, but I want to touch on the aspects that I think others will find helpful. Plus, I have made quite a few "friends" through the blog community and, of course, I want to share my joy with them. The question of sensitivity to those who are "still in the trenches" has been raised, and I do understand it. When I first started blogging I remember going through the blogroll, looking for other bloggers with whom I could relate. So many of the blogs I visited were new parents, were expecting, or only blogged about their kids. It was frustrating! And yet, it was hopeful at the same time. I knew that if they had done it, there was still a chance we could too. I resolved this (as best as I could), by making sure my blog specifies that it is both about parenting AND infertility. If people don't want to read it, I am not offended in the least. For me, my blog has always been foremost for me. I don't blog for recognition. I don't blog to make money. I blog to give my thoughts a space of their own. I could blog privately, but I know that what I have to say might benefit others. So I put myself out there. And that is why I blog.
I have been blogging about the topic of infertility for close to 3 years. When I first started my blog, DH and I had been TTC for 4 years on our own. We had just finally reached out for help and were put on a waitlist to see a fertility specialist,while we initated testing with our OB. I wrote in my very first post that, "I decided it might help if I were better able to process some of the feelings and thoughts running through me." This blog became that outlet. At that point, there were very few people who knew of the struggle we were going through. I blogged somewhat anonymously, and have only shared this space with a couple very close friends. I have often wondered about going "public" with these thoughts, but I feel there are many posts I would like to censor and, frankly, I don't have the time to go through all 394 posts. Having said that, I have wrestled with the question of what if someone I knew were to come across this blog and make the connection (I really don't hide my identity that well). I concluded that if anyone I knew were to come across this blog and actually be interested in what it had to say, then I hope it would be of some value to them. Sure, there are posts I might be slightly embarrassed about, but I feel like the people I know would be sensitive enough not to make it a big deal.
Anyways, back to the topic at hand... I can't emphasize how important it has been for me to write throughout this journey. As you may be able to tell (if you've read any of my blog), I am a verbal processor. But infertility is sometimes difficult to verbalize directly to someone else. I found that sitting down and writing allowed me to sort out my thoughts enough to then reach out to the supportive people around me with how I was feeling. It also provided me with a community where others could support and encourage me and where I could read stories of others who have been through similar experiences. I don't think I would have made it this far without those stories. This is the other reason I blog (and have continued to, even while pregnant). I want to show others that there IS hope. I want to help others see that they are not alone in their struggle. I want to provide a place where people struggling with infertility can gain information, learn what works and what doesn't, and feel accepted by strangers they don't even know.
When I became pregnant, and realized the babies were going to stick around, I wrestled with whether to blog about pregnancy or not. I decided to keep blogging because I personally found it valuable to read of other bloggers who struggled with infertility and then became pregnant. Pregnancy after infertility is a whole different ball game than pregnancy without infertility. And, as we all know, pregnancy does not resolve infertility. There still are struggles I have as I await the birth of these precious little ones. After they are born, I do plan to continue blogging about infertility, but also about parenting. I do not want to overwhelm my blog with babies, but I want to touch on the aspects that I think others will find helpful. Plus, I have made quite a few "friends" through the blog community and, of course, I want to share my joy with them. The question of sensitivity to those who are "still in the trenches" has been raised, and I do understand it. When I first started blogging I remember going through the blogroll, looking for other bloggers with whom I could relate. So many of the blogs I visited were new parents, were expecting, or only blogged about their kids. It was frustrating! And yet, it was hopeful at the same time. I knew that if they had done it, there was still a chance we could too. I resolved this (as best as I could), by making sure my blog specifies that it is both about parenting AND infertility. If people don't want to read it, I am not offended in the least. For me, my blog has always been foremost for me. I don't blog for recognition. I don't blog to make money. I blog to give my thoughts a space of their own. I could blog privately, but I know that what I have to say might benefit others. So I put myself out there. And that is why I blog.
Friday, September 20, 2013
Roller Coaster Day
(I'll start by saying the babies are fine and this is about my emotional upheaval, not the birth of these babies, just in case you were wondering).
Well today was a day of all sorts of emotions! Shock, excitement, sadness, disbelief. Let me start at the beginning. I woke up and the day began like any other. For some reason (I'm blaming the full moon), I had insomnia last night so I was pretty groggy this morning. I lazed around a bit until the resident and OB came in together to speak to me. Completely out of the blue, they announced that they were hoping to send me home today. What the what?!? The OB explained that I have remained stable, haven't had any bleeding or contractions, do not have risk of placenta previa, and that there is no real reason I need hospital care at this point in time. Basically, my pregnancy at this point is just the same as a regular pregnancy, with some fluctuations with my cervix that require bed rest, which I could be doing at home. However, they wanted to do another ultrasound to check the growth of these babes and wait for my blood work to come back. DH and I were in complete shock!
A little while later I went for my ultrasound. The technician was not sure if she was supposed to check my cervix (internal) but I asked her to. She went to check with a radiologist but he was at lunch so she decided to do the internal anyways, just in case. The growth scan appeared fine from what I could tell, but as soon as she looked at my cervix I could tell it was different than last time (when it was over 3cm). She took a lot of pictures from various angles and went to check with the radiologist. But she would not give me any details. I had a feeling it was not good news.
All afternoon we waited for the results. The nurses kept popping in, all optimistic that I would be leaving in a few hours. So I packed and organized some of my stuff, just in case, but didn't put everything away. I was still in a state of shock, but that shock started to mingle with excitement. The possibility of going home had such a draw. I could sleep in my own bed, eat my own food and, best of all, see my sweet pup! I tried not to get my hopes up, but it was impossible not to. After all, I agreed with the doctor that the main "risk" for me being here has passed and that a lot of the monitoring they are doing is actually unnecessary. As the day went on, I allowed myself to succumb to the excitement of going home.
Finally, at about 4:00 the doctor came in with a sheepish look on her face... And she announced that she could not let me go home. As soon as I saw her I knew what she was going to say, but it still felt like a blow. Apparently my cervix has shortened to 1cm. She said I have a "dynamic" cervix, which means that the clot messed around with it and now it is fluctuating between being long, and shortening. This still puts me at high risk for pre-term labour so they can't let me go home. The plan still is to make it to 32 weeks, and then I should be moved to the closer hospital.
This morning I woke up fine with staying another week. Now, at the end of the day, I want to go home more than ever. I thought this week was going to be easy to get through but now it seems like a huge mountain to overcome. I cried some tears of disappointment, though I do understand the decision and think it is for the best. Can you just say toying with a pregnant lady's emotions???
The news on the babies was great. They are BIG! Baby A is smaller (though right on target for gestational age) at about 3lb, 8oz. Baby B is much bigger at about 4lb, 6oz! Baby B is almost a whole pound bigger than Baby A, and apparently has a much bigger head. This means that we are almost certainly looking at a c-section, because it is likely this trend will continue as they grow bigger (and since Baby A will come out first, the birth canal won't be big enough to accommodate Baby B, which would result in one being delivered vaginally, and one as a c-section... Not ideal). In some ways, this is good news to hear. I was feeling anxious about deciding whether to deliver vaginally, or have an elective c-section. This way the decision is made for me. So, that was the drama of the day. Not something I want to go through again. Though, if anything, I told DH that this could be good preparation in case our kids are in the NICU. From what I hear it is a roller coaster similar to this. Still, it was just a frustrating way to spend the day.
Well today was a day of all sorts of emotions! Shock, excitement, sadness, disbelief. Let me start at the beginning. I woke up and the day began like any other. For some reason (I'm blaming the full moon), I had insomnia last night so I was pretty groggy this morning. I lazed around a bit until the resident and OB came in together to speak to me. Completely out of the blue, they announced that they were hoping to send me home today. What the what?!? The OB explained that I have remained stable, haven't had any bleeding or contractions, do not have risk of placenta previa, and that there is no real reason I need hospital care at this point in time. Basically, my pregnancy at this point is just the same as a regular pregnancy, with some fluctuations with my cervix that require bed rest, which I could be doing at home. However, they wanted to do another ultrasound to check the growth of these babes and wait for my blood work to come back. DH and I were in complete shock!
A little while later I went for my ultrasound. The technician was not sure if she was supposed to check my cervix (internal) but I asked her to. She went to check with a radiologist but he was at lunch so she decided to do the internal anyways, just in case. The growth scan appeared fine from what I could tell, but as soon as she looked at my cervix I could tell it was different than last time (when it was over 3cm). She took a lot of pictures from various angles and went to check with the radiologist. But she would not give me any details. I had a feeling it was not good news.
All afternoon we waited for the results. The nurses kept popping in, all optimistic that I would be leaving in a few hours. So I packed and organized some of my stuff, just in case, but didn't put everything away. I was still in a state of shock, but that shock started to mingle with excitement. The possibility of going home had such a draw. I could sleep in my own bed, eat my own food and, best of all, see my sweet pup! I tried not to get my hopes up, but it was impossible not to. After all, I agreed with the doctor that the main "risk" for me being here has passed and that a lot of the monitoring they are doing is actually unnecessary. As the day went on, I allowed myself to succumb to the excitement of going home.
Finally, at about 4:00 the doctor came in with a sheepish look on her face... And she announced that she could not let me go home. As soon as I saw her I knew what she was going to say, but it still felt like a blow. Apparently my cervix has shortened to 1cm. She said I have a "dynamic" cervix, which means that the clot messed around with it and now it is fluctuating between being long, and shortening. This still puts me at high risk for pre-term labour so they can't let me go home. The plan still is to make it to 32 weeks, and then I should be moved to the closer hospital.
This morning I woke up fine with staying another week. Now, at the end of the day, I want to go home more than ever. I thought this week was going to be easy to get through but now it seems like a huge mountain to overcome. I cried some tears of disappointment, though I do understand the decision and think it is for the best. Can you just say toying with a pregnant lady's emotions???
The news on the babies was great. They are BIG! Baby A is smaller (though right on target for gestational age) at about 3lb, 8oz. Baby B is much bigger at about 4lb, 6oz! Baby B is almost a whole pound bigger than Baby A, and apparently has a much bigger head. This means that we are almost certainly looking at a c-section, because it is likely this trend will continue as they grow bigger (and since Baby A will come out first, the birth canal won't be big enough to accommodate Baby B, which would result in one being delivered vaginally, and one as a c-section... Not ideal). In some ways, this is good news to hear. I was feeling anxious about deciding whether to deliver vaginally, or have an elective c-section. This way the decision is made for me. So, that was the drama of the day. Not something I want to go through again. Though, if anything, I told DH that this could be good preparation in case our kids are in the NICU. From what I hear it is a roller coaster similar to this. Still, it was just a frustrating way to spend the day.
31 Weeks
31 Weeks!
As you can probably tell, I am finding blogging to be a great outlet for me as I spend my time in the hospital. I don't actually have WIFI, so I can't spend a ton of time online as I have to link to my phone data. But just writing about what is going on helps me to keep track of my time here so that the days do not become a blur, and really helps me to process my thoughts. I don't think I mentioned it, but my platelets went up again (into the 90s). The doctor said they are not worried but will keep monitoring them. If they all of a sudden kept going down, that would be more worrisome. Since my mom and my sister had low platelets in pregnancy, I'm not going to worry about it any more at this point in time.
31 weeks today! One more week left until I am transferred to a hospital that is closer to home. I am looking forward to the change and hoping that will make things easier on DH (it's a 1-hour drive instead of 3-hours). So here's the update on how things are going.
Mood: I think those 3rd trimester hormones have finally decided to show up. I do have at least one meltdown per day, and I break into tears for all sorts of random reasons. I have not been very grumpy or anxious lately. The biggest anxiety I have is about how these babies are going to come into this world. As much as I say I would love to deliver these babies through labour, it also freaks me out! A c-section seems like it would be much less difficult, though I am also scared of going through surgery (I have never had any surgeries ever).
Food: I'm still managing to eat 3 meals and 3 snacks a day. I am controlling my blood sugars with diet. I'm glad that is going well, but boy do I miss my sweet treats! Breakfast and lunch are usually palapable, but I really have to choke down my dinners here at the hospital. I'm just not hungry at 5pm, and the choices are never foods that I want to eat, and we don't have the money for DH to buy me dinner every night. I know that I need to eat, though, or I will be hungry all night long, and I just can't go to sleep if I am hungry. I have been ending my day with a yummy cup of greek yogurt and granola and that has been the highlight of my day. I'm also drinking Perrier with lime for something different than water, as I can't drink my juice or slurpees anymore.
Body: Overall, I must say that I've been quite lucky when it comes to other bodily symptoms of pregnancy (knock on wood). The worst thing right now is the ligament pain. Any time I make a movement it feels like I am being stretched and pulled at all sorts of angles. I pretty much have to hold my belly up to walk anywhere. I was just measured this morning and my belly is measuring at 37 weeks (!) and I have gained about 32lbs. I'm pretty happy with that. I feel big, but I don't feel too big. Give me 6 more weeks and I'll tell you how I feel (the babies are supposed to go into a growth spurt this week - yikes!). Still have quite a few stretch marks around the sides of my waist, and maybe going down my inner thighs. I tell you, my body is doing its job to spread out these hips nice and wide for these babies. At night it is hard to find a comfortable position. If I lie on my side, I usually wake up and it feels like everything in my belly has shifted to that side and it is so heavy and painful to move. So I'm kind of sleeping on my back, propped up in the hospital bed, with pillows wedged under my hips. I look forward to being able to sleep comfortably in my own bed again! I haven't had much more nausea. Occasionally I have some heartburn, but again, lucky it has not been worse so far. The nurses keep asking me if I've had any contractions but I still find it hard to tell. Sometimes the monitor shows contractions that I don't feel. Other times I feel something but it must just be a baby moving because nothing shows up on the monitor. I do get a fair amount of tightenings and sometimes my belly just feels hard for quite a while.
Sleep: Once again, I am surprised at how well I am sleeping. I have been going to bed at 10:30, waking up at 2:00 to pee, and usually sleeping through till 7:30, unless there is some noise or something that wakes me up to pee around 4:30. Also I usually take an hour nap in the afternoon and sometimes doze in the morning. If only this sleep could be banked up for future days...
Movement: The movement at this stage is not exactly what I expected it to be. I don't get many random pokes and prods from the babies, but rather a rolling motion of movement through my whole belly. It still never gets old! I've tried to capture it on camera, but it is too unpredictable. Baby B still is the one I feel more frequently. B is the one with the faster heartbeat who always wants to be in the spotlight. Baby A actually moves around more frequently in scans, but I just don't feel it as much. A tries to evade the doppler and the scans as much as possible. A is our little camera-shy one.
Notable Moments: Not a lot stands out from this week. Though I guess I did have a lot to say since this post is so long. Thanks for sticking with me! Next week will be a big celebratory post and we'll carry on from there!
As you can probably tell, I am finding blogging to be a great outlet for me as I spend my time in the hospital. I don't actually have WIFI, so I can't spend a ton of time online as I have to link to my phone data. But just writing about what is going on helps me to keep track of my time here so that the days do not become a blur, and really helps me to process my thoughts. I don't think I mentioned it, but my platelets went up again (into the 90s). The doctor said they are not worried but will keep monitoring them. If they all of a sudden kept going down, that would be more worrisome. Since my mom and my sister had low platelets in pregnancy, I'm not going to worry about it any more at this point in time.
31 weeks today! One more week left until I am transferred to a hospital that is closer to home. I am looking forward to the change and hoping that will make things easier on DH (it's a 1-hour drive instead of 3-hours). So here's the update on how things are going.
Mood: I think those 3rd trimester hormones have finally decided to show up. I do have at least one meltdown per day, and I break into tears for all sorts of random reasons. I have not been very grumpy or anxious lately. The biggest anxiety I have is about how these babies are going to come into this world. As much as I say I would love to deliver these babies through labour, it also freaks me out! A c-section seems like it would be much less difficult, though I am also scared of going through surgery (I have never had any surgeries ever).
Food: I'm still managing to eat 3 meals and 3 snacks a day. I am controlling my blood sugars with diet. I'm glad that is going well, but boy do I miss my sweet treats! Breakfast and lunch are usually palapable, but I really have to choke down my dinners here at the hospital. I'm just not hungry at 5pm, and the choices are never foods that I want to eat, and we don't have the money for DH to buy me dinner every night. I know that I need to eat, though, or I will be hungry all night long, and I just can't go to sleep if I am hungry. I have been ending my day with a yummy cup of greek yogurt and granola and that has been the highlight of my day. I'm also drinking Perrier with lime for something different than water, as I can't drink my juice or slurpees anymore.
Body: Overall, I must say that I've been quite lucky when it comes to other bodily symptoms of pregnancy (knock on wood). The worst thing right now is the ligament pain. Any time I make a movement it feels like I am being stretched and pulled at all sorts of angles. I pretty much have to hold my belly up to walk anywhere. I was just measured this morning and my belly is measuring at 37 weeks (!) and I have gained about 32lbs. I'm pretty happy with that. I feel big, but I don't feel too big. Give me 6 more weeks and I'll tell you how I feel (the babies are supposed to go into a growth spurt this week - yikes!). Still have quite a few stretch marks around the sides of my waist, and maybe going down my inner thighs. I tell you, my body is doing its job to spread out these hips nice and wide for these babies. At night it is hard to find a comfortable position. If I lie on my side, I usually wake up and it feels like everything in my belly has shifted to that side and it is so heavy and painful to move. So I'm kind of sleeping on my back, propped up in the hospital bed, with pillows wedged under my hips. I look forward to being able to sleep comfortably in my own bed again! I haven't had much more nausea. Occasionally I have some heartburn, but again, lucky it has not been worse so far. The nurses keep asking me if I've had any contractions but I still find it hard to tell. Sometimes the monitor shows contractions that I don't feel. Other times I feel something but it must just be a baby moving because nothing shows up on the monitor. I do get a fair amount of tightenings and sometimes my belly just feels hard for quite a while.
Sleep: Once again, I am surprised at how well I am sleeping. I have been going to bed at 10:30, waking up at 2:00 to pee, and usually sleeping through till 7:30, unless there is some noise or something that wakes me up to pee around 4:30. Also I usually take an hour nap in the afternoon and sometimes doze in the morning. If only this sleep could be banked up for future days...
Movement: The movement at this stage is not exactly what I expected it to be. I don't get many random pokes and prods from the babies, but rather a rolling motion of movement through my whole belly. It still never gets old! I've tried to capture it on camera, but it is too unpredictable. Baby B still is the one I feel more frequently. B is the one with the faster heartbeat who always wants to be in the spotlight. Baby A actually moves around more frequently in scans, but I just don't feel it as much. A tries to evade the doppler and the scans as much as possible. A is our little camera-shy one.
Notable Moments: Not a lot stands out from this week. Though I guess I did have a lot to say since this post is so long. Thanks for sticking with me! Next week will be a big celebratory post and we'll carry on from there!
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Visitors After Babies
Yesterday DH and I had an informative talk about handling family and visitors after the babies arrive. I say it was informative because I found out I had no idea how DH was feeling about it. It was really good to be able to talk it out and to hear his perspective.
It all started because his brother mentioned to me how he would like to fly his parents here for Christmas so that we can all be together as a family... At our home. It wouldn't actually be right at Christmas, but shortly after. I didn't engage him in the topic, but as soon as I could I spoke to DH about how I that thought overwhelmed me. This Christmas my entire family is coming "home." This includes my sister from Australia (with her husband and my niece), and my brother from Montana (and his wife and my niece and nephew). They are all planning to stay with my parents. It will be the first time we have all been together for Christmas in about 8 years, and there will be a total of 5 grandbabies under the age of 4. I am super excited! I like the arrangement because I know we can come and go as we need, but it will be nice to have them around.
So... The thought of having extra people around to divide our time with is not what I was hoping for. I also did not want to have anyone come stay with us, until at least 3 months after these babies arrive and we reach somewhat of a routine. I don't like the idea of people being around as I am learning to breastfeed (twins, at that), or when I am up multiple times in the night in my pajamas. However, DH feels differently. Of course he wants me to feel comfortable and taken care of, and he wants us to have some "alone" time before anyone comes, but he also feels like his parents will be left out of the fun. Since my parents live in the same town as us, they will get a lot of grandbaby time. For his parents, this is their first set of grandchildren. This is really special for them and he doesn't want that to be compromised.
I agree with him, although I am still hesitant about having people in our space. DH told me that I am a control freak about my environment... And it is true! I know it is. That is why being in the hospital has been such a stretch for me. I am sure I can suck it up for a few days and it will all work out. His mom is super helpful and I know that I would not feel any pressure to entertain. I just hope that we have enough time after getting these babies home to settle into things at least a bit before the craziness hits. DH did suggest that after we get home, we send a note to both of our parents saying that visits are fine, but that we want to spend the first week together just as a family of four, without too many people around and nobody staying overnight. I'm not even sure if that is what we will want at that point in time, but I love the idea of it now. He also wants us to plan to haul away to a cabin in Tofino in late January, just as our family. I think that sounds super idyllic, but the reality of it might be more than we can handle at that stage, haha. I guess we'll just have to see.
He is a gooder, and I appreciate knowing how he feels, even though it differs from me. Though this conversation caused me to shed some tears (but what doesn't cause me to cry these days?), I am glad we know how each other feels. I told DH that I would try to be fine with whatever, as long as he promised to have my back. To that he responded, "When do I not have your back?" And it's true. He is always there for me, always defending me, always supporting me. I don't know what I would do without him.
It all started because his brother mentioned to me how he would like to fly his parents here for Christmas so that we can all be together as a family... At our home. It wouldn't actually be right at Christmas, but shortly after. I didn't engage him in the topic, but as soon as I could I spoke to DH about how I that thought overwhelmed me. This Christmas my entire family is coming "home." This includes my sister from Australia (with her husband and my niece), and my brother from Montana (and his wife and my niece and nephew). They are all planning to stay with my parents. It will be the first time we have all been together for Christmas in about 8 years, and there will be a total of 5 grandbabies under the age of 4. I am super excited! I like the arrangement because I know we can come and go as we need, but it will be nice to have them around.
So... The thought of having extra people around to divide our time with is not what I was hoping for. I also did not want to have anyone come stay with us, until at least 3 months after these babies arrive and we reach somewhat of a routine. I don't like the idea of people being around as I am learning to breastfeed (twins, at that), or when I am up multiple times in the night in my pajamas. However, DH feels differently. Of course he wants me to feel comfortable and taken care of, and he wants us to have some "alone" time before anyone comes, but he also feels like his parents will be left out of the fun. Since my parents live in the same town as us, they will get a lot of grandbaby time. For his parents, this is their first set of grandchildren. This is really special for them and he doesn't want that to be compromised.
I agree with him, although I am still hesitant about having people in our space. DH told me that I am a control freak about my environment... And it is true! I know it is. That is why being in the hospital has been such a stretch for me. I am sure I can suck it up for a few days and it will all work out. His mom is super helpful and I know that I would not feel any pressure to entertain. I just hope that we have enough time after getting these babies home to settle into things at least a bit before the craziness hits. DH did suggest that after we get home, we send a note to both of our parents saying that visits are fine, but that we want to spend the first week together just as a family of four, without too many people around and nobody staying overnight. I'm not even sure if that is what we will want at that point in time, but I love the idea of it now. He also wants us to plan to haul away to a cabin in Tofino in late January, just as our family. I think that sounds super idyllic, but the reality of it might be more than we can handle at that stage, haha. I guess we'll just have to see.
He is a gooder, and I appreciate knowing how he feels, even though it differs from me. Though this conversation caused me to shed some tears (but what doesn't cause me to cry these days?), I am glad we know how each other feels. I told DH that I would try to be fine with whatever, as long as he promised to have my back. To that he responded, "When do I not have your back?" And it's true. He is always there for me, always defending me, always supporting me. I don't know what I would do without him.
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Low Platelets and High Glucose
I am starting to wonder what it would be like if I were not being so closely monitored by medical professionals. This is what my daily monitoring includes:
2x/day blood pressure checked
2x/day temperature taken
2x/day babies heartbeats listened to
2x/week NST
at least 3x/week blood drawn
daily meetings with the OB (usually the resident) and the family doctor
2x/day blood glucose monitoring
and multiple checkups on my bowel movements, cramping, contractions, or bleeding.
I don't know what I will do if I do get discharged early. However will my local OB keep up on all of this?!?
Today's discoveries included finding glucose spilled in my urine and a low platelet count. Hooray (NOT)! The glucose does not seem to be such a big deal so far. My blood glucose levels have all been in range, and the nurse thinks it was probably the Fruitlax jam I had with breakfast (my attempt to keep things "regular" without taking medication). The platelets is more of a big deal. I have had a history of low platelets, but so far mine have been in the range of 120 million, I believe. Today they dropped to 80 million, which puts me in the zone of concern. It is not the "critical" zone (I believe that is below 50), but is a concern if they keep dropping. The doctor described that some people develop what is called gestational thrombocytopenia, which is just low platelets due to pregnancy. Low platelets could also be due to a general condition (not pregnancy specific) called idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). They are not sure which condition I might have. For now, they are just monitoring my blood closely to see if the levels keep dropping (which is why I had a total of 3 blood draws today). I think the main risk is too much bleeding during/after labour or surgery, and most likely needing a c-section.
I started reading up more about ITP, but got scared, so I'm taking my husband's advice and remaining "ignorant" until the doctors become worried. I know that my mom and my sister both had low platelets in pregnancy too. My sister was fine. My mom lost a lot of blood during my brother's birth and needed a blood transfusion. That concerns me a bit, but at the end of the day, I want to trust these doctors and that they know what is best to take care of me. I just can't imagine if I were at home and these things were not caught... Again I feel like I am in the right place (as tough as is it at times).
For a picture for today, here is how DH and I spent most of the afternoon (with a nap halfway through the game...and p.s. I won). It is so nice to have someone around to keep me company!
2x/day blood pressure checked
2x/day temperature taken
2x/day babies heartbeats listened to
2x/week NST
at least 3x/week blood drawn
daily meetings with the OB (usually the resident) and the family doctor
2x/day blood glucose monitoring
and multiple checkups on my bowel movements, cramping, contractions, or bleeding.
I don't know what I will do if I do get discharged early. However will my local OB keep up on all of this?!?
Today's discoveries included finding glucose spilled in my urine and a low platelet count. Hooray (NOT)! The glucose does not seem to be such a big deal so far. My blood glucose levels have all been in range, and the nurse thinks it was probably the Fruitlax jam I had with breakfast (my attempt to keep things "regular" without taking medication). The platelets is more of a big deal. I have had a history of low platelets, but so far mine have been in the range of 120 million, I believe. Today they dropped to 80 million, which puts me in the zone of concern. It is not the "critical" zone (I believe that is below 50), but is a concern if they keep dropping. The doctor described that some people develop what is called gestational thrombocytopenia, which is just low platelets due to pregnancy. Low platelets could also be due to a general condition (not pregnancy specific) called idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). They are not sure which condition I might have. For now, they are just monitoring my blood closely to see if the levels keep dropping (which is why I had a total of 3 blood draws today). I think the main risk is too much bleeding during/after labour or surgery, and most likely needing a c-section.
I started reading up more about ITP, but got scared, so I'm taking my husband's advice and remaining "ignorant" until the doctors become worried. I know that my mom and my sister both had low platelets in pregnancy too. My sister was fine. My mom lost a lot of blood during my brother's birth and needed a blood transfusion. That concerns me a bit, but at the end of the day, I want to trust these doctors and that they know what is best to take care of me. I just can't imagine if I were at home and these things were not caught... Again I feel like I am in the right place (as tough as is it at times).
For a picture for today, here is how DH and I spent most of the afternoon (with a nap halfway through the game...and p.s. I won). It is so nice to have someone around to keep me company!
Monday, September 16, 2013
Monday morning musings
This weekend was rather boring. DH left on Saturday morning and apart from his brother stopping by for an hour yestserday, I didn't have any other visitors. I'm looking forward to him coming back this afternoon. My thoughts are scattered today so I'm going to do a bullet point list of what is on my mind.
- Uterus update: I had (another) ultrasound yesterday to check my cervix and the baby's fluid levels and all was looking great. In fact, my cervix was longer than last time at 3.2. I spoke to the doctor this morning and asked about the clot. He said that the u/s did not make mention of it, but that it was much easier/clearer to see the cervix. I take that to mean that it has most likely bled out or been reabsorbed! With that out of the way, and Baby A's placenta not showing as previa, my risk of bleeding has greatly decreased. We can't say for sure, but they are talking about letting me got home at 32 weeks if no other issues pop up. I keep telling myself: Don't get your hopes up, don't get your hopes up, don't get your hopes up...
- Homesick: This last weekend showed me just how homesick I really am. I just want to go home so badly! I think the thought of being discharged early (32 weeks) has found its way into my head and all I want is to be at home... To sleep in my own bed, to eat my own food, to use my own bathroom... I just want to go home! At the same time, I worry about being overwhelmed if I do go home. All I will see is how much needs to be done before these babies arrive. At least here, I am forced not to really think about that too much. But still, I think being at home would be so much easier than this.
- Vanity: Okay, I really, really want a haircut! I just want to have new, fresh hair before these babies arrive (I don't know why it is so important, but somehow it is). Last night I dreamt that I was discharged to go home on strict bed rest, but the first place I stopped was my hairdresser. You know you're desperate when...
- Transition: Probably the biggest concern on my mind currently is how I am going to transition back to the "real world" after being in the hospital. If I do have to stay right until the babies are born, that is going to be even harder. Going from such a controlled environment, where everything is practically done for you, to being the caregiver for two small life forms is a HUGE adjustment. I know that bringing any baby home is an adjustment, but I know that for me, I do better with adjustment when I have some control and have things in place. With all of that being stripped away, I am actually scared about how I will handle it. I expect to be bitchy, emotional, unreasonable, anxious and difficult. I don't want my first days with our little ones to be like that. I just don't know how else to prepare myself...
- Circumcision: And on another note, DH and I are trying to decide if we want to circumcise our child if we have a boy(s). This is a completely random point, and not one I hear discussed in blogland that often, but I would love to hear how others have made this decision. It is something I have never really considered before, but now that the option is there, I want to make an informed decision. Right now, my biggest "pro" point is just ease of cleanliness...and my biggest "con" is that you have to pay money to do it, when there aren't that many clear advantages. I think at the end of the day I will let DH make this decision.
Friday, September 13, 2013
Photo of the day: Sept. 13th - 30 Weeks!
All decked up and ready for a night out (well, only a 2 hours pass...but I'll take it!)
Bump pic 30 weeks! (Boy, do I need a hair cut)
Dinner was soooo yummy! Delicious Thai food finished off with a shared bowl of Marble Slab Ice cream (vanilla with pecan and skor bits). This is one happy pregnant lady!
30 Weeks Celebration!
30 Weeks! We've made it this far! I think I say the same thing every week but, really, this is a great milestone. Though I'm still shooting for at least 4 more weeks, getting to the 30s feels real good. To top it off, it's been a celebration day.
First off, my parents came to visit... And they brought my pup along! It's been more than 2 weeks since I've seen her and I have missed her terribly. I was wheeled down to the grassy area outside and met her there. She was so excited to see me! She came bounding over and had so much enthusiasm - it was priceless. We sat outside for almost an hour and visited. Wonderful!
It gets better though. The OB who admitted me came to see me yesterday (I haven't actually spoken to her in person since I was admitted). First off, she said she was surprised I was still pregnant, as she expected these babies to come much earlier. She confirmed that Baby A has a low lying placenta, but not previa, AND that there is a chance I could deliver vaginally (if things continue to cooperate). She said the clot is much smaller and no longer a huge concern, though there is a chance I still may bleed it out. The main problem now is my shortening/funnelling cervix and the risk of pre-term labour. With that, though, there really is no way to tell when it could happen. So, the plan is still to aim for 32 weeks, at which time I may be transferred to the closer hospital. OR... (this is a very small chance, and we're not even telling people the possibility of this) I may be given permission to go back home on strict bed rest if things are stabilized. Even if I went into pre-term labour, the hospital is only an hour away and my local hospital could handle things until I reached there. I'm really trying not to consider that as a real possibility and get my hopes up, but it was still encouraging to hear that things are going so well.
Then... The best news of all... She told me that she thought my husband should take me out for dinner! I earned a dinner pass away from the hospital. Hooray!!! So tonight, I am dressing up (in my limited wardrobe, lack of make-up and hair-styling products) and going out for some Thai food. It's a perfect way to celebrate 30 weeks. I'll post a picture of my going-out outfit later, but here is one of my 30 week bump (taken yesterday).
First off, my parents came to visit... And they brought my pup along! It's been more than 2 weeks since I've seen her and I have missed her terribly. I was wheeled down to the grassy area outside and met her there. She was so excited to see me! She came bounding over and had so much enthusiasm - it was priceless. We sat outside for almost an hour and visited. Wonderful!
It gets better though. The OB who admitted me came to see me yesterday (I haven't actually spoken to her in person since I was admitted). First off, she said she was surprised I was still pregnant, as she expected these babies to come much earlier. She confirmed that Baby A has a low lying placenta, but not previa, AND that there is a chance I could deliver vaginally (if things continue to cooperate). She said the clot is much smaller and no longer a huge concern, though there is a chance I still may bleed it out. The main problem now is my shortening/funnelling cervix and the risk of pre-term labour. With that, though, there really is no way to tell when it could happen. So, the plan is still to aim for 32 weeks, at which time I may be transferred to the closer hospital. OR... (this is a very small chance, and we're not even telling people the possibility of this) I may be given permission to go back home on strict bed rest if things are stabilized. Even if I went into pre-term labour, the hospital is only an hour away and my local hospital could handle things until I reached there. I'm really trying not to consider that as a real possibility and get my hopes up, but it was still encouraging to hear that things are going so well.
Then... The best news of all... She told me that she thought my husband should take me out for dinner! I earned a dinner pass away from the hospital. Hooray!!! So tonight, I am dressing up (in my limited wardrobe, lack of make-up and hair-styling products) and going out for some Thai food. It's a perfect way to celebrate 30 weeks. I'll post a picture of my going-out outfit later, but here is one of my 30 week bump (taken yesterday).
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Pic of the day: Sept. 12th
Also, I got some great news to share tomorrow so be sure to check back!
Bed rest is HARD!
Head's up... This is a whiny post. If you're not in a place to read some complaints from a pregnant lady on bed rest, please skip on over.
Bed rest is tough! I think I hit my wall yesterday. All day I was bored and antsy and grumpy. Nothing could satisfy me. I did not want to do any of the things that I have to distract me. It was just a bad day. This morning I woke up, hoping the day would be better. The doctor came in to talk to me and I asked a bunch of questions. I held it together pretty well, but right at the end I asked a simple question about the gestational diabetes (GD) and I burst into tears. And I couldn't stop the flow! And it wasn't even my official doctor... It was the young male intern who looks to be about the same age as me. That just made it more humiliating for some reason (though upon my first meeting with him when he was with the OB, I was also having a meltdown and cried).
I think this diagnosis of GD sparked a feeling of helplessness and lack of control. Here I am, sitting in a hospital room, and I am barely in control of my circumstances. I can't go for a "walk" (in a wheelchair) outside without permission. My meals are delivered at a certain time (way too early for my liking) so I can't eat when I want to (unless I want cold soup). I have a limited wardrobe and can't wear the clothes I want to. Though they are gracious with visiting hours for husbands, I don't get to see him first thing in the morning or before I go to bed each night. And now, I can't even eat what I want to! Or I can, but I have to worry about big brother watching over my shoulder when I do. Another bit of freedom taken away.
In addition is the uncertainty of knowing how/when these babies will be delivered. I know that no pregnancy is guaranteed to go the way you have planned, but there are way too many variables for me right now. The unknown is killing me and causing me to worry through all sorts of scenarios. Yesterday I really felt like I don't care if they come early, I just want these babies out of me so I can resume some normalcy in my own life. I know that's a selfish thought, but honestly that is how I felt. Today I feel a bit better and am resolved to try my best to make it to 34 weeks, at least.
But gals, I must say, this is tough! For me, it's even tougher than the many two week waits I endured. At least during those times there are all sorts of things you can do to feel like you are setting yourself up for success (exercise, acupuncture, distractions, relaxing, massage, etc.). Right now I really can do nothing, except rest and do nothing. Do you know how hard that is for me? Mostly I can put these thoughts aside and distract myself with meaningless things (books, TV, knitting), but occasionally the emotions take over and just need a place to come out. All I can hold onto to get me through is the thought of the great reward at the end. I just can't wait to meet these little beings living inside of me. I am so filled with excitement and anticipation!
(Oh, and as an aside, my complaining this morning achieved something. The diabetic nurse only wants me to test my blood sugar in the morning and after one meal now, rather than 4x/day. That's a start!)
If you want to read a great post from a father whose wife was on bed rest, check this out. I think every male whose wife is on bed rest should take a read.
http://m.lifeofdad.com/blog_post.php?pid=9839
Bed rest is tough! I think I hit my wall yesterday. All day I was bored and antsy and grumpy. Nothing could satisfy me. I did not want to do any of the things that I have to distract me. It was just a bad day. This morning I woke up, hoping the day would be better. The doctor came in to talk to me and I asked a bunch of questions. I held it together pretty well, but right at the end I asked a simple question about the gestational diabetes (GD) and I burst into tears. And I couldn't stop the flow! And it wasn't even my official doctor... It was the young male intern who looks to be about the same age as me. That just made it more humiliating for some reason (though upon my first meeting with him when he was with the OB, I was also having a meltdown and cried).
I think this diagnosis of GD sparked a feeling of helplessness and lack of control. Here I am, sitting in a hospital room, and I am barely in control of my circumstances. I can't go for a "walk" (in a wheelchair) outside without permission. My meals are delivered at a certain time (way too early for my liking) so I can't eat when I want to (unless I want cold soup). I have a limited wardrobe and can't wear the clothes I want to. Though they are gracious with visiting hours for husbands, I don't get to see him first thing in the morning or before I go to bed each night. And now, I can't even eat what I want to! Or I can, but I have to worry about big brother watching over my shoulder when I do. Another bit of freedom taken away.
In addition is the uncertainty of knowing how/when these babies will be delivered. I know that no pregnancy is guaranteed to go the way you have planned, but there are way too many variables for me right now. The unknown is killing me and causing me to worry through all sorts of scenarios. Yesterday I really felt like I don't care if they come early, I just want these babies out of me so I can resume some normalcy in my own life. I know that's a selfish thought, but honestly that is how I felt. Today I feel a bit better and am resolved to try my best to make it to 34 weeks, at least.
But gals, I must say, this is tough! For me, it's even tougher than the many two week waits I endured. At least during those times there are all sorts of things you can do to feel like you are setting yourself up for success (exercise, acupuncture, distractions, relaxing, massage, etc.). Right now I really can do nothing, except rest and do nothing. Do you know how hard that is for me? Mostly I can put these thoughts aside and distract myself with meaningless things (books, TV, knitting), but occasionally the emotions take over and just need a place to come out. All I can hold onto to get me through is the thought of the great reward at the end. I just can't wait to meet these little beings living inside of me. I am so filled with excitement and anticipation!
(Oh, and as an aside, my complaining this morning achieved something. The diabetic nurse only wants me to test my blood sugar in the morning and after one meal now, rather than 4x/day. That's a start!)
If you want to read a great post from a father whose wife was on bed rest, check this out. I think every male whose wife is on bed rest should take a read.
http://m.lifeofdad.com/blog_post.php?pid=9839
Hospital bed rest: What I miss edition
So it's only been 14 days, but I am already wracking up a list of things I can't wait for, once I finally am at home again. Here are the things at the top of my list:
-Drinking my hubby's fresh roasted coffee (with cream and sugar, of course)
- Sleeping in my OWN bed!
- Drinking a steaming cup of fresh made tea (the tea and coffee here just tastes like you are camping)
-Drinking my hubby's fresh roasted coffee (with cream and sugar, of course)
- Eating warm, fully toasted toast with homemade jam and butter
- Showering in my pretty bathroom, rather than an institutionalized shower (though the bath puff and body wash my friend bought make it really quite nice)
- Getting to see the ocean! Even though I am close to it now, I miss smelling the fresh salty air. Until I was put on bed rest, I made a point of going to the beach every day. I want these babies to know their island roots.
- Cuddling in bed with my man. We try to get some snuggles in when he visits, but hospital beds barely fit a pregnant woman alone. I just want to be held and have some privacy.
- Fall fashion! Even though my time will be busy taking care of babes, I just can't wait to actually choose out an outfit to wear (rather than maternity tights and an oversize tank top, or a hospital gown). I love the fall specifically for dressing up. I am looking forward to wearing some real clothes again (and even putting on earrings).
Those are the things at the top of my list right now. I'm sure the list will keep growing as time passes.
- Fall fashion! Even though my time will be busy taking care of babes, I just can't wait to actually choose out an outfit to wear (rather than maternity tights and an oversize tank top, or a hospital gown). I love the fall specifically for dressing up. I am looking forward to wearing some real clothes again (and even putting on earrings).
Those are the things at the top of my list right now. I'm sure the list will keep growing as time passes.
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Another week gone by
2 Weeks! That's how long I have been sitting in this hospital room growing these babies. There really is not much to report. I had another ultrasound today, and from the sounds of it my cervix is even shorter than last week. I am still waiting to speak to the doctor about that. Even if it is, I am not that worried. I have no other signs of preterm labour at this point, and I have read that women can have a short cervix for weeks before delivering.
We are planning a 30-week celebration party for Friday. I'm hoping my mom will come down and bring my pup along. It's only been 2 weeks, but I miss her incredibly! Those of you who have fur babies will know what I mean. It would be so nice to see her.
The hospital days are starting to feel a bit long. Now that the newness has worn off, it's the same old every day. Part of it is nice though too. At least it is very relaxing. I am knitting a lot. I'm a bit sick of reading, but still browsing through some preemie and breastfeeding books. Most evenings now I watch a movie. I am excited for fall shows to begin, and hope my hubby can download lots for me to enjoy!
We are planning a 30-week celebration party for Friday. I'm hoping my mom will come down and bring my pup along. It's only been 2 weeks, but I miss her incredibly! Those of you who have fur babies will know what I mean. It would be so nice to see her.
The hospital days are starting to feel a bit long. Now that the newness has worn off, it's the same old every day. Part of it is nice though too. At least it is very relaxing. I am knitting a lot. I'm a bit sick of reading, but still browsing through some preemie and breastfeeding books. Most evenings now I watch a movie. I am excited for fall shows to begin, and hope my hubby can download lots for me to enjoy!
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Pic of the day: Sept. 10th
My blood glucose monitoring kit. Sad day.
Luckily, using it is fairly easy and painless. It's just too bad.
Monday, September 9, 2013
Pic of the day: Sept. 9th - The good and the bad
Let's start with the bad news. This is how my morning started... at 5:30 am! I was awakened after a restless sleep bright and early when the nurse came, drew my blood and made me drink the orange goop. I must say, it was so much worse than last time. Possibly that was due to it being 5:30am, but mostly it was because the drink was so warm! The first time I tested, the drink was chilled and that made a huge difference. I really had to gag it down this time. The nurse came back an hour later (6:30am) to draw blood, and then again at 7:30am. Then I got to eat breakfast. I felt icky all day, and I think this is the reason why.
And... unfortunately... I failed the glucose tolerance test (GTT). Insert sad face here. The cutoff in pregnancy is 5 and my levels were 5.3. Really!?!? I am super bummed. I still haven't spoken to the nurse or anyone about it, but the doctor who reported the results told me it just means I will have to watch my diet and monitor my blood sugar more closely. I think that the inactivity while on bed rest does not help, and I also want to ask if the steroid shots I received for the babies lungs may have affected the test. I was told they cause your blood sugar to spike, but I do not know how long the effects remain in your system. So, I now enter the ranks of gestational diabetes, a term I was hoping to avoid. The worst part is that the "treats" that I eat are usually my way of celebrating and giving myself something to look forward to after gloomy hospital food. But I will survive.
The good news is that the day got better though, as I had my first visit and face-to-face meeting with a fellow blogger. She brought me some yummy baked goodies and we had such a nice chat! She lives here in Victoria so I may be seeing more of her. It was great to connect with someone else who knows what it is like going through infertility (she's even going to the same RE clinic as me). I'm sure it wasn't the easiest to come visit me in the hospital while I'm pregnant (and she got lost on the L&D ward, which is never a nice reminder), but I am so glad we got to meet. I hope to keep in touch and can't wait for the day she is in this hospital delivering a little one!
Shortly after she left, DH arrived back in town, and the day was complete!
Sunday, September 8, 2013
Pic of the day: Sept. 8th
My friend and I had a lovely visit! We even got to sit outside on the grass in the sun today. She painted my toenails and I knitted while we caught up on life. It helps the days go by quick to have visitors when my hubby is away. He will be back tomorrow. Hooray!!!
Saturday, September 7, 2013
Feeling secure in bed rest
Yesterday one of the doctors I saw used the phrase "discharged" as she was speaking about my future here at the hospital. I really don't think she has a full picture of what is going on in my case, but that word awoke a number of emotions. Since then my brain has been in overdrive thinking of different possibilities.
For me, I think one of the hardest parts of bedrest is the unknown. I don't know if I will give birth to my babies here in Victoria before 32 weeks. I don't know if I will make it to 32 weeks but then be transferred to the hospital closer to home that can handle preemie babies born after 32 weeks. I don't know if my babies will be born there. I don't know if I will make it past that point to 34-36 weeks, where they will let me go back home and give birth in my hometown. I don't know if I will be discharged early and sent home on strict bed rest. If that happens, I don't know where I will give birth because it depends on how early the babies come. If the babies do come early, I don't know whether to expect staying here in Victoria, or in the city closer to home. All these unknowns are making me crazy!
Besides that, though, as difficult as hospital bed rest is at times, I don't know if I would want to give it up. There is a feeling of security and stability here that I am enjoying. The environment is so controlled that it minimizes a lot of worries. I always know when to expect my next meal. Cleaning is all done for me. My vitamins are brought to me. The babies are checked regularly. I have clean clothes and the essentials to keep myself fresh and healthy. I am in good hands, despite what the future holds.
If I were at home, my brain would be overrun with lists of things to do. There would be meals to freeze, the nursery to prepare, supplies to be bought, all while ensuring that the house keeps clean and running. Here, I have no control over those things, so I have had to let them go. Some days that is easy, and some days it is difficult. I really have no choice.
I am worried about going home and facing the reality of life again. I feel like it is going to be too much to handle. Two newborn babies AND trying to get the house ready/back in order for life as a family of four. I am a planner. The idea of being thrown right into that chaos makes me anxious!
I know there are things that I can do here and now to prepare, but it is hard for me to even engage in those tasks. It's like my brain can't handle being here and there at the same time. So for now I focus on what is here. I knit, and eat my meals, and read, and blog, and nap. And then I do it all over again.
For me, I think one of the hardest parts of bedrest is the unknown. I don't know if I will give birth to my babies here in Victoria before 32 weeks. I don't know if I will make it to 32 weeks but then be transferred to the hospital closer to home that can handle preemie babies born after 32 weeks. I don't know if my babies will be born there. I don't know if I will make it past that point to 34-36 weeks, where they will let me go back home and give birth in my hometown. I don't know if I will be discharged early and sent home on strict bed rest. If that happens, I don't know where I will give birth because it depends on how early the babies come. If the babies do come early, I don't know whether to expect staying here in Victoria, or in the city closer to home. All these unknowns are making me crazy!
Besides that, though, as difficult as hospital bed rest is at times, I don't know if I would want to give it up. There is a feeling of security and stability here that I am enjoying. The environment is so controlled that it minimizes a lot of worries. I always know when to expect my next meal. Cleaning is all done for me. My vitamins are brought to me. The babies are checked regularly. I have clean clothes and the essentials to keep myself fresh and healthy. I am in good hands, despite what the future holds.
If I were at home, my brain would be overrun with lists of things to do. There would be meals to freeze, the nursery to prepare, supplies to be bought, all while ensuring that the house keeps clean and running. Here, I have no control over those things, so I have had to let them go. Some days that is easy, and some days it is difficult. I really have no choice.
I am worried about going home and facing the reality of life again. I feel like it is going to be too much to handle. Two newborn babies AND trying to get the house ready/back in order for life as a family of four. I am a planner. The idea of being thrown right into that chaos makes me anxious!
I know there are things that I can do here and now to prepare, but it is hard for me to even engage in those tasks. It's like my brain can't handle being here and there at the same time. So for now I focus on what is here. I knit, and eat my meals, and read, and blog, and nap. And then I do it all over again.
Photos of the day: Sept. 7th
Today was a day full of visitors! A friend from back home surprised me with a short visit. DH's parents also are in town so his whole family was by. And then another friend from Vancouver came over for the night to spend time with me. Blessed and spoiled!
Today was a good day!
These flowers were sent from the clinic where I received naturopathic/acupuncture services (the doctor is also my friend).
This great humidifier was bought by my mom-in-law to help keep the air fresh in my room.
Friday, September 6, 2013
29 Weeks!!
Another week gone by! I made it to 29 weeks. Hooray! Fridays are my new celebration day for sure. I thought I'd give a non-hospital related update on how the pregnancy is progressing.
Mood: Overall it has been positive, though as I wrote about the other day, there have been some hormone crashes here and there.
Food: Despite not having my choice of foods at my disposal, I have been faring alright. The best thing about the hospital is having constant freezing cold ice water! That is, by far, my favorite! I also have a nice stash of oranges and love my fresh fruit. I haven't been craving sweets and am trying to keep it healthy. There have been a few moments where the sound of Korean food makes me drool (kimchi... yum!). I am eating quite frequently here but don't ever feel hungry (except for first thing in the morning). I am just working on keeping these babies nourished and healthy.
Sleep: For a hospital, I am also finding sleep alright. Having a private room helps immensely! My sleep pattern hasn't really changed since I was at home. I usually wake up two or three times in the night to pee. I've had insomnia once this week between 4-5am. And I wake up a bit earlier than at home (7:30). I usually take an afternoon nap if I don't have visitors and that is so nice!
Exercise: Nada! Well, I finally put a hospital blanket on the floor and started doing yoga stretches twice a day. My muscles just couldn't handle sitting in bed ALL day long. After the first day I did it, I slept much better and woke up feeling refreshed and not sore. I need to find some more exercises online because my repetoire is too limited right now.
Body: Despite being confined to a hospital, I am pretty proud of how my body is holding out and looking (I actually think the bump is pretty sexy and am bummed DH can't enjoy my pregnant body more haha). When they measured me last Sunday, I was measuring 33 weeks (I was just 28 then). I don't have any new stretch marks, but the ones that I have are a bit more pronounced (DH brought my stretch mark cream from home though, so maybe that will help). I feel like my face and skin look more sickly being inside all the time. I am going to ask for more wheelchair privileges so I can hopefully go sit in the sun a bit more to get that vitamin D. What I have noticed is that since being in the hospital, I have less braxton hicks... or whatever it was that caused my stomach to harden throughout the day, and also less groin pain. Maybe the small amount of "work" and walking I did around the house was too much? Also, a funny side note, my boobs have been somewhat tender, but they have also started dripping colustrum like crazy! Sometimes I will be sitting there and liquid pools in my shirt or starts dripping down my belly. It's somewhat embarrassing, if visitors are around haha!
Movement: The babies have somewhat of a routine for when they are most active. They are quite quiet in the mornings and early afternoons. Late afternoon, after dinner, and nighttime seem to be their most active times. I still don't feel them as much as I expected to, but after my last ultrasound, I really think it is because they don't have a lot of free space to move around. The technician said they are pretty tightly packed in there (I have a short torso) so I think this must limit the large kicks. They still are active enough, but I just don't feel it the same way someone with a singleton might.
Notable Moments:
Mood: Overall it has been positive, though as I wrote about the other day, there have been some hormone crashes here and there.
Food: Despite not having my choice of foods at my disposal, I have been faring alright. The best thing about the hospital is having constant freezing cold ice water! That is, by far, my favorite! I also have a nice stash of oranges and love my fresh fruit. I haven't been craving sweets and am trying to keep it healthy. There have been a few moments where the sound of Korean food makes me drool (kimchi... yum!). I am eating quite frequently here but don't ever feel hungry (except for first thing in the morning). I am just working on keeping these babies nourished and healthy.
Sleep: For a hospital, I am also finding sleep alright. Having a private room helps immensely! My sleep pattern hasn't really changed since I was at home. I usually wake up two or three times in the night to pee. I've had insomnia once this week between 4-5am. And I wake up a bit earlier than at home (7:30). I usually take an afternoon nap if I don't have visitors and that is so nice!
Exercise: Nada! Well, I finally put a hospital blanket on the floor and started doing yoga stretches twice a day. My muscles just couldn't handle sitting in bed ALL day long. After the first day I did it, I slept much better and woke up feeling refreshed and not sore. I need to find some more exercises online because my repetoire is too limited right now.
Body: Despite being confined to a hospital, I am pretty proud of how my body is holding out and looking (I actually think the bump is pretty sexy and am bummed DH can't enjoy my pregnant body more haha). When they measured me last Sunday, I was measuring 33 weeks (I was just 28 then). I don't have any new stretch marks, but the ones that I have are a bit more pronounced (DH brought my stretch mark cream from home though, so maybe that will help). I feel like my face and skin look more sickly being inside all the time. I am going to ask for more wheelchair privileges so I can hopefully go sit in the sun a bit more to get that vitamin D. What I have noticed is that since being in the hospital, I have less braxton hicks... or whatever it was that caused my stomach to harden throughout the day, and also less groin pain. Maybe the small amount of "work" and walking I did around the house was too much? Also, a funny side note, my boobs have been somewhat tender, but they have also started dripping colustrum like crazy! Sometimes I will be sitting there and liquid pools in my shirt or starts dripping down my belly. It's somewhat embarrassing, if visitors are around haha!
Movement: The babies have somewhat of a routine for when they are most active. They are quite quiet in the mornings and early afternoons. Late afternoon, after dinner, and nighttime seem to be their most active times. I still don't feel them as much as I expected to, but after my last ultrasound, I really think it is because they don't have a lot of free space to move around. The technician said they are pretty tightly packed in there (I have a short torso) so I think this must limit the large kicks. They still are active enough, but I just don't feel it the same way someone with a singleton might.
Notable Moments:
- Making it to 29 weeks!
- Hospital date night with hubby. He brought me dinner (White Spot burger...yum!) and we watched a movie on his laptop. I even got dressed up and did my makeup haha!
And, since I can't update my bump page on my phone (does anyone know how to do that from the mobile site?), I will share a funny bump pic for the week. I was trying to capture a video of the babies moving inside my belly. I find this shot hilarious!
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Reality sinks in
Yesterday I had my first really emotional day. I think it had been growing ever since I spoke to a close friend a few days back. Ever since then I have wanted to cry, but didn't feel like I could. When DH arrived, and I hugged him, the barrier crashed down. I just broke down. I guess I hadn't realized how alone it was without him around. All day I just kept crying on and off. It did feel good to let it out.
That is, until we watched the NICU video. The hospital made a video to show you what you can expect if you have preemie babies. You also can tour the facility, but I didn't want to. I realized after watching the video that I didn't want to do the tour because I am scared of seeing the NICU yet. During the video, I started sobbing uncontrollably. All this time, I have been preparing myself for the possibility of our babies spending time in the NICU. I have read about different interventions, I have spoken to the doctor and nurses about my questions, and I have felt like we could do it if we had to. Yesterday my confidence was shattered. Seeing a visual of what it could be like just broke my heart. As capable as the doctors are, and as confident I am of the science, no mom wants to see their baby hooked up to countless machines. The thought of MY babies being there, was too much to handle.
I know that if the time comes, I will do what I have to to care for my babies and make it through. Yesterday, though, I couldn't face the thought.
That is, until we watched the NICU video. The hospital made a video to show you what you can expect if you have preemie babies. You also can tour the facility, but I didn't want to. I realized after watching the video that I didn't want to do the tour because I am scared of seeing the NICU yet. During the video, I started sobbing uncontrollably. All this time, I have been preparing myself for the possibility of our babies spending time in the NICU. I have read about different interventions, I have spoken to the doctor and nurses about my questions, and I have felt like we could do it if we had to. Yesterday my confidence was shattered. Seeing a visual of what it could be like just broke my heart. As capable as the doctors are, and as confident I am of the science, no mom wants to see their baby hooked up to countless machines. The thought of MY babies being there, was too much to handle.
I know that if the time comes, I will do what I have to to care for my babies and make it through. Yesterday, though, I couldn't face the thought.
Pic of the day: Sept. 4th
A friend of mine sent an incredible care package along with DH today: Shampoo, body wash, face cloth/towel, slippers, The Book of Awesome, nail polish and a beautiful robe. It was seriously the most thoughtful gift ever!!! I am a lucky girl.
Hospital Bed Rest - One Week! Plus ultrasound update
Well, I made it through the week! Things have settled down immensely, and so I am into my routine and just chilling most of the time. It was nice having my parents hang out yesterday. My bro-in-law and his wife brought me Chinese food for my first non-hospital food meal. It was delicious!!! At this point, the novelty of hospital food has worn off. Breakfast is good and lunch is okay, but I am really not into the dinners. Still, I eat them just to keep these babies happy and growing strong!
Today DH arrives back I'm town. I may have mentioned that he was sleeping on his brother's floor but he is now on the wait list for the hospital subsidized housing for parents/families with preemies or kids in the hospital. We are planning to watch the NICU video today as part of our preparation in case they do come early.
As for me and the babies, I still have not met with the OB, but every day a family doctor checks in with me and she gave me some updates. I was told that Baby A does not have placenta previa and that the placenta is now on the side of the uterine wall, right where it should be. But the doctor came back later saying she spoke to my OB and she is not convinced that I do not have previa. So they want to do another ultrasound (thus time internal) later this week. Baby B's placenta is up higher on the other side of my uterus so no problems there. My cervix is shortened a bit to 3.5 and has just started to funnel. They didn't check internally again but since it was open last week, I am still to be on bed rest to keep as much pressure off it as possible. The other good thing is the babies growth! I may be off by an once or two, but I think she said Baby A is now 2lb,10oz (up from 2,5 last week) and baby B is now 3,2 (up from 2,13). They are both well within normal range and not too different from one another. She mentioned something about percentiles but I forget what she said. Hopefully they keep up this good weight gain for the next few weeks!
And, here is a shot of my sweet, sweet love, just arrived to take care of me.
Today DH arrives back I'm town. I may have mentioned that he was sleeping on his brother's floor but he is now on the wait list for the hospital subsidized housing for parents/families with preemies or kids in the hospital. We are planning to watch the NICU video today as part of our preparation in case they do come early.
As for me and the babies, I still have not met with the OB, but every day a family doctor checks in with me and she gave me some updates. I was told that Baby A does not have placenta previa and that the placenta is now on the side of the uterine wall, right where it should be. But the doctor came back later saying she spoke to my OB and she is not convinced that I do not have previa. So they want to do another ultrasound (thus time internal) later this week. Baby B's placenta is up higher on the other side of my uterus so no problems there. My cervix is shortened a bit to 3.5 and has just started to funnel. They didn't check internally again but since it was open last week, I am still to be on bed rest to keep as much pressure off it as possible. The other good thing is the babies growth! I may be off by an once or two, but I think she said Baby A is now 2lb,10oz (up from 2,5 last week) and baby B is now 3,2 (up from 2,13). They are both well within normal range and not too different from one another. She mentioned something about percentiles but I forget what she said. Hopefully they keep up this good weight gain for the next few weeks!
And, here is a shot of my sweet, sweet love, just arrived to take care of me.
Monday, September 2, 2013
Bed Rest Routine
I thought I'd share what a typical day on bed rest looks like for me. One of the 'tips' I read over and over online about bed rest was the importance of creating a routine. This is the routine I have fallen into.
7:30 Wake up for the day. I am going to try to incorporate some morning stretches here. Wash face and brush teeth.
8:00 Breakfast! This is usually the best meal of the day so I try to enjoy it.
8:30 Touch base with the nurses for the morning (they come to say hi). Take morning meds (prenatal, iron, vitamin C).
9:00 Shower and get ready. Everything takes longer and I move slowly to draw things out.
10:00 Nurses do a check on vitals: temperature, blood pressure and babies heartbeats. Some days they do a NST, during which I lie in bed for 30-60 minutes just listening to the beats (and recording with a clicker when they kick). Meet the doctor on shift.
11:00 Read, catch up on email
12:00 Lunch. Usually DH or other visitors have arrived. DH and I will talk and hang out.
1:00-5:00 Nap, read, hang out with visitors. This is the longest part of the day but passes quickly when someone is around.
5:00 Dinner (so early, I know). After work, DH's brother and his wife come visit and bring me treats/food/supplies. DH and I have started playing Scrabble online against each other to pass the time.
8:00 Visitors go home (DH can stay a bit later if he likes). I usually catch up with friends/family online a bit.
9:00 Vitals checked again (some days they come more frequently to check throughout the day). Meet the night shift doctor.
9:30 Get ready for bed. Read in bed or watch a movie.
10:30 Go to bed. I'm often up 3-4 times in the night to pee and get comfortable but usually wake up feeling rested.
And that is a typical day in the hospital. I don't know if I'd be able to do it without DH or visitors coming to hang out.
7:30 Wake up for the day. I am going to try to incorporate some morning stretches here. Wash face and brush teeth.
8:00 Breakfast! This is usually the best meal of the day so I try to enjoy it.
8:30 Touch base with the nurses for the morning (they come to say hi). Take morning meds (prenatal, iron, vitamin C).
9:00 Shower and get ready. Everything takes longer and I move slowly to draw things out.
10:00 Nurses do a check on vitals: temperature, blood pressure and babies heartbeats. Some days they do a NST, during which I lie in bed for 30-60 minutes just listening to the beats (and recording with a clicker when they kick). Meet the doctor on shift.
11:00 Read, catch up on email
12:00 Lunch. Usually DH or other visitors have arrived. DH and I will talk and hang out.
1:00-5:00 Nap, read, hang out with visitors. This is the longest part of the day but passes quickly when someone is around.
5:00 Dinner (so early, I know). After work, DH's brother and his wife come visit and bring me treats/food/supplies. DH and I have started playing Scrabble online against each other to pass the time.
8:00 Visitors go home (DH can stay a bit later if he likes). I usually catch up with friends/family online a bit.
9:00 Vitals checked again (some days they come more frequently to check throughout the day). Meet the night shift doctor.
9:30 Get ready for bed. Read in bed or watch a movie.
10:30 Go to bed. I'm often up 3-4 times in the night to pee and get comfortable but usually wake up feeling rested.
And that is a typical day in the hospital. I don't know if I'd be able to do it without DH or visitors coming to hang out.
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Hospital Bed Rest Day 5
What I expected to be a quiet day today ended up being quite busy. After getting up I was feeling quite good so I showered, got ready and had breakfast. Vitals looked good and they did a small non-stress test (NST) which was quiet. An hour later, though, I went to the washroom and was bleeding fresh red blood. So, in came the nurses, I was hooked up to the monitor again and put on IV fluids. An hour later I still showed no signs of contracting and the bleeding was minimal. I was kept on IV for a bit and then given clear fluids for lunch. That was the end of the drama for the day.
We also had a day full of meetings and visitors! We met the neonatologist, who explained some basics of what might happen if our babies are born premature. We were able to ask questions about the NICU and the risks of premature birth. Nothing was really new info but it was nice to talk to him. I am not worried about chance of survival at this point but there are a host of other complications that can arise. It just made me determined to keep these babies in as long as possible I feel real confident with the care given here. Its a bit overwhelming to think that if they come early the babies (and us) may need to stay here until their actual due date (which is almost 3 months away!). That is so long!!! But I am trying not to jump the gun in thinking ahead too much. Yesterday we had met the social worker who will help if the babies are born early and need a stay in the NICU. Since we are 3 hours away from home, she told us of the accommodation we can receive and helped us to get free parking for DH's visits. We also met another OB on-call who confirmed that we will have another ultrasound on Tuesday.
Then we had all sorts of visitors today! My cousin and his partner were in town and came by. My brother and sister-in-law came by (as they have done every day, since they live here). Some of our family friends were in town and made a quick delivery for us. Then my parents arrived and stopped by to say hi. They will spend more time here tomorrow, since DH went home to pack up some stuff for us. We are still trying to figure out what DH will do about going back and forth. He plans to try to be here during the week and work from here remotely (which he can mostly do for his job), but then go back on weekends to be at church (he is a pastor). We will probably leave our dog with my mom and dad and have others help out walking her. It is so sad to think about not seeing her for so long. DH has been sleeping on his brother's floor but its a tiny apartment and it would be nicer to have somewhere with more space for him. He could stay in the accommodation provided for parents of preemies (next door to the hospital) but it still is $25/night which could add up. So we still have to figure that out.
Of course, all of our plans are up in the air if something changes.
Whew! So that's all in a day in the antenatal ward at the hospital. I know these details are somewhat boring but it helps me to organize my thoughts and keep the days straight. Thanks to all who have commented and provided support and advice too. Its nice to feel not so alone!
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