It is excruciating to watch your child's chest fall silent.
I spent way too much time yesterday staring at Isaac's ribcage, attempting to get him to breathe by the sheer force of my will. He seemed to have improved about 3 days ago and then started having severe apneic (where he stops breathing) and bradycardic (low heart rate) episodes the day before yesterday. These episodes (known in NICU terms as A's and B's) are expected in such premature infants and all three have had at least some mild ones. But there were times that Isaac actually turned a dusky color before they were able to get his oxygen level back up. We are hoping that the treatments they instituted yesterday will make for a better day today.
I suppose these last few days fall into the "Not So Good Day" category.
On the other hand, Emery and Parker still seem to be engaged in an all out competition to see who can progress faster. They have both started tolerating milk through the feeding tube (a VERY small "OG" tube that goes from their mouth to their stomach) so well that their TPN (Total Parenteral Nutrition-- nutrition they had been receiving through their veins) has been discontinued and their IV fluids will probably also be stopped in the next day or two. When that happens, their central IV line can be removed which is a potential source of infection.
They would have been 32 weeks today.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Good Days And Bad Days
Some days are great when all babies are doing well.
Some days are very stressful when one or more takes at least one step back in their progress. It is difficult to leave the hospital on those nights.
Dr. R (Neonatologist) told us yesterday to fully enjoy the good days. And on the bad days... look for the good days.
Emery and Isaac have both been put back on the CPAP machine (for respiratory support) in the last few days.
Luckily, they are requiring very little oxygen.
Parker is hanging in there just on nasal cannula.
They have all gained significant weight, but both Parker and Emery have some swelling in their feet, hands and face, so some of their gain is water weight.
They are all receiving the nutrition they need through TPN (Total Parental Nutrition) which is infused into their veins, but Parker and Emery have also been tolerating increasing "trickle feeds" of milk.
Isaac was seen by a Pediatric Gastroenterologist yesterday because they were concerned about bowel obstruction... but considering the two very dirty diapers Matt changed last night... looks like that isn't an issue anymore :-).
I was able to hold Isaac and Emery each for an hour yesterday which, of course, made their mother very, very happy :-).
So overall things are going well. Every day that they get older, gain weight and are free of infection is a step in the right direction and brings us closer to the time when they will be more stable. My mom is here until tomorrow and last night she was able to hold a few of the babies while they were being weighed. Matt and Mom also took a series of pictures of Isaac next to a dollar bill, quarter, etc in order to better represent their size. I will post a few more pictures in the next day or two.
One more day down...
Some days are very stressful when one or more takes at least one step back in their progress. It is difficult to leave the hospital on those nights.
Dr. R (Neonatologist) told us yesterday to fully enjoy the good days. And on the bad days... look for the good days.
Emery and Isaac have both been put back on the CPAP machine (for respiratory support) in the last few days.
Luckily, they are requiring very little oxygen.
Parker is hanging in there just on nasal cannula.
They have all gained significant weight, but both Parker and Emery have some swelling in their feet, hands and face, so some of their gain is water weight.
They are all receiving the nutrition they need through TPN (Total Parental Nutrition) which is infused into their veins, but Parker and Emery have also been tolerating increasing "trickle feeds" of milk.
Isaac was seen by a Pediatric Gastroenterologist yesterday because they were concerned about bowel obstruction... but considering the two very dirty diapers Matt changed last night... looks like that isn't an issue anymore :-).
I was able to hold Isaac and Emery each for an hour yesterday which, of course, made their mother very, very happy :-).
So overall things are going well. Every day that they get older, gain weight and are free of infection is a step in the right direction and brings us closer to the time when they will be more stable. My mom is here until tomorrow and last night she was able to hold a few of the babies while they were being weighed. Matt and Mom also took a series of pictures of Isaac next to a dollar bill, quarter, etc in order to better represent their size. I will post a few more pictures in the next day or two.
One more day down...
Friday, August 22, 2008
A Triplet By Any Other Name
So we did it.
We named the triplets.
Baby Girl A = Emery Grace
She is easily riled up and definitely feisty. One of the nurses calls her "Princess" since she has a big attitude for someone just over 2 lbs. Although she is the smallest, Emery leads the pack in terms of her progress since delivery. She is gaining weight, is off all oxygen, has started small feedings through a tube, loves her pacifier and has started to open her eyes frequently on days that she isn't under the bilirubin lights (in which case she is sporting her "cool" sunglasses). I have been able to "kangaroo" (hold her against my upper chest while she is tucked inside my shirt or a robe) with her twice.
Baby Boy B = Parker Robert
Now this boy has a temper. And it is serving him well. At one point it took 3 full-grown adults to hook him back up to a CPAP when he had an episode of bronchospasms and it was believed he would require some respiratory support overnight. He arched up so high that only his hands and lower legs were touching his bed. By the way, Parker won. The doctor decided that if he was doing well enough to throw such a fit that his respiratory status must be more stable than initially thought :-). Parker is also gaining weight, tolerating small feedings and is off all oxygen but has a nasal cannula that gives him a minute amount of humidified air. I have also been able to kangaroo with him. In this picture he had been given a new hairstyle by one of the nurses. Very Chic!
Baby Boy C = Isaac Matthew
Isaac has had the most medical problems since delivery. But he is a fighter and has made very significant progress. At this point he is only getting a small amount of oxygen through nasal cannula although he has been off and on CPAP for the last few days. He truly dislikes being forced to lay on his back. Only in the last few days has he figured out what to do with a pacifier... and it appears we may have created a monster :-). At one point the other night, either Matt, Jennifer (my sister) or I had to hold his paci for nearly 2 hours to keep him calm. He is receiving IV caffeine (which helps with his respiratory and cardiac status) and one nurse calls herself "Nurse S.tarbucks" as she hooks him up at night.
I am doing a little better every day. Despite a daily discussion with myself that I will take it easy and get lots of rest... I find myself overdoing it on a constant basis. But it feels so fabulous to be home and able to move... albeit slowly... often while teetering like a drunk :-). Jennifer arrived just as I was discharged from the hospital and has been a great help. She drives me around and does her best to get me to rest. We have been having a lot of fun and she has done much to get the baby clothes and supplies organized and washed.
So far so good.
We named the triplets.
Baby Girl A = Emery Grace
She is easily riled up and definitely feisty. One of the nurses calls her "Princess" since she has a big attitude for someone just over 2 lbs. Although she is the smallest, Emery leads the pack in terms of her progress since delivery. She is gaining weight, is off all oxygen, has started small feedings through a tube, loves her pacifier and has started to open her eyes frequently on days that she isn't under the bilirubin lights (in which case she is sporting her "cool" sunglasses). I have been able to "kangaroo" (hold her against my upper chest while she is tucked inside my shirt or a robe) with her twice.
Baby Boy B = Parker Robert
Now this boy has a temper. And it is serving him well. At one point it took 3 full-grown adults to hook him back up to a CPAP when he had an episode of bronchospasms and it was believed he would require some respiratory support overnight. He arched up so high that only his hands and lower legs were touching his bed. By the way, Parker won. The doctor decided that if he was doing well enough to throw such a fit that his respiratory status must be more stable than initially thought :-). Parker is also gaining weight, tolerating small feedings and is off all oxygen but has a nasal cannula that gives him a minute amount of humidified air. I have also been able to kangaroo with him. In this picture he had been given a new hairstyle by one of the nurses. Very Chic!
Baby Boy C = Isaac Matthew
Isaac has had the most medical problems since delivery. But he is a fighter and has made very significant progress. At this point he is only getting a small amount of oxygen through nasal cannula although he has been off and on CPAP for the last few days. He truly dislikes being forced to lay on his back. Only in the last few days has he figured out what to do with a pacifier... and it appears we may have created a monster :-). At one point the other night, either Matt, Jennifer (my sister) or I had to hold his paci for nearly 2 hours to keep him calm. He is receiving IV caffeine (which helps with his respiratory and cardiac status) and one nurse calls herself "Nurse S.tarbucks" as she hooks him up at night.
I am doing a little better every day. Despite a daily discussion with myself that I will take it easy and get lots of rest... I find myself overdoing it on a constant basis. But it feels so fabulous to be home and able to move... albeit slowly... often while teetering like a drunk :-). Jennifer arrived just as I was discharged from the hospital and has been a great help. She drives me around and does her best to get me to rest. We have been having a lot of fun and she has done much to get the baby clothes and supplies organized and washed.
So far so good.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Long Time, No Post
All right.
So I have been horribly neglectful in posting.
And in returning emails, voice mails and text messages.
Would it matter if I said I had been terribly sick and thus much more wrapped up in attempting to survive this postpartum period than in blogging about my woes?
So today is Tuesday.
Friday evening I was put back on the Mag.
Yes, that would be the Medication From Hell.
The one that I was talking smack about in my last post.
But see my blood pressure became uncontrolled (194/108) and I was hyperreflexic and "twitchy", putting me at risk for seizure.
So I did another stint on Mag.
Seeing as no bamboo was handy, I did so without sawing off my arms :-).
I remained quite ill with blood pressures that were anything but well-controlled despite high doses of multiple medications.
That is until late last night.
Dr. Peri tried a different combination.
And... well... my body seems to agree.
So much so that I am leaving Room 304 (*sigh of nostalgia*) for good tonight.
Yep, I am being discharged.
Well ain't I the bomb?
I have a serious stint of recuperation ahead of me as not only the pregnancy, but the long episode of bed rest and the complicated post-severe-preeclampsia-post-partum course has left me significantly drained.
But enough about me...
Let's talk about the babies.
No, we have not officially named them.
Yes, we get asked that all the time.
We have names.
But have been wanting to take our time so as not to regret the decision later.
So for today at least, they remain Alpha, Beta and Charlie
In short, they are all doing well.
Charlie has had the most complicated course, developing a serious pulmonary complication which required a fancy-dancy-jet ventilator.
But a mini-miracle later... and he is not only off the ventilator, but the condition has completely resolved on x-ray.
What a super star.
They are all currently on room air.
Requiring absolutely no supplemental oxygen.
So far so good.
Really we couldn't ask for anything better for their gestational age.
So now we wait.
Wait for them to grow.
Wait for their GI tracts to mature so they can tolerate more feedings.
Wait for them to stop the disconcerting periodic apneic and bradycardic episodes.
Now that I am on the mend, I will update with some good pictures in the next few days.
So I have been horribly neglectful in posting.
And in returning emails, voice mails and text messages.
Would it matter if I said I had been terribly sick and thus much more wrapped up in attempting to survive this postpartum period than in blogging about my woes?
So today is Tuesday.
Friday evening I was put back on the Mag.
Yes, that would be the Medication From Hell.
The one that I was talking smack about in my last post.
But see my blood pressure became uncontrolled (194/108) and I was hyperreflexic and "twitchy", putting me at risk for seizure.
So I did another stint on Mag.
Seeing as no bamboo was handy, I did so without sawing off my arms :-).
I remained quite ill with blood pressures that were anything but well-controlled despite high doses of multiple medications.
That is until late last night.
Dr. Peri tried a different combination.
And... well... my body seems to agree.
So much so that I am leaving Room 304 (*sigh of nostalgia*) for good tonight.
Yep, I am being discharged.
Well ain't I the bomb?
I have a serious stint of recuperation ahead of me as not only the pregnancy, but the long episode of bed rest and the complicated post-severe-preeclampsia-post-partum course has left me significantly drained.
But enough about me...
Let's talk about the babies.
No, we have not officially named them.
Yes, we get asked that all the time.
We have names.
But have been wanting to take our time so as not to regret the decision later.
So for today at least, they remain Alpha, Beta and Charlie
In short, they are all doing well.
Charlie has had the most complicated course, developing a serious pulmonary complication which required a fancy-dancy-jet ventilator.
But a mini-miracle later... and he is not only off the ventilator, but the condition has completely resolved on x-ray.
What a super star.
They are all currently on room air.
Requiring absolutely no supplemental oxygen.
So far so good.
Really we couldn't ask for anything better for their gestational age.
So now we wait.
Wait for them to grow.
Wait for their GI tracts to mature so they can tolerate more feedings.
Wait for them to stop the disconcerting periodic apneic and bradycardic episodes.
Now that I am on the mend, I will update with some good pictures in the next few days.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
The Triplets Have Landed!
I will write the "birth story".
But I don't have the energy to finish it today, and considering there is a line forming to decapitate me for lack of updates, here is the short version of the story...
My blood pressure worsened (from an already precariously bad state).
And it was decided that the risk of stroke and seizure for me outweighed the risk to the babies even at their very premature state of 29.5 weeks.
So the babies were born soon after 9 pm on August 12th.
Baby A (girl): 2 lb 6 oz, 14 inches long (per NICU nurses, remains in constant movement. Really? I could have told you that...)
Baby B (boy): 2 lb 7oz, 14 inches long (per NICU nurses, VERY feisty. Again... this is not news, people...)
Baby C (boy): 2 lb 7oz, 14 inches long (per NICU nurses... very sneaky. He managed to extubate himself....)
Those with observational skills of... well... a slug will notice that I am nothing if not consistent in my gestating.
Those aren't typos.... the babies weights were nearly identical and their lengths were. Identical... keep up with me here :-).
Dr. Peri then proceeded to squander all good will I had for him by putting me on an evil drug called Magnesium.
It is used in severe preeclampsia to prevent seizures.
Sounds all right.
But that's 'cuz you haven't had it coursing through your veins for 24 hours.
It is evil.
With a capital E.
I won't go into the details, they would just get me all upset.
Just trust me when I say that I would have chosen to commit suicide by sawing through my arms with blunt bamboo rather than stay on the medication for another 24 hours.
Then add on multiple liters per minute of dry oxygen to some seriously congested sinuses and what do you get?
A face and head that feels like cement PLUS a woman sawing through her arms with bamboo.
I think you are getting the picture here.
I was able to see the babies once the Medication From Hell was turned off late last night which was fabulous.
Matt has posted some of the pictures he has taken.
You will find them here.
I feel much better today (nearing human status, actually) and expect to be discharged in another few days when they can improve my blood pressure control.
In the mean time we are enjoying having the NICU right down the hall.
So there you have it.
All babies are currently off the ventilators (although C may be headed back to Vent-ville soon) and are doing well for their age.
More updates will be forthcoming.
But I don't have the energy to finish it today, and considering there is a line forming to decapitate me for lack of updates, here is the short version of the story...
My blood pressure worsened (from an already precariously bad state).
And it was decided that the risk of stroke and seizure for me outweighed the risk to the babies even at their very premature state of 29.5 weeks.
So the babies were born soon after 9 pm on August 12th.
Baby A (girl): 2 lb 6 oz, 14 inches long (per NICU nurses, remains in constant movement. Really? I could have told you that...)
Baby B (boy): 2 lb 7oz, 14 inches long (per NICU nurses, VERY feisty. Again... this is not news, people...)
Baby C (boy): 2 lb 7oz, 14 inches long (per NICU nurses... very sneaky. He managed to extubate himself....)
Those with observational skills of... well... a slug will notice that I am nothing if not consistent in my gestating.
Those aren't typos.... the babies weights were nearly identical and their lengths were. Identical... keep up with me here :-).
Dr. Peri then proceeded to squander all good will I had for him by putting me on an evil drug called Magnesium.
It is used in severe preeclampsia to prevent seizures.
Sounds all right.
But that's 'cuz you haven't had it coursing through your veins for 24 hours.
It is evil.
With a capital E.
I won't go into the details, they would just get me all upset.
Just trust me when I say that I would have chosen to commit suicide by sawing through my arms with blunt bamboo rather than stay on the medication for another 24 hours.
Then add on multiple liters per minute of dry oxygen to some seriously congested sinuses and what do you get?
A face and head that feels like cement PLUS a woman sawing through her arms with bamboo.
I think you are getting the picture here.
I was able to see the babies once the Medication From Hell was turned off late last night which was fabulous.
Matt has posted some of the pictures he has taken.
You will find them here.
I feel much better today (nearing human status, actually) and expect to be discharged in another few days when they can improve my blood pressure control.
In the mean time we are enjoying having the NICU right down the hall.
So there you have it.
All babies are currently off the ventilators (although C may be headed back to Vent-ville soon) and are doing well for their age.
More updates will be forthcoming.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Here We Go!
So things changed quickly.
As you may see on Twitter- we are heading in for a c-section tonight.
Happy Birthday Babies!
As you may see on Twitter- we are heading in for a c-section tonight.
Happy Birthday Babies!
Monday, August 11, 2008
One Big Winded Swollen Pest
(29w2d, Hospital Day 17)
I feel like a cockroach.
You know, the kind you just can't kill.
Don't get me wrong, in this case that isn't a bad thing.
Both my liver and kidney functions improved and/or stabilized.
Again.
Which means I escaped delivery one more time.
Dr. Peri walked into my room shaking his head.
"I just cannot believe you are still here!"
Obviously it won't last forever.
Everything has started to take a toll on my body as I mentioned yesterday.
I have been living on borrowed time since they started the labetalol exactly one week ago.
And we are grateful for every day.
Dr. Peri says the babies look great on monitoring.
He did a growth ultrasound today and estimated the babies range from 1030 to 1170 gm (2.2 to 2.5lb). Smaller than we would like, but consistent with expectations in light of the preeclampsia and the treatment for my blood pressure which can also worsen growth restriction. But they are growing. And at this point gestational age is more important than size.
I may be a cockroach flailing away on my back...
But I'm not dead yet!
I feel like a cockroach.
You know, the kind you just can't kill.
Don't get me wrong, in this case that isn't a bad thing.
Both my liver and kidney functions improved and/or stabilized.
Again.
Which means I escaped delivery one more time.
Dr. Peri walked into my room shaking his head.
"I just cannot believe you are still here!"
Obviously it won't last forever.
Everything has started to take a toll on my body as I mentioned yesterday.
I have been living on borrowed time since they started the labetalol exactly one week ago.
And we are grateful for every day.
Dr. Peri says the babies look great on monitoring.
He did a growth ultrasound today and estimated the babies range from 1030 to 1170 gm (2.2 to 2.5lb). Smaller than we would like, but consistent with expectations in light of the preeclampsia and the treatment for my blood pressure which can also worsen growth restriction. But they are growing. And at this point gestational age is more important than size.
I may be a cockroach flailing away on my back...
But I'm not dead yet!
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Three Lights
(29w1d, Hospital Day 16)
Per Dr. M, I am a superstar (I can't help but think jazz-hands).
He clearly seems surprised that I made it through his weekend call without cause for delivery.
"You've got a very strong wife", he told Matt.
But really I am just a passenger on this roller coaster.
This morning both my liver and kidney tests bumped (again).
Nothing catastrophic.
But clearly trending in the wrong direction.
Clearly.
My swelling has gotten a whole lot worse... but I can't complain since it has been quite mild to this point.
The really pitiful part?
I get out of breath turning over in the bed.
Not exactly half-marathon material :-).
My labs will be repeated in the morning and Dr. Peri will be in to see me at some point tomorrow.
I found this video on a woman's infertility blog about a year ago.
Always feel better after listening to this song, so I have been doing so every morning.
Some days aren't easy for me and in general I am quite uncomfortable at this point.
It is becoming clear to me that my body is struggling.
So a little pick-me-up is exactly what I need every morning...
It is by a Christian rock group called Third Day and the name of the song is Tunnel
The Chorus:
There's a light at the end of this tunnel.
There's a light at the end of this tunnel for you.
For you.
There's a light at the end of this tunnel.
Shining bright at the end of this tunnel for you.
For you.
So keep holding on.
There's a light at the end of the tunnel, indeed.
Make that THREE lights at the end of this tunnel
As an aside, I added a Twitter feed to the sidebar. I started using Twitter to keep Matt informed as things changed during the day (i.e., my blood pressure, doctor's visits, etc.) I am adding the link here since some of you get anxious when I haven't posted :-).
Per Dr. M, I am a superstar (I can't help but think jazz-hands).
He clearly seems surprised that I made it through his weekend call without cause for delivery.
"You've got a very strong wife", he told Matt.
But really I am just a passenger on this roller coaster.
This morning both my liver and kidney tests bumped (again).
Nothing catastrophic.
But clearly trending in the wrong direction.
Clearly.
My swelling has gotten a whole lot worse... but I can't complain since it has been quite mild to this point.
The really pitiful part?
I get out of breath turning over in the bed.
Not exactly half-marathon material :-).
My labs will be repeated in the morning and Dr. Peri will be in to see me at some point tomorrow.
I found this video on a woman's infertility blog about a year ago.
Always feel better after listening to this song, so I have been doing so every morning.
Some days aren't easy for me and in general I am quite uncomfortable at this point.
It is becoming clear to me that my body is struggling.
So a little pick-me-up is exactly what I need every morning...
It is by a Christian rock group called Third Day and the name of the song is Tunnel
The Chorus:
There's a light at the end of this tunnel.
There's a light at the end of this tunnel for you.
For you.
There's a light at the end of this tunnel.
Shining bright at the end of this tunnel for you.
For you.
So keep holding on.
There's a light at the end of the tunnel, indeed.
Make that THREE lights at the end of this tunnel
As an aside, I added a Twitter feed to the sidebar. I started using Twitter to keep Matt informed as things changed during the day (i.e., my blood pressure, doctor's visits, etc.) I am adding the link here since some of you get anxious when I haven't posted :-).
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Broken Record
(29w0d, Hospital Day 15)
Yes, I am still here
Yes, the babies are still in Womb-Thing.
Yes, it is day to day and I seem to still be teetering on the edge of a c-section every morning.
I am surprised you are all still reading, since frankly, I am starting to bore myself.
Things got a little exciting as my blood pressure was higher than the parameters all night (when it tends to run lower) and then my kidney functions came back worse this morning on blood work. I was thinking I was done for. But then late this morning my blood pressure decreased to within the acceptable range (luckily BEFORE Dr. M arrived). And he didn't seem overly concerned about my kidneys for now and will watch to see what they do tomorrow. Phew!
Escaped by the skin of my teeth.
Again.
The most exciting thing today?
I actually left my room.
See, it has been two full weeks since crossing the threshold out into the hallway (thankfully I have an enormous window with a breathtaking view--- makes the whole bed rest thing a little easier to swallow).
Now I BARELY left the room today... only to get on a fat-person scale that my nurse had managed to wheel to my doorway.
But there was something sweetly rebellious about the whole experience :-).
The other thing I am disproportionately thankful for?
The Olympics.
I have always had Olympic fever.
And what could be better for a woman on hospital bed rest than to have upwards of 14 hours of Olympic broadcast to watch every day?
Not much (besides all the snacks Matt brought in for me today, that is)
I even got some serious crocheting done.
I have become the "Source Of All Olympic Knowledge" for the unit and a few of my fave nurses occasionally stick their heads in to get updates throughout the day.
As always, we will see what excitement tomorrow brings!
Yes, I am still here
Yes, the babies are still in Womb-Thing.
Yes, it is day to day and I seem to still be teetering on the edge of a c-section every morning.
I am surprised you are all still reading, since frankly, I am starting to bore myself.
Things got a little exciting as my blood pressure was higher than the parameters all night (when it tends to run lower) and then my kidney functions came back worse this morning on blood work. I was thinking I was done for. But then late this morning my blood pressure decreased to within the acceptable range (luckily BEFORE Dr. M arrived). And he didn't seem overly concerned about my kidneys for now and will watch to see what they do tomorrow. Phew!
Escaped by the skin of my teeth.
Again.
The most exciting thing today?
I actually left my room.
See, it has been two full weeks since crossing the threshold out into the hallway (thankfully I have an enormous window with a breathtaking view--- makes the whole bed rest thing a little easier to swallow).
Now I BARELY left the room today... only to get on a fat-person scale that my nurse had managed to wheel to my doorway.
But there was something sweetly rebellious about the whole experience :-).
The other thing I am disproportionately thankful for?
The Olympics.
I have always had Olympic fever.
And what could be better for a woman on hospital bed rest than to have upwards of 14 hours of Olympic broadcast to watch every day?
Not much (besides all the snacks Matt brought in for me today, that is)
I even got some serious crocheting done.
I have become the "Source Of All Olympic Knowledge" for the unit and a few of my fave nurses occasionally stick their heads in to get updates throughout the day.
As always, we will see what excitement tomorrow brings!
Friday, August 8, 2008
Still Alive And (They Are) Kicking
(28w6d, Hospital Day 14)
Ummmmmm. Still here.
And still in the game.
And judging by my lab work it appears I am... well... becoming MORE stable.
Huh?
Yes, if anything my blood work actually improved a bit today.
Womb-Thing started acting up last night.
And then this morning by the end of monitoring I was contracting every 2 minutes.
Not exactly conducive to stretching (sorry... REALLY bad pun) out this pregnancy.
So they increased my P.rocardia a bit (now on max dose) which should also help a bit with my blood pressure.
Call it the battle of the doctors.
Dr. Peri now thinks I will make it to the middle of next week (all of the sudden he is Mr. Positive).
Dr. M (who is on call for their practice this weekend) has been anticipating the need to deliver this weekend, including discussing with me that he may need to do a vertical uterine incision in order to decrease trauma to the triplets (I was relieved to discover that the skin incision will still be low horizontal-- not that I will be sporting any bikinis in the near... or any future.) Of course, Dr. M is also the one who believed at the beginning of this week there was no way that I would make it to today without delivery. He comes in every day expressing amazement I am still here.
And yet, I am.
I should get the two of them to back their medical opinions up with a little bet...
Or at least some baked goods :-)
Rumor is that I have become the talk of the hospital.
Periodically someone from lab, housekeeping, food service, etc will be in my room and ask if I am having a boy or a girl.
"Well," I tell them, "two boys and a girl".
Their face suddenly changes.... "Oh, so YOU are the one with triplets!"
The Neonatologist who came to check on on me today mentioned that discussion over the last few days regarding my possible impending delivery (the hospital's first triplets) has the NICU and L&D wards a-buzz.
I'm starting to think this may really go on for at least a few more days.
But I'm trying not get too ahead of myself.
As for now... we are breathlessly close to 29 weeks
Ummmmmm. Still here.
And still in the game.
And judging by my lab work it appears I am... well... becoming MORE stable.
Huh?
Yes, if anything my blood work actually improved a bit today.
Womb-Thing started acting up last night.
And then this morning by the end of monitoring I was contracting every 2 minutes.
Not exactly conducive to stretching (sorry... REALLY bad pun) out this pregnancy.
So they increased my P.rocardia a bit (now on max dose) which should also help a bit with my blood pressure.
Call it the battle of the doctors.
Dr. Peri now thinks I will make it to the middle of next week (all of the sudden he is Mr. Positive).
Dr. M (who is on call for their practice this weekend) has been anticipating the need to deliver this weekend, including discussing with me that he may need to do a vertical uterine incision in order to decrease trauma to the triplets (I was relieved to discover that the skin incision will still be low horizontal-- not that I will be sporting any bikinis in the near... or any future.) Of course, Dr. M is also the one who believed at the beginning of this week there was no way that I would make it to today without delivery. He comes in every day expressing amazement I am still here.
And yet, I am.
I should get the two of them to back their medical opinions up with a little bet...
Or at least some baked goods :-)
Rumor is that I have become the talk of the hospital.
Periodically someone from lab, housekeeping, food service, etc will be in my room and ask if I am having a boy or a girl.
"Well," I tell them, "two boys and a girl".
Their face suddenly changes.... "Oh, so YOU are the one with triplets!"
The Neonatologist who came to check on on me today mentioned that discussion over the last few days regarding my possible impending delivery (the hospital's first triplets) has the NICU and L&D wards a-buzz.
I'm starting to think this may really go on for at least a few more days.
But I'm trying not get too ahead of myself.
As for now... we are breathlessly close to 29 weeks
Thursday, August 7, 2008
And The Beat Goes On
(28w5d, Hospital Day 13)
Quite the rollercoaster we have going on here.
Looks like this actually may go on for a bit longer than we would have guessed a few days ago.
My blood pressure has stabilized on the medication and my blood work is rock solid.
Go figure.
I am feeling good, and as the babies looked stellar on monitoring this morning, I am expecting to still be tucked into my comfy antepartum bed tomorrow (and maybe the day after *gasp* should I dare hope???).
The babies appear to be growing well and estimates put them around 1 kilo (2.0-2.5 lbs). Their kicking has gotten stronger and I periodically find a foot or hand sticking straight out of my belly.
One important thing about making it until tomorrow is that I will receive another steroid dose. Recently research has shown that a "booster" steroid injection (given if the woman hasn't delivered 2 weeks after the initial steroid doses) can improve outcomes. Right on. We will take any help we can get at this point.
btw... I did get a big smile from Dr. Peri for getting to 28 weeks. But he said he wouldn't be REALLY happy unless I get to 29 weeks. Talk about moving my cheese :).
(at 29 weeks not only is survivability >95%, but the rates of retinopathy and brain bleeds decrease significantly. Sign me up!)
I have survived to gestate another day...
P.S. I have great nurses! Last week I had J three days in a row. Then she was off for three days and when she returned two days ago (the day after things looked like they were tanking), she walked into my room first thing in the morning and asked, "Who broke my patient????". Well, it appears she got me "fixed" again :-).
Quite the rollercoaster we have going on here.
Looks like this actually may go on for a bit longer than we would have guessed a few days ago.
My blood pressure has stabilized on the medication and my blood work is rock solid.
Go figure.
I am feeling good, and as the babies looked stellar on monitoring this morning, I am expecting to still be tucked into my comfy antepartum bed tomorrow (and maybe the day after *gasp* should I dare hope???).
The babies appear to be growing well and estimates put them around 1 kilo (2.0-2.5 lbs). Their kicking has gotten stronger and I periodically find a foot or hand sticking straight out of my belly.
One important thing about making it until tomorrow is that I will receive another steroid dose. Recently research has shown that a "booster" steroid injection (given if the woman hasn't delivered 2 weeks after the initial steroid doses) can improve outcomes. Right on. We will take any help we can get at this point.
btw... I did get a big smile from Dr. Peri for getting to 28 weeks. But he said he wouldn't be REALLY happy unless I get to 29 weeks. Talk about moving my cheese :).
(at 29 weeks not only is survivability >95%, but the rates of retinopathy and brain bleeds decrease significantly. Sign me up!)
I have survived to gestate another day...
P.S. I have great nurses! Last week I had J three days in a row. Then she was off for three days and when she returned two days ago (the day after things looked like they were tanking), she walked into my room first thing in the morning and asked, "Who broke my patient????". Well, it appears she got me "fixed" again :-).
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Too Much Of A (Not So) Good Thing
(28w4d, Hospital Day 12)
I remain on the antepartum unit.
And the triplets remain inside Womb-Thing.
But OOOOOEEEEEE, was it a close one this morning.
My repeat 24 hour urine showed severe proteinuria (7gm) which was approximately 20 times worse than when I was admitted last week. Dr. M walked in this morning clearly stating he was looking for a reason to deliver me today. If he found one other reason besides the proteinuria, it would be Happy Birthday to the triplets. The only reason I have yet to go under the knife is that everything else is stable.
So stable the doctors seem a bit perplexed.
Clearly they don't know me well :-). I am not known for following the "expected" path.
With proteinuria this severe developing over such a short time, I would be expected have much more edema, worsening kidney function and worsening blood pressure along with possibly worsening liver function and decreased platelets. But... ummmm... I don't.
My systolic blood pressure remains in the 150's on the labetalol.
And the babies? They are thriving like champs. They look good on monitoring and on ultrasound all three have great amniotic levels (if low, it would indicate the placentas were not perfusing properly).
So where are we?
As soon as my blood pressure creeps back up into the 160's, the babies show any evidence of distress, or my morning labs show dropping platelets or worsening liver or kidney function... the jig is up.
Everyday counts!
I remain on the antepartum unit.
And the triplets remain inside Womb-Thing.
But OOOOOEEEEEE, was it a close one this morning.
My repeat 24 hour urine showed severe proteinuria (7gm) which was approximately 20 times worse than when I was admitted last week. Dr. M walked in this morning clearly stating he was looking for a reason to deliver me today. If he found one other reason besides the proteinuria, it would be Happy Birthday to the triplets. The only reason I have yet to go under the knife is that everything else is stable.
So stable the doctors seem a bit perplexed.
Clearly they don't know me well :-). I am not known for following the "expected" path.
With proteinuria this severe developing over such a short time, I would be expected have much more edema, worsening kidney function and worsening blood pressure along with possibly worsening liver function and decreased platelets. But... ummmm... I don't.
My systolic blood pressure remains in the 150's on the labetalol.
And the babies? They are thriving like champs. They look good on monitoring and on ultrasound all three have great amniotic levels (if low, it would indicate the placentas were not perfusing properly).
So where are we?
As soon as my blood pressure creeps back up into the 160's, the babies show any evidence of distress, or my morning labs show dropping platelets or worsening liver or kidney function... the jig is up.
Everyday counts!
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
High Pressure Situation
(28w3d, Hospital Day 11)
Looks like we will be meeting our babies.
Soon.
My blood pressure started inching up about 24 hours ago and by early yesterday evening I was regularly hitting 170s/100. Not exactly what we were hoping for. Stat labs (amazingly!) weren't bad... only mildly sub par kidney function. Oh, and 3+ protein on urine dipstick. Since my platelets, liver and uric acid were cooperative, they agreed to treat my blood pressure with labetalol (at least temporarily) while a 24 hour urine is repeated and labs could be done again this morning. The NICU was put on alert, and a delivery for tomorrow was expected.
But then my labs were stable this morning.
And my pressure has shown some improvement on the labetalol(at least it has returned back below the "danger zone").
So I am in a holding pattern.
Whether or not I will be delivered will literally be a day-by-day decision from now on.
Obviously we would like to keep them in as long as possible, but I appreciate that the doctors are concerned about my health. As Dr. M said yesterday, "Taking the babies a day or two early at this point won't make an enormous difference for them, but taking them a day or two late could have huge consequences for you." Point well taken.
Feeling not so much like my fab self today, so signing off for nap time, but will try to update daily.
Looks like we will be meeting our babies.
Soon.
My blood pressure started inching up about 24 hours ago and by early yesterday evening I was regularly hitting 170s/100. Not exactly what we were hoping for. Stat labs (amazingly!) weren't bad... only mildly sub par kidney function. Oh, and 3+ protein on urine dipstick. Since my platelets, liver and uric acid were cooperative, they agreed to treat my blood pressure with labetalol (at least temporarily) while a 24 hour urine is repeated and labs could be done again this morning. The NICU was put on alert, and a delivery for tomorrow was expected.
But then my labs were stable this morning.
And my pressure has shown some improvement on the labetalol(at least it has returned back below the "danger zone").
So I am in a holding pattern.
Whether or not I will be delivered will literally be a day-by-day decision from now on.
Obviously we would like to keep them in as long as possible, but I appreciate that the doctors are concerned about my health. As Dr. M said yesterday, "Taking the babies a day or two early at this point won't make an enormous difference for them, but taking them a day or two late could have huge consequences for you." Point well taken.
Feeling not so much like my fab self today, so signing off for nap time, but will try to update daily.
Monday, August 4, 2008
A Day In The Life
(28w2d, Hospital Day 10)
My life right now is very exciting (*snort*)
5:30-6:00 am Wake up on my own or by someone in a white coat shoving a large needle in my arm (you know, either way... whatever); medications. Start watching local, national and international news.
6:00-7:00 am more news watching, occasionally punctuated by a text to Matt and periodic quick naps; shift change
8:00 am Breakfast arrives (hey, these are big events one looks forward to with baited breath and an empty stomach); medications
9:00-11:00 am (approx) monitoring starts. Four monitors, one belly, 2 hrs laying flat. Need I say more? Watching TV. Occasional discussion with nurse and housekeeper regarding Oprah's topic of the day.
11:00 am (if I am lucky... if the Wiggly Ones don't cooperate, make that 11:30) the highlight of my pitifully simple day.... SHOWER!
11:30 am I pour my non-makeup-ed, non-blow-dried but now squeaky clean body back into my bed with crisp new sheets; medications
12:00 am Lunch. No really... nothing like food to break up the monotony
1:00-5:00 pm Nap on and off (which I desperately need), watch TV, read, chat up the nurses, return phone calls and snack
5:00 pm Dinner arrives, but as I have most likely eaten a snack or two, I hold the tray to be warmed later when Matt arrives
5:30-6:00pm Matt calls to say he is on his way to the hospital. What do I want to eat?; medications
6:30 ish pm Matt arrives and we get some time to chat
7:00 pm Shift change
9:00 pm Another round of monitoring; medications
10:00-11:00 pm Matt heads home
11:00 pm - 5:30 am Episodes of deep sleep (thank you, A.mbien!) punctuated by bathroom breaks (think hourly...), blood pressure measurements and medications (midnight and 4am).
Major Decisions I Make Every Day
Forget the life-or-death decisions I used to make in the hospital. This is where the REAL decisions are made:
1) What time do I want my monitoring done in the morning? What time at night?
2) When do I want my shower?
3) What will I eat for a snack in the afternoon?
4) What do I want to order off the menu for tomorrow?
But the most important recurrent, vital decision that I make on a daily basis?
5) Now that I am back in bed from the bathroom... do I want to lay down on my left or right side????? I have to admit this one sometimes stumps me sometimes for a few minutes :-).
So there you have it. A day in my life.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining.
Although a bit monotonous, it is the life of a human incubator.
And every day they spent in THIS incubator is 2-3 days they won't spend in the NICU incubator.
Still hoping this life-distilled-down-to-basics schedule continues for at least another week or two.
My life right now is very exciting (*snort*)
5:30-6:00 am Wake up on my own or by someone in a white coat shoving a large needle in my arm (you know, either way... whatever); medications. Start watching local, national and international news.
6:00-7:00 am more news watching, occasionally punctuated by a text to Matt and periodic quick naps; shift change
8:00 am Breakfast arrives (hey, these are big events one looks forward to with baited breath and an empty stomach); medications
9:00-11:00 am (approx) monitoring starts. Four monitors, one belly, 2 hrs laying flat. Need I say more? Watching TV. Occasional discussion with nurse and housekeeper regarding Oprah's topic of the day.
11:00 am (if I am lucky... if the Wiggly Ones don't cooperate, make that 11:30) the highlight of my pitifully simple day.... SHOWER!
11:30 am I pour my non-makeup-ed, non-blow-dried but now squeaky clean body back into my bed with crisp new sheets; medications
12:00 am Lunch. No really... nothing like food to break up the monotony
1:00-5:00 pm Nap on and off (which I desperately need), watch TV, read, chat up the nurses, return phone calls and snack
5:00 pm Dinner arrives, but as I have most likely eaten a snack or two, I hold the tray to be warmed later when Matt arrives
5:30-6:00pm Matt calls to say he is on his way to the hospital. What do I want to eat?; medications
6:30 ish pm Matt arrives and we get some time to chat
7:00 pm Shift change
9:00 pm Another round of monitoring; medications
10:00-11:00 pm Matt heads home
11:00 pm - 5:30 am Episodes of deep sleep (thank you, A.mbien!) punctuated by bathroom breaks (think hourly...), blood pressure measurements and medications (midnight and 4am).
Major Decisions I Make Every Day
Forget the life-or-death decisions I used to make in the hospital. This is where the REAL decisions are made:
1) What time do I want my monitoring done in the morning? What time at night?
2) When do I want my shower?
3) What will I eat for a snack in the afternoon?
4) What do I want to order off the menu for tomorrow?
But the most important recurrent, vital decision that I make on a daily basis?
5) Now that I am back in bed from the bathroom... do I want to lay down on my left or right side????? I have to admit this one sometimes stumps me sometimes for a few minutes :-).
So there you have it. A day in my life.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining.
Although a bit monotonous, it is the life of a human incubator.
And every day they spent in THIS incubator is 2-3 days they won't spend in the NICU incubator.
Still hoping this life-distilled-down-to-basics schedule continues for at least another week or two.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Of (False) Decels and Nannies
(28w1d)
So as my recent frequency of posting may tend to indicate, two things have changed.
1) I have successfully discerned the best way to use the internet here at the hospital
2) I now feel well enough most days to jot a little post down
Get this...
As of this morning, my liver and kidney functions have completely normalized.
Even my uric acid is "normal", just a little higher than they would want.
The doctors seem a bit perplexed.
Apparently they often see a slight improvement after hospitalization and steroid administration. But to have everything normalize and remain stable for a week is... well... quite unusual. I gather they didn't get the memo that I don't exactly follow the expected route of... well... ANYTHING when it comes to this pregnancy.
What a fabulous way to buck the trend!
During monitoring this morning, there was some concern that Alpha was having decels (a substantial decrease in her heart rate which can indicate low oxygen/distress). But because she wasn't showing up well, it was unclear if they were true decels or just artifact from the monitoring.
Dr W showed up and was concerned enough to pull out the ultrasound machine. Apparently if the decels are "true", Alpha will be sluggish due to the build up of lactic acid. He needed to count her movements. From the minute the ultrasound probe hit my belly the screen was filled up by a whirling dervish. Make that three of them.
They usually spend 30 minutes counting fetal movements.
All three of mine passed in the first minute :-).
Dr. W believes the tracing pattern is due to Alpha's position (VERY low and near my large vessels), and her... ummm.... maniacal activity:-)
Phew!
One more bullet dodged.
In other news... it appears that Matt and I will certainly be getting at least some sleep once all the babies are home.
No, dear readers, I am not in the throes of acute hospital-induced delirium.
No, my friends... we have found a night nanny!
She is about 60 years old and has extensive experience taking care of multiples.
And likes working at night.
Could we be any luckier?
Skipping a feeding or two a night (at least five nights a week) should do me wonders.
That's all for now...
One more day down!
So as my recent frequency of posting may tend to indicate, two things have changed.
1) I have successfully discerned the best way to use the internet here at the hospital
2) I now feel well enough most days to jot a little post down
Get this...
As of this morning, my liver and kidney functions have completely normalized.
Even my uric acid is "normal", just a little higher than they would want.
The doctors seem a bit perplexed.
Apparently they often see a slight improvement after hospitalization and steroid administration. But to have everything normalize and remain stable for a week is... well... quite unusual. I gather they didn't get the memo that I don't exactly follow the expected route of... well... ANYTHING when it comes to this pregnancy.
What a fabulous way to buck the trend!
During monitoring this morning, there was some concern that Alpha was having decels (a substantial decrease in her heart rate which can indicate low oxygen/distress). But because she wasn't showing up well, it was unclear if they were true decels or just artifact from the monitoring.
Dr W showed up and was concerned enough to pull out the ultrasound machine. Apparently if the decels are "true", Alpha will be sluggish due to the build up of lactic acid. He needed to count her movements. From the minute the ultrasound probe hit my belly the screen was filled up by a whirling dervish. Make that three of them.
They usually spend 30 minutes counting fetal movements.
All three of mine passed in the first minute :-).
Dr. W believes the tracing pattern is due to Alpha's position (VERY low and near my large vessels), and her... ummm.... maniacal activity:-)
Phew!
One more bullet dodged.
In other news... it appears that Matt and I will certainly be getting at least some sleep once all the babies are home.
No, dear readers, I am not in the throes of acute hospital-induced delirium.
No, my friends... we have found a night nanny!
She is about 60 years old and has extensive experience taking care of multiples.
And likes working at night.
Could we be any luckier?
Skipping a feeding or two a night (at least five nights a week) should do me wonders.
That's all for now...
One more day down!
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Let Me See Those Pearly Whites
(28w0d, Hospital Day 8)
First of all, I feel like I am back in Mrs. J.orgenson's third grade class.
When Dr. W (a partner of Dr. Peri) showed up yesterday and said all of the partners (apparently they discuss treatment plans on Dr. Peri's hospitalized patients as a group every day) are not only pleasantly surprised that I made it this long, but also impressed that things actually looked better for me yesterday than at any point since I was admitted, I couldn't help but be proud (as if my falling liver tests are a direct result of good study habits.)
Well stick a gold star on my forehead :-).
Today is 28 weeks!
We made it!
Slap me silly and call me Martha.
Let's see.
I'm most definitely going to celebrate.
Hmmmm......
Maybe by eating one extra baked goody? (*gasp*)
Or, if I am feeling truly rebellious, making my way OUTSIDE my room down two doors to get some cranberry juice (think T.he V.illage, T.ruman Show, etc). Yep, a wild child, I am :-).
Ooooo, ooooo, I know (hand waving wildly waiting for teacher to call on me), Stuffed crust pizza for dinner? (Now we're talking!)
Matt is running a few errands for me today... Among other things... new shampoo and conditioner. MOUTHWASH (ahhhhh.... I can't wait!) and he will be bringing my shaving supplies from home as another week like this and S.asquatch won't have anything on me.
The Mother of All Headaches is gone.
Completely.
Ahhhhhh. Can't tell you how NOT sorry I am about this.
One never truly appreciates the lack of one's head being split in two by a hatchet until... well... it stops.
This also marks the beginning of hospital week 2.
All sorts of things to celebrate today!
I can tell the babies are growing because of how they move (well, and I suppose the fact I am teetering on the edge of belly button out-y-ness is also a clue). And I'm not talking about the 6-footed, 6-handed, log-rolling frenzy that often erupts when monitoring starts. No, I'm talking about the occasional foot that stretches out the top of my uterus. This conscious stretching activity is new. Estimates roughly put them at approximately 2 lbs right now if we are lucky (soaking wet, of course). New goal? 2.5 lbs... no, make that 3 lbs... it is O.lympic season, might as well dream big, no?
It is an awful good thing I made it this far.
See, I have an ulterior motive.
Dr. Peri should be in on Moday.
And I am SOOOOOO waiting to give him a bad time about putting me in the hospital and then leaving the country the next day to go SCUBA DIVING... WITHOUT TELLING ME. I am so going to raz him.
Besides, he has been telling me for several weeks that he won't be smiling until we get to 28 weeks.
Where is that smile, Dr. Peri???????
Now clawing our way towards 29 weeks...
First of all, I feel like I am back in Mrs. J.orgenson's third grade class.
When Dr. W (a partner of Dr. Peri) showed up yesterday and said all of the partners (apparently they discuss treatment plans on Dr. Peri's hospitalized patients as a group every day) are not only pleasantly surprised that I made it this long, but also impressed that things actually looked better for me yesterday than at any point since I was admitted, I couldn't help but be proud (as if my falling liver tests are a direct result of good study habits.)
Well stick a gold star on my forehead :-).
Today is 28 weeks!
We made it!
Slap me silly and call me Martha.
Let's see.
I'm most definitely going to celebrate.
Hmmmm......
Maybe by eating one extra baked goody? (*gasp*)
Or, if I am feeling truly rebellious, making my way OUTSIDE my room down two doors to get some cranberry juice (think T.he V.illage, T.ruman Show, etc). Yep, a wild child, I am :-).
Ooooo, ooooo, I know (hand waving wildly waiting for teacher to call on me), Stuffed crust pizza for dinner? (Now we're talking!)
Matt is running a few errands for me today... Among other things... new shampoo and conditioner. MOUTHWASH (ahhhhh.... I can't wait!) and he will be bringing my shaving supplies from home as another week like this and S.asquatch won't have anything on me.
The Mother of All Headaches is gone.
Completely.
Ahhhhhh. Can't tell you how NOT sorry I am about this.
One never truly appreciates the lack of one's head being split in two by a hatchet until... well... it stops.
This also marks the beginning of hospital week 2.
All sorts of things to celebrate today!
I can tell the babies are growing because of how they move (well, and I suppose the fact I am teetering on the edge of belly button out-y-ness is also a clue). And I'm not talking about the 6-footed, 6-handed, log-rolling frenzy that often erupts when monitoring starts. No, I'm talking about the occasional foot that stretches out the top of my uterus. This conscious stretching activity is new. Estimates roughly put them at approximately 2 lbs right now if we are lucky (soaking wet, of course). New goal? 2.5 lbs... no, make that 3 lbs... it is O.lympic season, might as well dream big, no?
It is an awful good thing I made it this far.
See, I have an ulterior motive.
Dr. Peri should be in on Moday.
And I am SOOOOOO waiting to give him a bad time about putting me in the hospital and then leaving the country the next day to go SCUBA DIVING... WITHOUT TELLING ME. I am so going to raz him.
Besides, he has been telling me for several weeks that he won't be smiling until we get to 28 weeks.
Where is that smile, Dr. Peri???????
Now clawing our way towards 29 weeks...
Friday, August 1, 2008
A Pain In The... Head
(27w6d)
... But also a pain in my always-ample-now-jumbo-jet-sized tush.
Technically and geographically the pain is actually above my shoulders.
Yes, I had a migraine starting yesterday morning.
No, not just a run-of-the-mill migraine.
No, as S.addam H.ussein would have said-- the Mother of All Migraines.
As my normal pre-pregnancy migraine medication (which, btw works so well that I would kiss the feet of the researcher that developed it... No really, I would... barefoot...) is off limits for now I am left with older meds that have luckily worked wonders during my pregnancy... until now.
Not exactly great timing as those in the know will understand that a persistent headache resistant to treatment is an indication for delivery in preeclamptics.
Even at 27w6d.
As a bonus... such a severe headache is bound to make one's blood pressure... well... less than desirable.
Fabulous.
I eventually took four doses of the older medication with very little effect.
Not reassuring.
And even I started becoming concerned since this was so unusual.
After being called a "ticking time bomb" (tick, tock, tick, tock) by Dr. Peri's partner ("Don't even consider thinking about being able to leave this hospital until you deliver these babies" he warned me), he threw the proverbial pregnancy-friendly pharmacy book at me in an attempt to prove this was actually a migraine-run-amok and not my neurologic system preparing for mass destruction.
Eventually it worked.
Hallelujah!
And I got a full three hours sleep (something I fully intend to rectify this afternoon by turning off my phone and turning my TV to the golf channel.
As of this morning, I am the proud owner of a respectable (ummm... at least for Pregnancy-Induced Hypertension standards) blood pressure, decent labs and an after-severe-migraine fog.
Besides feeling like I have been run over by a M.ack truck (fighting a migraine for 12 hours will do that to a person), I am feeling good today.
And I couldn't be happier.
Talk about a rollercoaster!
So far August (at least the first 12 hours of it) is treating me very, very well.
Oh, I almost forgot. A family friend sent over their caterer to bring me dinner a few nights ago. Complete with a cloth napkin, placemat and table cloth. Pink and yellow lentil soup (Yum!), salad, salmon with risotto and roasted beets were served. A great surprise, tres generous and tres tasty!
P.S. In case you aren't aware (not that you would like to be... ) one of the benefits of an ever-growing front section is that even the most generous back side begins to look... well, relatively flat. Believe me.
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