We spent all of yesterday at the hospital, checking in on this babe and me. The little bugger is perfectly content to continue his or her tropical vacation for a while longer. I mean, really - who wouldn't? Free room service? No responsibilities? Spending the day floating in the tropical waters without a care in the world? Why, yes. I think I'd stay until the last moment too.
Mom on the other hand is having a rougher go of it. This pregnancy has been totally normal and healthy (a blessing) and I've had few complaints - I am still sleeping well, escaped both morning sickness and heartburn BUTTTT (and that is a BIG but...) I've struggled since day one with my blood pressure at every doctor's visit. It seems that my easy-going nature is only a thin veil of calm over a bundle of nerves. (You know how it is, appearing calm and relaxed actually MAKES you that way...and totally crushes the competition!)
So, the routine has been take my BP once at the beginning of any appointment, marvel at it's height and then relax, go about the business of the visit and then take it again, marveling at how much I can bring those numbers down just by relaxing and calming my mind. Folks, I've made it through 40 weeks and 1 day like this....but apparently 40 weeks and 2 days was my limit. So, after checking in on baby's status at the four star, luxury resort in the Caribbean - aka my uterus - it was off to do some heart rate monitoring for both of us. Baby = fine. Mom = high. Big. Freaking. Surprise.
I calmly explain the BP drill and the Nurse-Who-Chews-Her-Gum-Like-A-Horse nods along, not hearing my plea over the Earth Shattering Volume of her Gum Chewing. Next thing I know, they're sending me to L&D (that's Labor and Delivery, guys) for (insert scary voice over man here) More Monitoring. I beg. I plead. Please just take it again. I've been waiting quietly and patiently and meditating. But no, apparently Chews-Like-A-Cow has orders from Above and so off to L&D I go.
Can you imagine what my blood pressure is now????
Yes, well. Luckily, I'd made friends with a few of the nurses the other time I'd been there and the hilarious Nurse Nancy (yep - really, Nurse Nancy) remembers Rick and I and gets us settled into our room. At this point, I've been there for 3 hours and am starving, pissed and obviously, scared. I know that if I cannot lower my BP, I'll be admitted and induced almost immediately. (Bye, bye laboring at home. Bye, bye moving around in labor. Bye, bye drug free plan.) So I'm trying my best not to TOTALLY. FREAK. OUT. Mostly, I'm frustrated that this is all my fault, since I can't keep it together and keep my head out of my body's way. Arggggh.
I get all hooked up and try to settle into some meditation (mostly focusing on the photo of Lake Placid on my banner, actually!) and trying hard to drown out the blaring noise of the galloping horse next to me (baby's heart sounds like a Dances with Wolves stampede) and the BEEP BEEP BEEP of the monitor telling me my BP is still high. This BEEP system sounds just like the ones in the movies where the spaceship is about to be attacked by martians. WARNING: SECTOR TWO MUST EVACUATE. WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!
Oh yeah, this is super calming....just when I think my heart is about to explode. The doctor on call comes in to tell me she's spoken with my midwife who wants to admit me and begin the prep for an induction.
I'll spare you the details of the call (in case anyone is still reading at this point) and we decide that we will a) get me some lunch b) leave me to rest quietly for a while and c) continue monitoring for a few hours before making any decisions.
Nurse Nancy kindly turns down the stampede of horses soundtrack, takes the BP cuff off and Rick gets me the World's Best Turkey Sandwich. Things are looking up.
An hour or so later, Nurse Nancy comes back in to take my blood pressure and I've dropped the number by almost 20 points. A blood pressure PR! Also, no protein in my urine, so they've ruled out the dreaded preeclampsia. Now, we wait on the blood work....which (after hours of waiting)
Comes
Back
FINE!
So, 7 hours later, we are back where we began the day. Diagnosis: baby is fine, mom is crazy and we are sent home with instructions to monitor my blood pressure twice daily. No induction. No tears. No baby.
So, sweet baby of mine - we hope you are enjoying your all expenses paid, luxurious tropical vacation. I know how lovely it must be. I promise though, once you are on the plane, you'll realize that you are actually looking forward to being at home.
So hurry up!
Glad you didn't have to be induced. Zach was 10 days late and while I was still fine and Zach seemed fine and still had plenty of fluid, the policy was at 10 days you had to be induced. I won't tell you my story because looking back on it now it doesn't seem so bad and we both ended up happy and healthy. All I can say is if you can avoid induction and it doesn't threaten yours or your baby's health - do it!
ReplyDeleteMy BP was high too. One of my nurses was a total alarmist and tried to freak me out about how I could have a seizure and DIE. I kicked her right out of my room and told her not to come back. As long as there is no protein in your urine and you can see the veins in your feet, a little high BP isn't the end of the world. Mine stayed up for about a week after giving birth but then finally syabilized, although now it's just a little on the high side. Still nothing to worry about.
ReplyDeleteHope you're in the hospital now having that baby! :)