This is going to be long!

Well, I have a lot to catch all of you up on!  Last Wednesday (August 10) I went in for a check-up with Dr. Smurda.  Everything was going as planned until the end of my visit.  on Monday of that week, I had actually started NST monitoring with Dr. Edwards.  His machine did not pick up any contractions but did detect a little irratability.  Then, at Bible Study Tuesday night I was havong contractions pretty regularly and Necole Everson told me to mention it to my dr at my appointment the next day.  The nurse came in and listened to the baby and Dr. Smurda came in and said ok we will continue on like we are and I will see you in 2 weeks.  I mentioned that what Necole had said and he decided to hook me up and then check me to see of anything was going on.  The monitor showed irratability and that was it.  When he checked me I was dialated to 1 cm and thought I needed to be monitored in labor and delivery.  Hea also said you can't go back to work until further notice.  I knew this wasn't going to turn out good!   So off I go to l & d at 5:15 on Wednesday afternoon.  When I got there, I was innediately hhoked up to fetal monitors and contractions were detected and coming on a regular basis.  I was started on fluids as well as Brethine for contractions.  The nurse also gave me a shot of steroids just in case I did have to go ahead and have Tripp early.  In two hours, I was given 2 shots of Brethine (awful feeling) and finally the contractions settled down.  After being checked 2 more times in the hospital, my cervix wasn't making any changes so I was released at 10:45 pm and went home.  Because of all the fluids, I had to get up to pee about 20 times that night.  It was AWFUL!

Moving on to August 11 (Thirsday).  Happy Birthday to me!  I woke up that morning feeling good and with no contractions.  I called to see what time Dr. Smurda wanted to see me that morning as a follow up and the contractions started back.  Lynette (the midwife) called back a few minutes later and said that since I was contracting and still had to have my second steroid shot at 7:30 pm at the hospital anyway, that I should just go on in to l&d and be monitored until then.  Well, it was almost exactly the same picture from the day before.  I was started on an IV and given ashot of Brethine.  The shot worked for a bit and contractions came back.  Around 3:30, I was moved to trhe fifth floor (antepartum).  My nurse checked me and still 1 cm! After my second shot I was told that I would have to spend the night. Around 7:30 the nurse gave me my steroid shot to finish that up.  I was only on fluids at this point because my contractions had once again settled back down.  My night nurse came in to check on me and asked if I was feeling ok.  I told her contractions started back so she put the monitors on me once again.  What do you know?  Contractions were pretty regular and close together.  I was given 20 mg of procardia to help stop them and it did for a bit.  After a while, she took the monitors off.  Every six hours I was to take these procardia pills so she came in 6 hours later.  My bp was too low to have them again so she waited about 2 more hours.  My bp came up enough to have the pills again.  The night was restless with having to get up and go to the bathroom every 45 minutes but I was monitor free!  Everyone thought we would go home the next day.

Friday morning comes around and so do contractions.  The nurse put me on the monitor and my contractions were 2-4 minutes apart.  I was told to hurry and eat my breakfast and that we would be going downstairs to l&d to be hhoked up to magnesium.  Not what I wanted to hear.

Magnesium, antibiotics, fluids, and catheter were started around 10:30 am.  I was on mag for the next 24 hours which meant no getting out of bed or doing anything.  The first 16 minutes of the mag felt like my arm was stuck in a beehive.  It hurt!  My rrom temperature was also turned down to 55 degrees and I still felt like the room was 200 degrees.  It finally settled down but then my eyes started burning, headache came and vision started to blur.  My dosage was decreased to a maintenance drip so I started to get used to it.  Usually on mag you can't eat or drink.  Dr. Smurda allowed me to eat supper and have some water.  I was starving!  All night I stayed on mag and the next morning he came in to see me and said he was happy with what he saw and wanted to take me off and put me on procardia only.  About 11:30 on Saturday the mag was stopped and by 12:30 the catheter was out!!!!!!!  I ate lunch and got to shower.  The headache continued to hang around but that was ok compared to what I had been through.  Procardia was started again and I was back on the monitors.  The procardia was slowed down due to bp but slowly added back into me to get me up to the 20 mg dose because 10 wasn't doing the trick.  Dr. Smurda checked me again and i was still between a 1 and 2!  I had to spend the night again in L&D and have contininous monotirng throughout the night.  On Sunday, Dr. Smurda came in and asked if we were ready to go home.  Umm....YES!  He had the nurse check me once more and NO CHANGE!  I was given a prescription for procardia (2 every 6 hours) and Ambian.  Got home and have been on bedrest ever since.  I did get to go to Albany on Monday to see Dr. Edwards for my NST/BPP monitoring.  I see Dr. Smurda on Thursday and go back to Augusta next Tuesday.  Busy week ahead and really hoping Tripp decides to stay put for a while!

It is safe to say that it is a little crazy at my house and the alarm goes off at all hours of the day and night to remember to take the procardia as I should! 

Thanks for the calls, visits, texts, gifts, etc that we recieved while all of this was going on.  I hate that I had to miss my baby shower on Saturday but it was a sweet surprise to have some of you come to the hospital and visit.  It made my day and gave me something to look forward to.

Please keep the prayers coming.  I want Tripp to show us and the world that he is a fighter and will be able to live a normal, healthy life!  Thanks for everything and I will try to update a little sooner next time!