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Let me start off with the beginning of my pregnancy. I officially found out thatPosted On Saturday, June 29, 2002 by Nadia |
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Let me start off with the beginning of my pregnancy. I officially found out that I was pregnant on July 31, 2001, twenty four days after my husband and I got married. We were very excited by the news. One of the first things that we did was go out and buy a pregnancy book. I read it over and over. I even wrote my birth plan immediately after reading the book the first time. The first two months of my pregnancy were great. I only had trouble staying awake. I was always so tired. Everyone said that is normal, so I was like okay no problem. Then going on towards the last month of the first trimester I started getting sick all the time. I went to the ER three times. The first time I went more due to the fact that I was bleeding than the fact that I had severe vomiting. Needless to say I was dehydrated. The baby was however doing great. They gave me a shot of phenergan and had me on an IV drip for about two hours to rehydrate me. I was then allowed to leave. Two weeks later I was back in the ER for severe vomiting. I had to stay. Up to the maternity ward I went. I only had to stay until the next evening, September 11. I was terrified what might happen to the U.S. next. Would my baby get to grow up and have a full and happy life? I myself was only twenty years old at the time patiently waiting the next seven and a half months till I could hold my baby. Another two weeks went by and once again I was in the ER for severe vomiting. I also had to stay there once again. Thankfully, that was the last time for a few months. The second trimester was better, just like everyone said. I was still tired all the time, but no vomiting. The only bad that happened during this time was my grandpa passing away during a chemo or radiation treatment the day after Christmas. (I can't recall exactly which treatment it was). The day of his funeral happened to be the day that I turned six months pregnant. The family was gathered at my grandparent's home after the funeral when I started getting pains in my belly. They thought I was going into labor. My mom and cousin said it's too early, so don't even think about it. Well it wasn't time yet, it turned out to be just gas. That's rather embarrassing, but much better than being in labor at six months. The third trimester is when things started happing. My feet started to swell, but I didn't think anything of it. I was told mild swelling of the ankles is normal. I mean think carrying all that extra weight around. I'm only 4'11, not very tall, and I have a rather small build. (I should say had, since I'm not very small anymore). I went in for my first diabetes test on January 15, 2002. It came back postive that I had gestational diabetes. (I'd had a candy bar and sprite about an hour before my test, they hadn't told me to fast for the one hour test). I had to go back the next week for the three hour test. I didn't hear anything by the end of the week so I thought I'm in the clear. On January 29, I turned seven months pregnant. I went in for a routine visit, my blood pressure was up and I had protein in my urine. I was told by one of my clinic's doctors that I was going to the hospital because I had symptoms of preeclampsia, no questioins asked other than, "do I have to call for an ambulence." My husband said no that he would take me (he went to all of my prenatal visits). I only had one question, how long? The doctor said it could be two hours, two days, two weeks, or even the next two months until my delivery date. I was horrified. I had been in the hospital enough already I didn't want to go back, but for the sake of my baby I'd do anything. On the way to the hospital we stopped by where my mom was working to tell her what was going on. (It was on the way to the hospital). We got to the hospital after a pit stop, in some parking lot; I thought I was going to vomit. My mom beat us to the hospital, she was waiting for us in the waiting room. I went to the labor & delivery front desk, and they rushed me to a room that they had waiting for me. One of the hospital's doctors came in a while later to check my cervix. I was only dilated 1 3/4 cm. Later one of my clinic's doctors came and checked it. I was still only dilated 1 3/4 cm. They had me lay on my left side, and were checking my blood pressure every fifteen minutes. They gave me the first steroid shot of two I would need to help the baby's lungs mature. I also had to do a 24 hour urine test. I thank God that I had bathroom privleges. I can't stand catheters, but who can? Everything was okay, so that I didn't have to have the baby that night. That was wonderful news. The next day I met one of two high risk doctors. He said I'd probably be there until delivery. I was not thrilled, but I had to do what was best for my baby. After two and a half days in labor & delivery one of my doctors allowed me to go to the perinatal unit. Where I had another 24 hour urine test. That didn't last very long. That was a Friday, the following Tuesday one of the high risk doctors had me moved back to labor & delivery. He said not on his watch would I be allowed be in perinatal unit in my condition. Therefore, I was stuck in the labor & delivery unit on the fetal monitor. My baby was doing great; it was his mama that wasn't doing so well. I mean I felt fine, but being stuck in a hospital bed is definitely not my cup of tea. At 32 weeks the one high risk doctor wanted me to have an amnio. done. The risk he said was preterm labor. By this time I already knew that I was destined to preterm labor; (I wasn't allowed to go past 34 weeks), so my husband and I said no. I didn't feel right about it, as if God was saying no that I had better not. For the next two weeks my blood pressure fluctuated. I don't remember exactly what my pressures were, but they weren't pretty. February 21, 2002, they started to induce my labor. They started with the pill that they put into the cervix to thin it out. The next morning February 22, they started the magnesium and pitocin at about 8:30-9:00 in the morning. At about 9:30 or maybe 10:00 AM my doctor broke my water. My contractions were going off the monitor charts. The magnesium was making me feverish. My husband and nurse had to keep me cool with ice cubes and wash cloths. The pain from the contractions was making my blood pressure rise. I was only dilate maybe 2cm. My doctor ordered an epidural. After the anesthesiologist was done giving me the epidural my nurse was puting me back on the monitor. That's when my worst fears started coming to life. She couldn't find the baby's heart beat. Knowing that my unborn child hated that monitor, I told her to try the other side of my belly than the one she was on. She then found the heartbeat, but it was dropping fast. She pushed the emergency button. Before I could probably have counted to ten my room was flooded with the hospital's staff doctors and nurses. They paged my doctor, he was there in two seconds. (My poor husband sitting in the corner of my room didn't know what to think). My doctor said emergency c-section now! He talked to me the whole way down to the labor & delivery OR. He was telling me everything was going to be just fine. I believed him even though normally I'm a skeptic person. The anesthesiologist came in to put more meds in my epidural catheter. Just as the doctor was making the first incision, husband came in from putting on scrubs. I couldn't even feel him grab my hand that is how numb I was. The doctor kept telling me how I was doing a great job even though I was just lying there helpless. At 10:40AM, February 22, 2002, my baby boy Austin Nathaniel was born. At first I didn't hear him crying, then all of a sudden he let out this lusty cry as if to say put me back. He had to be put in NICU, but they let me see him for a second. He was a beautiful guy. While I was in recovery my husband to anxious to wait for me went to see Austin. He came back to recovery later after I was awake, and told me that the baby was doing great. That night at about 10:00PM they took him off of the breathing machines. He could do it just fine on his own. I finally got to see him and hold him the next evening. Even though he wasn't supposed to be given a bottle he had been given one. Not really a big deal, but I wanted to strictly breastfeed. He was taking all of his feedings by those bottles. At one day old he was taking eight bottles a day, and he was only 34 weeks gestation. He's now four months old and weighs 12lbs 6oz and is 23 1/4in long. At birth he only weighed 4lbs 8.2oz and was 17 3/8 in. long. I just wish other mother's that have gone through this had as easy of a time as I did. I thank God everyday for my baby, and for the doctors I had. I'm very happy to have such competent physicians. I don't know what I'd do without my baby; he brightens even the saddest day. Unfortunately, at six weeks postpartum I still had traces of protein in my urine, even though my blood pressures were normal. I was referred to a kidney doctor for it and he said that the protein could possibly be there until six months postpartum. I just try to keep myself calm, so as not to let my blood pressure rise to high. No swelling though, all of that disappeared the day after I brought the baby home. He only had to stay in the hospital for a week compared to my three weeks before his birth. |
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