Monday, April 23, 2007

Still a Girl

I had another ultrasound today, and for the third time was told it was a girl. I sure wish I could be shopping or sewing right now. The pictures aren't that good, not worth trying to post. Apparently, she is still on the small side but has moved up on the chart since my ultrasound three weeks ago. Right now I have more questions than answers about the ultrasound, but for the most part I guess things look good.

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

The Good

Okay, there are some perks to bedrest. Like when your mom (who happens to be a wonderful cook) comes and does all the cooking and makes things like spinach lasagna and Belgian waffles with blueberry sauce from scratch. Yum.

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Monday, April 16, 2007

A Month from Today

We figured out our plan today at my doctor's appointment. Right now, everything looks good besides my blood pressure. As long as lying down controls my blood pressure up until May 16th, I will be having a c-section on that day. That also depends on everything else staying fine, as in no protein in urine or other symptoms and an ultrasound next week shows she is growing fine. Really, my only issue right now is very high blood pressure, which unfortunately is not good for a baby even when everything else looks good. I feel good having a plan, but at the same time a whole month of bedrest ahead feels very loooong.

Then there is the issue of a scheduled c-section. Not something I ever imagined doing, but when you combine certain factors from my present situation and previous deliveries, it seems the best thing to do. I have a month to come to terms with a section....and a month to freak out about it too.

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Holding Steady

I know I'm terrible about updating. It's weird, I rarely feel like doing any of the things that I could actually be doing like reading, knitting, blogging or commenting on other blogs. Overall, this week has been okay thanks to friends who have stopped by to visit (very much appreciated!) and my mom arrived last night. Jeremiah went back to work today, which is probably more like a break for him after the past week. He did well running the house for a whole week, he even picked out a new recliner after ours broke. I couldn't of been happier with his choice.

I had an appointment this morning, which turned out to be just for a non stress test. That's a whole other story that I best not get into for the sake of my blood pressure. Otherwise, I see my OB on Monday.

Anyway, I'm off to check out netflix.

Monday, April 09, 2007

Appointment Update

I know some of you were waiting to hear how today's appointment went. My blood pressure was not good and I have to go back Thursday. The plan is to take it a half week at a time.

Boring

One would think I would blog all the time on bedrest, I certainly have the time. The truth is that bedrest is depressing, at least to me. I feel useless and lazy. Physically, I feel perfect which makes it all the more frustrating*. Poor Mary Jane just sits and stares at me sometimes and I know she is wondering why I don't take her on walks anymore. I've never been one to let pregnancy slow me down, and the idea that I might have weeks of restricted activity ahead makes me want to crawl out of my skin. I have to keep reminding myself why i'm doing it, and that the end result is what matters.

It doesn't help that it mine as well be January outside, that is depressing too.

On Saturday I asked Isaac what I should do. "Do what you did yesterday" he said.

"What was that?" I asked.

"Remember? You were tying those ropes together with those sticks" (Knitting).

Last night after the boys were tucked in to bed, Jeremiah thought it would be safe to bring Mary Jane for a walk. Five minutes after he left Elijah and Sammy started screaming bloody murder in their bedroom. Of course I come running upstairs, but there door is locked. I have no idea what they are screaming about behind the door (imagining awful things of course), and it feels like an eternity before I can get the door open. Turns out, they were screaming because they couldn't open the door. I don't even want to think about what my bp was after that little episode.

I do have an appointment today but it's not with my main OB. It's just to check to make sure things are still stable (which I'm pretty sure they are). At least I will be able to leave the house for a little bit!

*That is why millions of people walk around with sky-high blood pressure without knowing it. If you haven't had your bp checked in awhile...do it!

Thursday, April 05, 2007

Happily Heading Home

So, everything is looking good. Blood pressure is under control, labs came back okay, non-stress tests look great, cord doppler ultrasound looked good this morning. I get to continue bedrest at home, then go see the doctor on Monday for more labs and to see what happens from there. Cannot wait to sleep in my own bed, I hardly slept a wink last night.

Wednesday, April 04, 2007

From the Hospital...

Hi, I was told there was no wireless here, but I turned on the laptop to watch a movie and apparently there is!

I just wanted to give you all the details. Really, what else is there to do here?...
I don't think I mentioned that my ultrasound on Monday was to make sure my blood pressure wasn't affecting her growth. Honestly, I hardly gave this a second thought, to me it was just a reason to make sure she was still a girl! Anyway, yesterday I had an appointment with my midwife and the ultrasound reports shows that she is behind on her growth, and something or other with cord pressure, and it appears that my bp is affecting her. I was told I would need another ultrasound next week and we would go from there.

Yesterday evening, I decided to check my blood pressure. It was high. So, I rested on my left side for several hours and took it again. Higher. So...I slept on my left side a few hours (the best thing you can do to bring bp down) and took it again. Higher. I really thought it was my monitor, I even changed the batteries. By this point I was pretty concerned but it was 3:00 a.m., so I went back to sleep. When I woke up this morning it was even higher. The bottom number was over 100, and I had been instructed to call if that ever happened.

So, I called. Expecting for her to have me come in so she could check it. I was still hoping it was just my monitor. After consulting with an OB she wanted me to go to the hospital. So, i'm thinking I would go to the hospital have it checked and all would be fine. After two blood pressure readings, the nurse actually put up the rails on my bed and padded them with blankets "in case of a seizure". I also had protein in my urine. My blood pressure does come down when I'm lying on my side, so that is how I have to stay.

This is what we know and what we don't:

I'm not going full term. The OB said she would be happy if I get to 36 weeks.
I'm having two steroid shots that help mature her lungs in case she is born soon.
A neonatologist is going to be talking to me to let me know what to expect if she is born soon.
I *might* get to go home on bedrest if everything looks perfect. (Perfect being my 24 hour urine check doesn't show higher protein, and all my blood labs come back normal, my blood pressure stabalizes, and the baby doesn't show any signs of falling even more behind on growth)
I *might* be her until the baby is born.
We are not sure when that is going to be.
I'm having another ultrasound tomorrow.
The baby does fine on the monitor.

It's a whole lot of what if's and let's see. So thats it's. And its boring.

Off to the hospital

This is Jeremiah writing for Amie..

Amie wanted me to update everyone, she had to go the hospital this morning as her blood pressure was really rising fast. It was 170/95 at one point and after calling her midwife, the midwife said to go to the hospital. After being admitted she was told that it looks like a VBAC will be out of the question and that because of her high blood pressure and possible preclampsia concerns that a C section will be done by 36 weeks. Maybe even sooner if her blood pressure doesn't get under control.

Other than that, she is ok and the baby is fine too. Just lots of bed rest until then.

Monday, April 02, 2007

Ultrasound

I had my 2nd ultrasound this morning. No boy parts have grown in the past 13 weeks, and the girl parts were pretty darn clear as you can see for yourself. I got a few 3D pics, but there wasn't much fluid around her face which you need for really good 3D pics. Approximate weight is about 3.5 pounds right now.

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