Unexpected

Understatement of the year...my afternoon was "unexpected"...

I spent it in the hospital getting poked, prodded, and in a very unflattering backless faded hospital gown.

I met my SIL for lunch before my normally scheduled doctor's appointment. At lunch, I gobbled up Ellie's fries that she didn't want, and then headed over to the doctor's to be weighed after my salt fest for lunch.

The scale was not nice to me (but the one there never is) and then the nurse took me back to take my blood pressure and to wait for the doctor. My BP was up...again...like it was 2 weeks ago. The doc took it again after she came in and it was still elevated. Now, I don't know much about BP, and I didn't know at the time what number should alarm me, but I knew that what we were seeing was higher than it normally is for me. Add that to the swelling I've started to have in my feet and ankles, and the doctor sent me right over to the hospital to get some tests run to rule out preeclampsia.

I didn't exactly realize what a big deal preeclampsia was when my doctor first mentioned it b/c my mom had it when she was pregnant with me, and she just had to go off of sodium and stay on bed rest for a bit. But, when I asked my doctor what we would do if I DID have it, she said it was a little premature to talk about it, but that if it was serious enough, they would deliver me, now! Whoa! That freaked me out a bit. Then she said that if I had it, but to a lesser extent, they would monitor it and deliver me before 37 weeks. Still whoa!

I had to ask directions for where to go, since the only time I'd been to the hospital was last week for our birth center orientation, and we were actually across the street. On my drive over, I called The Colonel to tell him what was going on, and I tried to stay calm, for myself and for him. I also called my SIL again, and she said she'd call the 'Rents, and then I called my parents...so I was covered in prayer the whole time I was there.

I found my way through the maze of the parking garage and the hallways of the hospital to the maternity floor and got myself checked in. My doctor had called ahead to tell them what I needed. A male nurse named Roy came to take care of me. He was SO nice! He took me to an outpatient room (smaller than a normal labor room) and had me sit and relax for a bit before he took my blood pressure. There was also a new nurse with him who he was training, so the three of us just chatted for a bit until my anxiety passed, and I felt more comfortable.

They took my blood pressure about 4 times, and it was lower than it had been at the doctor's office. Then they drew about 3 vials of blood. I had to give a urine sample and change into that dreaded gown, and then they hooked me up to the heart rate monitor for the baby. The resident doctor came in to talk to me, and she made me feel a lot better because she said that everything so far looked great.

I sat on the monitor for about 45 minutes until they came and told me that all my blood work and urine looked great, and so did the baby's heartbeat. Whew...that felt better. My BP was also staying at it's lower level, and I learned that until it gets over 160, they don't consider it "high" (mine never got over 151).

They had to call my doctor to give her the results before they could let me go, so I thought I was almost out of there. But, then I sat and waited - still in the gown w/ the monitor on - for another 45 minutes. Finally, a new nurse came in (they had changed shifts) to tell me that the resident doc had been called in to a delivery, so we'd have to keep waiting. FINALLY, everyone came back and told me that I could go...BUT, I have to save all of my urine for the next 24 hours! And then take it back to the hospital tomorrow! And it has to stay cold, so it's in the fridge! Are you grossed out yet? The Colonel sure is!!

Right as we were wrapping things up, I got 2 visitors. The 'Rents had come to see me! They had come to town to visit someone in another hospital, so they stopped to see how I was doing. It was very sweet.

So, to end my long story - things look good so far, they'll check my urine again, I'll have another sonogram next week (yay! I've been wanting one), and see my doctor again in one week instead of 2, and we'll keep monitoring my blood pressure.

I'd appreciate your prayers that Lil Major and I stay healthy and that he stays in there until he's full term.

And a few good things did come out of my experience today. I am not so paranoid about the hospital anymore. Everyone was so nice to me (even though they did ask me the same questions 4 times), and I didn't pass out just walking in there. I have a choice of delivering at the birth care center or the hospital (unless the baby comes early), so now I've seen both and will be able to make a better decision.

Well, I better go...I have to go pee in my bucket again. Eww, gross!