Well the Time Has Come...

I spent 6 hours in the ER last night after a week long bout of gallbladder pain. Not sure if it's related to the ICP. I had gallstones shortly after my daughter was born, but after a HIDA scan showed "normal" function (we'll get back to this later), the docs decided to leave my gallbladder to its own devices.

Anyway. Good news - Not pregnant! My ultrasound showed fluid around my gallbladder and inflammation...no stones. However, the ER doc referred me to a surgeon for further evaluation. Went to my family doc today, who is also a GI doc, and told him about what was going on. Also told him my gallbladder was functioning at 85% according to that HIDA scan in 2010. He told me that even though above 80% was considered "normal" function, it is actually abnormal because 50-79% is proper gallbladder function. Therefore, my gallbladder could be constricting too much instead of not enough. Go me for having the Superman of gallbladders. Does that make my doctor Lex Luther for wanting to take it out? :)

So, the referral to the surgeon has been submitted. Just waiting on approval. Joy of joys.

A Little Anxious

So, Jay is slated to deploy next year, and I am trying not to think about it. However, I have so much to get done before he leaves. POA, Wills, etc. Ever notice how planning for the future usually means having to face the worst-case scenarios? Like who will care for your kids in the event you and your spouse die? In NC, if you don't select someone, your kids go to foster care. Can you believe that? Doesn't matter if your parents, siblings, or other family members are willing, able, and available. They go to foster care. So, I have to get all this stuff done in the next 3ish months to have it ready in case he's deployed at the beginning of the year. Really not something I want to think about.

On top of this, I am trying not to freak out because I have pregnancy symptoms again. Praying it's just my birth control pill. I don't get it. Didn't use birth control from 2007 until this year, and we only had planned babies. Now, I'm on the pill, and I could be pregnant. Are you kidding me?! I ovulated on Yaz and got migraines with auras...so they changed me to the POP - Micronor. I take it at 8 am every morning, but it's still not the most effective pill. Oh, well. Nothing I can really worry about right now. Just a little scary because I would be pregnant with 2 kids under 4 by myself...and giving birth by myself. Then, it would be just me with 3 kids under 4 until my husband gets home. Go figure.

Oh, well. I'm going to try not to worry about it. As scary as it is, I'm just going to go on about my business today as usual. I have cleaning to do, and I need to research POA's and wills.

It's Been A While!

I am terribly sorry for the almost 10 month hiatus.

James arrived at 3:49pm on December 3, 2011, screaming his little lungs out. 7 lbs, 10 ounces of pure perfection. Shortly thereafter, he was rushed to NICU for 18 hours because his BP plummeted, and he began gasping for air. He had too much fluid in his lungs, and they had to wait for him to absorb it all. I didn't get to breastfeed for 18 hours. It was a rough 3 days in the hospital for both of us.

Now, we are 9 months and 3 weeks later, and he is 21 lbs, 8 oz. He is crawling and trying to stand. He eats like a horse and hates baby food. :) Already sporting 18-month clothes. He has 6 teeth, and 2 more coming in! Can you believe it?! Love my sweet little man.

Ella, our daughter, is 2 and a half. She is learning to read a little. She knows her numbers, colors, letters, letter sounds, and some shapes. :) She's so funny, too! Love her to death!

So, it's been a crazy year. My husband went back to work at a new battalion, where he is set to deploy around January for about 6 months. I am feeling a bit anxious about it, but there isn't much we can do. I just have to pray and believe he will come home safely.

Hope you guys are doing well!

Induction Day 3

>So, we checked in Thursday night and got Cervidil, which dilated me to 2 and caused me to have a bloody show.

Got Pitocin at 11 am yesterday. Got the max dose in just a few hours. Didn't start having regular contractions until 3:30.

Got checked again at 5...no change.

So, then, at 7:30, they placed a Foley cath into my cervix to try to dilate it that way...with the result being, it would pop out on it's own at 3 or 4 cm. Well, no sooner did they get it in (excrutiating by the way), then it popped right back out when they attempted to put the tension on it (also excrutiating). Put it this way, the Foley balloon is definitely something I can check off my bucket list of top 5 most excruciating things to do before I die.

Without another check, they assumed I was 3 and started slowly giving me Pitocin through the night. Had more contractions through my Ambien-induced sleep.

Went to the bathroom and have been bleeding ever since the Foley cath. Came back, and the nurse checked me. My cervix is still high and thick, but soft. 50 % effaced, 3 cm outside, 1 and a half cm on the inside. No real change to report.

So, right now, we're still pitting slowly. They are going to jump back into things at 6 this morning. Hoping the Pitocin works. They are going to discuss putting a pin sized hole in my amniotic sac to release fluid slowly later today. I have polyhydramnios, so he keeps floating back up when they feel his head. They don't want to actually rupture my membranes because they worry about the cord prolapsing. So, they are thinking of doing a small hole to relieve some pressure, causing his head to come down and connect with my cervix....because right now, my uterus is doing all the work....poorly.

The good news is my doc even said, when I asked what he thought about a CS, "It would be a shame to do a c-section on a second-time mom who has proven herself through a previous successful vaginal delivery." So, I am really happy about that. That being said, if there is still zero progress by this evening, they are probably going to discuss the possibility.

I'm hoping it won't come to that. I'm praying things go really well today. This is the difference between inducing at 37 weeks and letting nature take it's course. Let this be a fair warning to all of you who think you want to be induced early...don't do it. I'm only doing it because it's medically necessary. If it doesn't work, you're stuck in the hospital until they either do a C-section or for a couple of days (laboring) until it does work. Seeing your baby sooner than it should get here is just not worth this....except in the cases of medical necessity. Be patient, go for a walk, have sex and enjoy the last few weeks/days until your LO arrives.  Everything happens in it's own time. :)

So, here I am at 4 am....wide awake...slightly discouraged...SOOOOOO over this whole ordeal. Praying for a miracle today. Please, pray with me and for me. I need my little boy to get here, safely...and be healthy. I miss my little girl. I haven't seen her in over 24 hours. L&D doesn't allow children under 10 here...she is allowed in the postpartum ward after I give birth.

Good luck to everyone today!

Induction Today

Got my Cervidil last night after being admitted.  They will be removing it at 9:40 this morning.  Then, I get to shower and get cleaned up before they start the Pitocin at 10:40.  I'm excited and nervous.  Been having a few contractions this morning, but nothing major.  Definitely ready to get clean up...before cleaning up again tonight after James is born.  :)

Just praying for a safe delivery and healthy baby.  :)  It's been awesome here at the hospital.  My nurses are amazing.  I love my midwife.  The doc should be checking in on things at some point. So ready to get this part over.  :)

Induction Scheduled

Well, had my appointment today.  James was awesome on the NST and the ultrasound.  He is doing beautifully! I got diagnosed with polyhydramnios by the actual doc today.  My levels have gone up to 24 cm instead of going down.  They are now concerned about my water breaking before his head is engaged, which could result in the cord slipping through the cervix.  One more thing to be concerned about.  Good news, though - he's head down!  Let's hope he stays that way.

I am set for induction on December 2!  I have an appointment at 7:30 am on Thursday to check my cervix again.  Right now, I'm 1 full cm dilated, and my cervix is soft.  So, maybe with some walking and such, my cervix should dilate some more.  If not, they are going to admit me to L&D on Thursday for Cervadil to dilate me some more, and then give me Pitocin on Friday to bring on contractions.  Our little boy should be here this weekend!  Praying for everything to go smoothly, and for him to be healthy and breathing on his own.

Mom's coming on Wednesday to watch Ella for us.  I'm certainly thankful to have her.  :)

I'll Take the Pregnancy With a Side of Stress, Please

Had my ultrasound, NST and group B strep test this morning.  James is now transverse...hopefully that means he's turning.  He also is measuring about 6 lbs, 15 oz.  He didn't want to wake up for the NST, so the OB referred me to L&D for a repeat NST after lunch.  Apparently, they also do GBS tests differently at this office.  Instead of swiping the swab up and down the nether parts, she stuck them in places they weren't meant to go.  Joy.  It was not a pleasant experience....along with that, she decided to pick at my brain through my cervix again.  1 cm and very thick, by the way.

Jay, doc and I had an honest discussion about cholestasis and early induction.  She's all for inducing on December 2.  I'll be 37 weeks, 2 days.  On top of that, I have to leave from Mom's earlier than planned this weekend just so I can go back to L&D for a repeat NST.  I now have to have them twice a week until I'm induced.  Also, I get another ultrasound on Monday...along with yet another NST.  If he is still sideways or breech, they will be scheduling a version and an induction for Friday, December 2...or so that was the game plan when I left the office.

After eating lunch and going to L&D, spoke with another OB in the practice.  He agreed with the whole game plan but wanted to speak with a doctor at ECU (East Carolina University) for more information regarding bile salt levels and early induction.  The doc at ECU said he doesn't go by the bile salt levels because they aren't really indicative of anything.  He performs an amniocentesis at 37 weeks, and if the lungs are mature, then he induces.  Oh, and Urso is crap...apparently, it doesn't lower the bile salt levels, but it's supposed to reduce the itch.  Great.  So, now, I have to discuss the amniocentesis with the doc on Monday when I go in for my appointment.

I haven't been home since about 9 this morning.  Jay took Ella with him to work after my appointment because they don't allow children under 12 in L&D.  She barely got a nap today.  He told me she fell asleep in the car on the way to his work, and he even got her into the stroller asleep....but, OF COURSE, a Howitzer went off, and the loud blast woke her up...about 30-45 minutes into her nap.  Hoping she hasn't been a complete butthead.

As if all of that wasn't bad enough, I got pulled over on the way home...for expired registration...on Jay's vehicle.  Thankfully, the police officer was really nice.  He cited me and let me go.  Told me to get Jay to get the registration taken care of, and if I go to court on January 13, the ticket would be dismissed.  Yay.

If I wasn't pregnant, I think I would deserve an adult beverage right about now.