Sweet and Sour

Today we had our first follow-up appointment since leaving the hospital and it was going to be a busy appointment. We were scheduled for an ultrasound to check on how I was holding up, an ultrasound to check on you two, a typical appointment with the doctor, and my glucose testing. In my mind the glucose test was the biggest part of today (because I was sure the ultrasound would go fine) and I had to cut back on all the sweets I love to eat! Well, our roller coaster ride continued today...

While on our way, your daddy called to tell me he had decided to come to the appointment after all. All along, I told him not to worry about coming (Zsu Zsu and Aunt Aubrey were with me), plus it was going to be nothing new, a routine check up (ha!). Turns out I'm really thankful he was there with me.

Once we got to the doctor's office we did several minutes of waiting (me stuck sitting up for longer than I had in over five weeks). Finally, Zsu Zsu marched up to the front, explained that I was on bed rest, and needed to be seen or given a place to lay down (she's the best!). Well, sure enough, they bumped me up to next in line for ultrasounds!

Sweet moment #1: seeing you two still doing just fine! Miracle Baby A, as always, you did not want to show your face for any pictures and faced my back the whole time. Miracle Baby B, you were facing straight at us! You two sure are active! Miracle Baby B you have flipped sides again and are back to the left. And now, instead of lying sideways, you are feet down. Miracle Baby A you have flipped too and are feet down as well.

After admiring my cuties, they did the second ultrasound to check on me. I was squinting to try and read the numbers on the screen while they took the measurements, Was that a 1.3? Maybe a 1.5 still? but couldn't quite make it out. I thought for sure I had seen a one point something up there.

Since the nurses now realized I was on bed rest, they let me stay back in the ultrasound area instead of walking all the way back to the front, just to walk back again. It was during this time that we had our next "sweet moment" (quite literally this time). While waiting to see the doctor, they let me get a jump start on my glucose testing so that I could go home as soon as possible. So, they brought me a delicious orange sugary drink to guzzle in five minutes!

By the time that was finished it was on to the doctor. We sat and talked for a bit as I went over the list of questions I had. At one point she said, "Well your cervix is definitely short, but we already knew that." Okay, already knew that. So it must not have changed, right?

Sour moment #1:  "And how short is it?" I asked. She looked down at her paperwork and said, "Well, it's now measuring 8.8 mm." I thought surely I had misunderstood her, but unfortunately I hadn't. My cervical length had cut in half since the surgery.

Sour moment #2: While discussing what this meant for our near future, she realized I had not yet been given any steroid shots in case you were to be born early (this had been a strategic decision made by Dr. Weeks, who didn't want to administer these shots too soon). So, she decided to hook me up to monitor contractions, "If you have 5 in an hour, then we're going to have to send you back downstairs." I was devastated. Dr. Weeks knew we had at least 5 contractions each hour. He had said that's what life was going to be for me until we delivered. But since I hadn't had any steroid shots, these doctors were  nervous to let me go home. If I go into labor, they want to try to be able to stall for 24 hours to get the steroids in me as quickly as possible.

Sour moment #3: While being given this news, two different nurses came in to draw my blood (completion of the glucose testing) and give me a shot. Not that either hurt at all, but it was just the icing on the cake to be given this bad news while being poked with a bunch of needles.

Sour moment #4: Five contractions in under thirty minutes. My fate was sealed. It was back to the hospital for me.

Sweet moment #3: When the doctor returned, after speaking to me, another doctor from the practice, and a high risk doctor (not Dr. Weeks - come on, doc! We needed you today!) they had decided to send me home! The deal was I would return tomorrow to see if I had dilated at all and if I have gone into preterm labor, or if like Dr. Weeks had said, if this is just my normal from here on out.

Sour moment #5: While I was so grateful to be going home, she did decide to put me back on Procardia - the medicine to help with contractions. And while I'll do anything to help you two, I just find it a little silly. This medicine did nothing at all for me, but make me super hot and crazy dizzy (again, I'll live, but I don't see the point).

I was so absolutely devastated when they hooked me up to monitor my contractions and told me I was headed back downstairs. I just did not think this was at all a possibility today. But through it all, I'm thankful to spend another night in my own bed, in my own house. Who knows where I will be tomorrow after our appointment, but as always, whatever it takes! I just want you two to stay safe and healthy. If that means another hospital stay we will do it. But I do pray that I have not started to dilate in hopes that they will let me return home. We have made it five weeks so far boys, let's go for another five or more!

Some more sweet and sour  moments today...