day by day

Well it's been a bit of a crazy ride.
Thursday I was doing pretty good with my blood pressure. I had an appointment with Dr. Ring, and things were doing the same as they had been the past week and a half, alright but still day by day. Dr. Ring still seemed confident we'd make it to 36 weeks, but less confident we could get to 37 for sure.

By the evening, my blood pressure readings were still alright (and by "alright I mean 142/93 when 150/100 forces me to go to triage). I went to bed at 10, and from 10-2 AM every time I was almost asleep I would wake up gasping for air. My breathing was extremely shallow and when I would get tired and into that sort-of reflex breathing we do when we sleep, I clearly wasn't getting enough oxygen...

Frustrated, I called the Dr on call who advised that I needed to go into the hospital. When I called St. B to let them know I was coming, they advised me that their NICU was full and I would have to attend HSC women's just incase they were forced to induce me...

So off we went to Womens! I gotta say, St. B's Triage is way better organized, not to mention cleaned more often... We were there till about 5 AM when I sent curtis home cause they said it would be at least another 3 hrs to get a chest X-ray done. So Curtis left and I got the chest X-ray which showed that I had some fluid in my lungs. They decided to admit me, but admitted me to St. Boniface since that's where I intend to deliver.

By the time I got to St. B it was about 10 AM on Friday morning. I spent the last two days and nights in St. B, sharing a room with a woman who recently immigrated from somewhere in africa. All I know is she speaks no english, and pee's all over the toilet seat!!! (Very annoying to have to put on gloves and dis-infect the seat EVERY time you need to pee)...

While I was in St. B, they changed my meds around. I saw a few Dr's and everyone seems to have their own idea about what to do. My Dr. Popped in too and started to go over the benefits of delivering a more pre-mature (but healthy) baby now, vs, a more mature but sickly baby later... Then I saw the Dr. On call who seemed to want to induce me, but said they would have to do that at HSC since the NICU is full at St. B. I pleaded with her cause after my triage visit, i really didn't want to go back to Womens (Not to mention the likelihood of running into clients while there). She was compliant and said that it would be based on my bloodwork and 24 hr urine sample.

The bloodwork came back normal (they check enzymes in your kidney and liver to see if they are elevated/working harder). The urine came back higher in protien, but on the lower end of elevated. The Dr on call said she expected this, given the fluid in my lungs. She says with high blood pressure, your blood vessles lose protien and leak fluid. This is what causes a person to swell. This fluid can leak anywhere including the lungs. So given that there was fluid there, she was expectant that there would be protien showing up.

After these results, I waited anxiousely for about 24 hrs, praying and waiting impatiently... no one really gave me an explanation. I was being lead to believe I'd be in the hospital till i would be induced now, but then suddenly this morning, a nurse came in and announced I would be discharged this afternoon! No real explanation... I guess my bloodwork was good, urine was within an acceptable range, and my pressures were steadily lower (140's/80's) since they changed my meds around (cut this, added that... it's a whole cocktail now).

I'm 35 weeks and one day. If I can make it till next Saturday I will be doing good! I'd still like to try for 37 weeks, but I'm not sure if they will even let me get there. Even getting to this saturday could be a challenge. It's day by day, and we need your prayers now more than ever.

Any little symptom could mean my body is starting to shut down under the strain of my blood pressure, and they will induce immediately. There will be very little give-and-take at this point, and more-or-less they will just get the baby out. Please pray  that God will continue to keep my body stable and allow this baby to keep growing.

Whether baby comes now or in a week, he will end up having a stay in the NICU. buying some time may mean we can deliver at St. B instead of Women's, and that he would have to spend less time in the NICU, and his lungs will be stronger. That is the main concern (lung development) at this point. If he were born today, he would still be a very healthy boy after some time in the NICU.