One day at a time

Well I guess I've started something now (letting people know about this blog). I've actually been blogging here for a while, but never took the time to share it. Writing and knowing people are actually reading this is kind of a new concept for me. This is definately the easiest way to try and keep you all informed and updated on our prayer requests and needs. Thanks so much for all your support!

Curtis and I have had some ups and downs over the past couple days. Yesterday my blood pressure started pretty high in the morning. I had a doctor's appointment which means I was up and out of the house. I think this was just enough excitement for my body that it put me over the edge. By my bedtime blood pressure I was 156/108, and I'm supposed to go in at 150/100... So at 10:00, curtis and I got ready to go to the obstetrical triage. We were there till 2:00 this morning. They got me to take my next dose of Labetolol an hour early and it seemed to calm things down. Please pray for Curtis. This was VERY hard on him as he had to be at work for 7:30 the next morning (i'm forcing him to take a nap right now... 2 hrs 20 minutes so far!).

The fun part was, now that this was my 4'th visit, and they do blood work every time I go, my arms are starting to look like little pin cushions. I also had bloodwork at my doctor's appointment... So last evening, the nurses blew both of my veins trying to get blood. 7 pokes in 7 days (4 of those pokes were yesterday). My arms hurt and are bruised... Then AFTER they mutilate me, I am informed that I could technically have refuse the blood work.

Now that they have 4 blood tests (all showing in one week that my liver and kidneys are fine), it seems to me like they should lay-off on the stabbing part... but no, apparently the levels they test for, are things that can change in hours with a spike in high blood pressure, not days. When your blood pressure is dangerously high, it can put significant strain on your other organs, and this is why they test every time I come in with a high blood pressure reading. Fortunately for me, my blood work has always come back okay. I thank God for this.

Today I've been laying low, and it's been nice (and boring). I've been on the couch all day, laying down for most of the time. Its a lot easier to do nothing when you only get 3-4 hrs sleep at night... Maybe I need to start staying up late intentionally! (just kidding). Please pray that I can maintain this low level of activity. A day here and there on bed rest seems fine, but the thought of 2-3 more weeks of just laying there not only sounds daunting, but goes against everything I know about being healthy. It's very hard for me (not to mention I have UN-medicated A.D.D. right now!).

I also contacted my church yesterday, and I know the prayer ministry is praying for me. I can feel everyone's prayers, and want to say thank you. They are carrying us in a huge way, and I am sure that your prayers are why I am able to relax. This on-going battle is just starting. I'm 34 weeks tomorrow and I need to get to 36 weeks. That's two more weeks of back-and-forth,  blood pressure monitoring, daily nurse visits, medicinal changes, bed rest (and not to mention a crazy amount of responsibility for curtis). Just because today was a good day doesn't mean tomorrow will be. In fact, we have a church pastor coming over tomorrow to pray over us (I can sense some oppression in this situation), and I suspect that will raise my blood pressure, just having someone else in the house. Phone calls are often enough to raise my blood pressure let alone company.

Don't get me wrong, I love you all, but when my GOOD blood pressure is a 95 and a 100 gets me in the hospital, you can see how little wiggle room I have to work with here... The whole situation is very stressful to deal with on a regular basis. Fortunately I've been behaving today, and God has been working in my body. My pressures have stayed in the mid 130's over 94-96 range all day! Please pray this continues tonight, and into the weekend.


Baby of course, is doing fine. He's kicking  a little bit less, but still kicking more than what the nurses have told me is average (avg is 3 hard kicks an hour, and baby is allowed to have periods of 90 minutes with no activity--sleeping). This baby is rarely still longer than an hr and who knows, really, because I'm usually asleep for part of that hour! He likes to kick and move around. Whenever the nurses put the doppler up to him, he moves about (probably doesn't like the thing), so at least they get a good sense that he's active.

One day at a time,
one prayer at a time,
one pressure at a time...

We'll get through this. God loves us and loves our child. He wants what is best for us, and desires to give good gifts to his children. We have faith that God has a big plan for all of this, and will keep our little boy safe.

Thanks again, for your continued prayers. They are carrying us, and giving us the faith to believe with confidence, what I just wrote.