Pre-term Labor

 Well blog readers, whoever you are. I'm terribly sorry for neglecting you. Life's been a little on edge lately. Dealing with what is in front of me in this particular moment, and letting the rest go. I've been very stressedbecause of all the possible what-ifs and could-be's that may (or may not) be arising in my life soon. So much change, all in the course of a few short months, and I'm left reeling. On the forefront I'm fine, blissfully unaware of all that's fostering beneath. I'm struggling. Struggling with the changes, mostly all good, and in the face of such total uncertainty--place to live, baby, work, etc.--I am striving to control the only things I possibly can. But as I've been reminded recently, life is uncontrollable.

A couple weeks ago I went into preterm labor at 28 weeks. The day before I was admitted to the hospital I woke up with a low-grade fever. Anybody that really knows me would know I don't complain much and go about my life even if I'm not feeling up to par. So as my usual routine I went to work as planned. While at work I kept feeling worse as every hour passed, by the end of my shift I literally felt like death. I took some Tylenol when I got home and checked my temperature only to find out I was burning up. I laid in bed and passed out, woke up at around four in the morning, checked my temp and saw it had gone down to 98. Back to sleep I went to wake up two hours later burning up, I checked my temperature again.. it was 102! A couple minutes later I started having EXTREMELY bad pain in my back and pelvic region. I called my mom and told her to please hurry home and take my ass to the hospital. So off to North Shore we went (big mistake). At first they of course thought I was in labor, I was hooked up to the baby heart monitor and was also monitored for contractions. The nurse then came in and stuck me a couple times trying to find a vein for the IV. Lucky for them I'm pretty damn awesome and could careless about a little needle. I just wanted this pain to subside. After being there for a couple hours I started feeling perfectly fine.. they brought my fever down for 102.8 to 98.9, gave me some Tylenol and sent me home. Yes, home. Without explanation of where that god awful pain was from.

I take my Tylenol every four hours but every hour I'm home I feel worse and started having sharp pain on my right side and back. This pain was not near as intense as before but as my fever spiked it was time to take a ride back to the hospital. Mom and I said screw North Shore and opted for Forest General where my gyno is originally, just a longer drive. I was seen almost immediately and again put on the baby heart monitor and contraction monitor. While I was laying there I found out I was having contractions every two-three minutes. I honestly had no idea I was even having them. Not a clue. I was checked internally but had not dilated. They again poked and prodded at me trying to administer an IV. They took countless amounts of blood to run test to see what was causing my illness. ALL negative. I was eventually started on two different antibiotics until my fever had finally broke. My contractions had finally subsided and I was discharged and sent home thinking everything was under- control. Big relief for me and Eric as he was offshore working.. hours away.. in the middle of the freakin' ocean.

I was home for a good nights sleep, woke up and started having contractions yet again. Yaaay. I REALLY did NOT want to go back to the hospital. I timed them for an hour before eventually hobbling my way to the truck and off to the hospital we went. I was admitted yet again only this time I was told I was in active labor. I was 1 centimeters and fifty percent effaced. Wait a minute, I thought. I am NOT having this baby right now! You have GOT to be kidding me! I was not about to have baby Liam without Eric by my side. Luckily I had my mom there with me the whole time. They gave me numerous shots of Brethine & Stadol, which helped for a couple minutes but the contractions were still coming back. Finally the administered a pretty high dosage of Magnesium Sulfate into me to stop the contractions. Now, from this point on for about the next two days, I was pretty much good for nothing. They had a NICU doctor come in and tell me everything that could potentially go wrong with Liam if I did deliver.. didn't understand a thing he was saying. If anyone has experienced this god awful drug, you know what I'm talking about. Blurred vision, vomiting, breaking out in sweats.. yeah, can you say unpleasant? I was also given two steroid shots to help Liams lungs develop more and give him a better chance if he was to come out soon.

Finally, after a week of being in the hospital I was discharged... only to come back the next day. ha, but hey, whose countin'. I was told not to work, no pelvic exercises (you know) and home to bed. So this pregnancy has just turned out to be everything I never expected. I know he will be worth all the aches and pains. I'm still having contractions EVERYDAY but I'm not dilating which is great. I'm hoping to make it to at least 35 weeks but we'll see. It's going to be a long two months but he's worth every minute of it.