Living for today

2012 is a whopping 50 days old and I've done a lot of living in those 50 days. 

In 50 days, I have traveled to Michigan twice, Chicago for a night and Dallas for four nights.  I have picked up two new clients, had two baby showers, house guests for a long weekend, and celebrated our second annual "let's not watch the Super Bowl together" party with our friends, Christie and Alan and their two kids (we eat, watch commercials, visit and have fun, but don't really pay attention to the game).   I've had shopping time with my sole mate, Lisa, and today went for pedicures and lunch.  And that's only half of the story...the fun half!

Now for the not-so-fun half.  In 50 days, I have failed a glucose screening test and had to take the really awful 3-hour glucose tolerance test.  But I passed that one! I've had swelling in my legs and ankles making my toes look like sausages and my ankles look like knees, and heartburn caused by things like air and water.  Sheesh. Thank goodness for Tums!!  And then came last week. 

A week ago today, I told Chris that I thought I'd call my OB in the morning in that my swelling wasn't getting much better and I generally wasn't feeling well.  After living through my best friend giving birth at 27 weeks, I wasn't about to take any chances.  Well, Monday came and with it came it's typical "holy cow, where did this do-to list come from" workload.  Before I knew it, it was 4:00 pm and I hadn't called yet.  So I picked up the phone and dialed only to learn that the office had closed at 4:30.  I left a message with the answering service for the OB on call who quickly called me back and asked that I go to Sky Ridge (the hospital where I will deliver the baby) just to get checked out.

The good news is that I am NOT leaking amniotic fluid and the magic swab test indicated that I have a 99% chance of NOT delivering the baby in the next two weeks.  The bad news is that I was having contractions every two minutes and didn't know it.  Oh, well, that and my blood pressure was through the roof.  After sitting in the Labor and Deliver triage room for 5 hours, they decided to admit me in that after a dose of medication, my blood pressure was still too high (yours would be too!!) and I was still having contractions.

So, Monday I stayed the night in the hospital.  I saw the OB who admitted me on Tuesday morning, and she discharged me at 9:00 am on Tuesday morning.  The really good news is that we totally chose the right doctor in that practice...we did not love this woman.  On Wednesday I had my regularly scheduled 30-week check up with my OB, so the timing was perfect.  Except that at that appointment, my BP was still really high, and now there was protein of +1 in my urine.  My only medical qualifications come from Gray's Anatomy and several seasons of ER so I don't know exactly what that means, but the words "preeclampsia" and "bed rest" were thrown around.   As was the term "deliver safely at 36 weeks."  No wonder my blood pressure was high!  I was to return for follow up on Friday.

I was instructed to be on bed rest (which my Gray's Anatomy degree altered to "just take it easy") and take my BP several times a day.  So, on Friday afternoon we headed back to the OB.  In the interest of swollen fingers that don't love typing, I'll leave out the part of "she had to go deliver a baby but you can see the nurse practitioner part" and skip ahead to "my OB is so awesome she did a conference call from the Labor and Delivery unit so that she could talk to us and the nurse practitioner."  Whew! 

So, at that appointment, my BP was slightly elevated (again, yours would be too!!) but within the normal-ish range and my pee-in-a-cup had no more protein in it!!!  That's great news.  No more "bed rest" but I still have to take it easy, and now I begin weekly appointments about 4 weeks early.  And that's totally OK.  There still seems to be the consensus that they'd like to deliver me early, but not until after 37 weeks.  And, I "should be prepared for bed rest after any of these appointments."  Which is totally fine.  As of right now, nobody's health is at risk or in jeopardy (except maybe my sanity). 

So today was lunch and a pedicure with Lisa.  Yesterday Chris and I put the finishing touches on the nursery (that's a blog for later this week!!).  And I go back to the OB on Wednesday.  I get one weekend at a time.

And for the next 5-9 weeks, I am going to enjoy every minute of our quiet little life with just the two of us.  It's funny to think that in that short amount of time, everything will change and it won't be just the two of us anymore.  So, between now and when Bryan comes out to play, Chris and I have decided to enjoy every minute of our time together and really appreciate the quietness, and our time together with little responsibility other than two dogs.  How lucky are we?!?!