It's been a few weeks since posting - and the baby shower came just in time! Wed (11/28) I went to my Dr for my weekly visit and my BP was up again so my Dr sent me to the hospital for some monitoring (I had done this the month before so didn't think too much of it.) Well, they had some question about some lab results and sent me home to do a 24 hr urine collection - lovely! Then I was to go back for another non-stress test on Thursday night. Mike had grad school on Thurs so Mom brought me in to the hospital and after they began the NST, the nurse came in and told me to get in a gown - I was like uh oh! But, Mom thought maybe this round of nurses just did things a little differently...wrong! Next thing I know the nurse comes back and says you've developed pre-elampsia and your Dr is on her way over and I think they're going to induce you. WHAT??? I was not at all expecting that! I was pretty much thinking I had another 5 weeks to get ready - baby room, house cleaning, baby clothes washing, etc. But there was nothing I could do and just layed in the hospital bed while they hooked up the IVs, BP cuff, baby monitor, etc.. I was pretty tethered down - so much for the array of birthing positions we learned in our 2 lamaze classes (didn't even get to finish our classes...). The Dr said I was a walking example of how fast one can get sick during pregancy - and here I thought since the pregancy was so icky it would be easy at the end - ha! Mom called Mike at school and had him come right away...neither one was telling me what my BP was...later I learned it peaked at 199/155 - I didn't know it could go that high! So it was a fun night of sucking ice chips (did I mention I had a terrible cold and sore throat - good times!), having the BP cuff go off every 15 minutes and throwing up (the magnesium sulfate really makes you feel crappy). In the morning (Friday) they started pitocin and after my Dr insisted I get an epidural (best decision ever) around 10am - the day progressed a bit better than the night b/c my back finally stopped hurting. And then it was all worth it when little Emma Joelle was born, 5 weeks early, at 8pm Friday night - 5 lbs 10 oz and 18" long - a perfect premie! So thankful she didn't need any help breathing or anything! B/c of my condition I stayed in Labor and Delivery until Saturday night - constantly monitored, but able to have a few visitors. Of course Mom, Dad, Heidi, Brad and Clarissa all came right away. Katie, Bronson and Dave, Sandy & Sawyer came by on Saturday to help us pass the time :) The nurses were super nice and let Mike stay all 3 nights I was there. Emma and I were both discharged on Sunday and we got home around 8pm. Today she's two weeks old - has her days and nights a bit mixed up - but I'm happy to hold her through the night...she won't be this little for long! Never knew quite how much someone so tiny could change everything - but she's done a pretty good job. Mike just loves her and can't wait to get home from work each day to hold her - he's also pretty good at changing diapers and singing her back to sleep :) Anyways, this is quite long enough - I'll add some pictures here but you can see more at my webshots page (community.webshots.com/user/mjmccoy)
Bye for now!
Hour or two after birth, up in the nursery
Ready to go home on Sunday - bitter cold!
Looking at Daddy
First sponge bath
Little cutie pie
Watching Momma
The new family with Grandparents
