Sick of the Cycle

Round two of IV's, magnesium, ambulance rides, and frustrations. 

I suppose this time was a little more eventful but it ended with a not so eventful discharge after 2 days of monitoring. 

1 day before my 32 week goal, I started having painful contractions, which is new for me, so Jeff and I decided I should probably go in. Aubrey gave me a ride into town since she had an appointment with Dr. Fitzgerald at 1:00, Jeff figured I could just tag along and I could head down to L&D, he could go back to work and come after. We are use to this routine now: we've got the drill down. 

Unfortunately, me showing up commandeered Aubrey's appointment (so sorry Aubs!) and Dr. Fitzgerald had to come check me first. And, of course, I got shipped out.  I suppose this time had a little more urgency since Dr. Fitzgerald is always cautious. He has been the one checking me the last few months and even he was concerned and moving with with urgency.  Before my transport I was dilated to a 4, 100% effaced, and baby was a +2 station. 

They gave me a loading dose of magnesium to try and help with contractions, which it did. Just long enough to get me to Providence in Anchorage. 

The trip there was ROUGH, besides contracting in the back of an ambulance that feels like it hits every pothole with gusto. I had the fullest bladder I had ever felt. I was in so much pain. This ride felt 30 times longer than the last time I was transported.  Annemarie ( my trainer for work and a super awesome person) was my transport nurse buddy and I am glad she was. It's always nice to have a familiar friendly face that makes trips light and fun. I told the EMT and Annemarie that when we got to the hospital they better go running down the hall screaming, " SHE HAS TO PEE!". They were super accommodating in the fact that they tried to de-hook me as much as they could on the last few minutes of the ride and when we got to my room even stopped right outside the bathroom but of course the nurse there stopped me and said I wasn't allowed.... Gravity and crap.... ugh. Whatever. They offered me a bed pan once I had switched to the hospital bed but at that point I was in so much pain (from my bladder feeling like it was going to explode) and there were SO many people coming in and out of the room that who in their right mind would be able to. I'm sure if I were able to go it would have over flowed. The doctor made me get a catheter due to the thought of impending labor and not wanting me to get up and I instantly filled the bag with over 430 ml's and filled it multiple times immediately after that whenever they drained it. I am NOT a fan of getting a catheter. Overall this experience this time was in one word: uncomfortable. The second they turned the mag off I pretty much demanded that they take the catheter out.  I suppose I got my payback with a bedside commode though, man, talk about embarrassing and degrading. Every time you have to pee or poop, everyone and their dog decides to come in. 

We really liked the doctor we had and the care she gave us. Dr. Williams was her name. When I arrived at the hospital I was still the same ( figures) but later that day after many PAINFUL contractions and feeling a little pressure, around 9 I had progressed to almost a 5 and had a bulging bag. She thought we were for sure going to be having a baby by 6 am the next day.

Surprise: that didn't happen. 

I woke up several times throughout the night, watching the clock, just waiting for 6 am to roll around. I'm not going to lie, I was really hoping for a baby that day. It's selfish of me but, after all of this nonsense I was just frustrated and sick of the stupid cycle. The doctor that had come on for the next day was one we had seen the last time we were here. She checked me and of course, I was back to a  3, 90% and -1. 

We were not a fan of her. She essentially wondered why I was there and had no regard to what had happened the previous day.   To say I was frustrated was an understatement. They decided at that point to just send me back upstairs to PNU (prenatal unit), watch me for a day or two, and send me home. She thought that the doctor I had at home ( Dr. Fitzgerald, the best OBGYN in the valley, extremely cautious) was just trigger happy and felt like sending me for fun. I wanted to punch her. Since there was no progress, Jeff went home for a few hours while I waited to get shipped upstairs. Once I had gotten there I was at least grateful for a hilarious nurse and a bigger room but anytime I was alone I couldn't help but breakdown in frustration. 

As a nurse, I was literally my least favorite kind of patient.... the constant false alarm-ers or also known as, the frequent flyer. I was frustrated, embarrassed, and just plain tired.   I really don't try to be, I swear it. 

After a quick and uneventful 48 hour stay at Providence hospital we went back home. 

Baby-less. 

I was at least not as reluctant to go home knowing that Dr. Williams ( the one who checked us in) was the one discharging us and she did so with at least caution: checking me, the baby, doing an ultrasound, and actually CALLING my OBGYN. Unlike last time when he had no clue if I was even a live still and they had done nothing to make sure I would be okay being sent home. They essentially just said, "see ya". 

Based off of the ultrasound we had done before we went home the baby is nice and tall with femurs in the 95.5 percentile (which measures at 35.5 weeks), a massive noggin in the 75 percentile,

 and weighing 4.4 lbs. Over all he is measuring a week ahead. WOOT WOOT. 

Our room up in PNU had a sweet blank white board so we decided to utilize it in our late night boredom waiting for monitoring and work on our baby name list. I think we have it pretty much narrowed down to a few first names and for sure have the middle (and last (haha)) name. We are waiting to see the little buggers face first though. You never know how they're going to come out looking. 

Hopefully soon though he decides to pick a day and just commit to coming. That would be great. :)