Maybe Less Time Than We Think

Friday morning, I was 35 weeks pregnant exactly.  I had just seen my new OB Thursday afternoon and we had set up an induction date of September 4.  Everything was good, or so I thought. When i woke up Friday morning, I began feeling a lot of pressure in my lower abdomen.  I thought it was strange, but thought that maybe the baby had dropped and with my age and this being my fourth pregnancy, I was experiencing more discomfort than usual.  I had told the kids the night before that we would go swimming in the morning, so I decided that we would stick to the plan, even though it was taking me a while to get ready due to the pain I was experiencing.  We finally made it to the pool around 10 am, and I thought sitting in the pool would help with the pain and pressure I was feeling.  It didn't, but I didn't want to short-change the kids, so we stayed until about noon.  By the time we finished, I was not in good shape.  We walked home and I told Jaren that I wasn't feeling well and asked if he could help his brothers shower, get dressed and make them lunch.  He was a good son and stepped up to the plate willingly.  I changed out of my swimming suit and into some clothes and just laid in my bed hoping I would feel better.  I drank some water, but I suppose it wasn't enough, but like I said, I wasn't feeling well and I didn't want to throw up.

A few hours passed by and I began to feel better although the pressure/pain was still there.  So, I showered and got dressed hoping for the best.  I was feeling good for a while, but then the pain started getting worse, contraction-like.  I decided to call my mom and nail down a few of her travel plans with me and follow-up with her about the car accident she was in the day before (talk about bad timing!). While speaking with her I mentioned that I was experiencing pain in my abdomen and it was surging every now and then.  I realize now I was experiencing preterm labor contractions.  After  we hung up, I called George to let him know how I was doing and that I needed him to come home.   However, he had warned me earlier that morning that this was going to be a busy and long day for him and he probably wouldn't be home until 9:30.  Of course, he didn't have his phone with him and he kept it on silent, so he didn't get any of my messages or texts until almost 9 pm and the work number he gave me wasn't working, so he was clueless about what was going on until he finished work. 

So, around 6:00 pm, i decided I needed some help if I was indeed experiencing preterm labor and since I couldn't get a hold of George, I called the Relief Society president in our ward and she quickly came over, even though she and her family were on their way to the Tri-Ward pool party.  Her husband graciously took the kids and she drove me in our car to the hospital.  While trying to find the emergency room entrance, I had to ask her to stop the car so I could throw up.  I am embarassed that she had to see me that way, but she handled it like a pro.  Finally, we made it upstairs to labor and delivery where I was officially diagnosed in preterm labor. By that point, I was having contractions every 1-3 minutes.  They were the intense, crippling, stop you in your tracks type of contractions.  I was severely dehydrated thanks to my day in the sun and lack of replenishing afterwards, so the dehydration in addition to an unknown bladder infection had kickstarted my uterus into labor.

I was hooked up to an IV to help with the dehydration, received antibiotics for the bladder infection, and had 3 shots to stop the contractions, but the contractions did not stop.  So, they started me on some magnesium, which doesn't make you feel good in any way and after a long while, the contractions finally slowed.  George made it to the hospital  around 9:30 pm and arrived during the middle of all this.  Poor guy was imagining the worst case scenario.  After he and the Relief Society president swapped places, the hospital decided to admit me and keep me there for observation.  I ended up staying there until late Sunday morning. 

My doctor checked up on me around 4 pm Saturday and explained to me that due to the strength of the contractions and how close they were together in combination with my history of fast labors, she doesn't think I'll last another two weeks.  So, we are just trying at this point to keep baby girl in my belly as long as we can.  I am still having contractions, but they are not painful and I really hope I don't have to go back to the hospital.  I slept horribly there and being hooked up to IV's, monitors and having a catheter with a urine bag attached to me made it difficult to sleep in any position without difficulty.  I am at home now, on complete bed rest and my mother-in-law will arrive late Tuesday evening to help take care of the kids. Until then, our ward is helping out during the mornings with kids, and I will keep them with me in the afternoons.  We have meals being brought to us and I just feel so lucky to have this type of help when we are so new in the ward.  Hopefully, we can keep baby girl safe and sound until at least 37 weeks.