Thursday, September 16, 2010

2nd time in ER :(

I had a fairly good weekend of laying around, getting good rest, eating some IHOP chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast, etc. But things took a turn for the worse on Sunday afternoon. I started vomitting around noon and did every 40 minutes or so for the next 8-9 hours. I had to break down and call my mommy b/c with Mike sick with a bad cold/allergy thing and did i mention i have an energetic 4-year who can only entertain herself for so long!? Mom came to the rescue - literally and drove up on sunday night from columbia. By the time she got here I was in worse shape and we quickly realized I needed to go back to the ER. I was worried the next step would be the dreaded zofran pump, but i knew i needed help holding down fluids and my medicine.

So mom drove me to St. John's late Sunday night. After a barfing pit stop on the side of the highway :( i was treated for dehydration and nausea for several hours. Mom and I got to see another ultra-sound image of the baby. The ER doc warned us that it was too early to probably detect gender, and he didn't see any privies, but he did specifically mention that the baby had "big, beautiful hands". He (the doc) was really cute and sweet to me during my stay and was genuinely excited to show me the images on the screen. It really does make you feel SO much better! The baby was just as active as last time, moving all around. Made me really happy to see and I'm glad mom could see it too.

I spent the next day sleeping most of the day on Monday. My OB told me to start the process of ordering the zofran pump when i returned from the ER. By Tuesday I was back at work and that night the home health nurse came to hook me up to the pump. Mike was a sweetheart and he relearned how to use all of the medical equiptment and give me the injections I'll need every 2-3 days. It hurt, but not as bad as I remember. The system is a little different than it was 4 years ago with Claire. The pump and carrier are WAY bigger this go around, but the good news is that we don't have to constantly refill the medication syringe every 10-18 hours - I get one full week's worth of medicine at a time. The home health nurse will make a home visit every Tuesday and give me a new kit. So now I have this big ol' fanny pack on my hip, I can also carry it as a purse or over my shoulder like a medicine bag, but I guess I like the hip the best b/c it's the most hands free. Claire has tons of questions about the pump. "Mommy is your boo boo better? Why is the medicine clear (she can see the liquid throught the tubing) Are you OK? Does is hurt? Why do you have it?" and on and on and on.

On an awesome, stupendous (as Claire would say) note - I have been feeling wonderful!!! I mean, I can't believe it. The night I first got the pump I ended up puking twice after the nurse left. But the next day we had an all-day staff retreat at work and in the afternoon I actually went bowling with my co-workers! I even got a strike baby! I couldn't believe how good I was doing. When I came home from work that night I skipped my usual nap and went downstairs and started painting a gift for friends who are having a baby soon. I've been meaning to do it for weeks and have just not felt up to it.

I'm writing this on Thursday afternoon and I feel great! I'm hungry, going to meet a friend for lunch at Westport and we have plans to take Claire to see "Disney on Ice" tonight - which I didn't think I would be able to attend. I'm so excited! and I really hope it's not a fluke and it's a result of the medicine pump. It's a fashion faux pas and a real pain in the ass (or thigh), but if I feel this good the rest of the pregnancy it is DEFINATELY worth it!

Thank you friends and family for all of your kind phone calls, emails, facebook messages and prayers. They really do make a difference.

Friday, September 3, 2010

First Hospital Visit

Tuesday started out as a normal day. Went to work, ate a good lunch, even went shopping for my much needed maternity pants. It wasn't until just after dinner that I couldn't stop puking. unfortunate timing b/c mike was having the guys over for band rehearsal and i was adding my own soundtrack in the hallway bathroom. It was pretty much relentless all night. At one point, poor Clairey came running down to get Mike in the basement going "Doctor! Doctor!". There wasn't much to do but watch my pity party, location - bathroom, VIPs - one (and 1/2).

That evening I literally got ZERO sleep. nada. i eventually got up to make myself some hot tea and watch some trashy reality tv b/c i thought that might make me feel better. But it seemed that every time I moved i would get sick. the tea was no comfort going down or coming back up. i literally stared at mike's alarm clock and when it graciously beeped at 5:45am I told Mike we needed to go to the ER so I could get on an IV for fluids. I stalled as best as I could until we took Claire to preschool at 8am and then I got checked into the Women's Evaluation Unit at St. John's Mercy. Going down those hallways in a wheelchair feeling like I did was like a bad dream and I finallly lost it and started crying like a baby. Those nurses at St. John's are like angels, I don't remember what exactly the nurse who was wheeling me to the room said, but it made me feel better and calmed me down.

I had two bags of fluids and they put some zofran in my IV since I couldn't keep my medicine down and was starting to feel a little better and really wanted to rest in my own bed. Mom's friend Anne came to visit me and gave me a good "mom hug", which I really needed. Since I thought I was going to get to go home after my second bag of fluid, i sat up in bed and started talking - and that just did it. I don't know what I even had left in me but I started getting really sick and before I knew it they put a third bag up on my IV and I was staying a little longer.

Mike was such an awesome husband and daddy during this time. he didn't complain once and was at my beck and call for every extra pillow, bed position movement and request for ice chips. we both got a treat and got to see another ultra sound image of the baby. I'm 12 weeks pregnant, so the baby's about as big as a large plum, 2 - 2.5 inches long depending on what website you check. But at this stage it's fully formed, just needs to keep growing. It was like a little jumping bean! Moving his (or her) arms and legs everywhere! It was such a blessing to see and for that 5 minutes I didn't feel sick at all! Ultra sounds and doppler heartbeats really help you feel connected to the baby at these early stages of pregnancy. Even though I'm starting to show b/c it's a second pregnancy, it doesn't really 'feel' real until you start feeling the baby move inside, so every ultra sound is a huge treat!

I eventually got to go home around 2 and konked out for most of the night. I was keeping my meds down with just a sip of water but couldn't stand the jello i tried to eat before bed. I took a sleeping pill (ok'd by OB) and got some much needed rest and then slept most of the day on Thursday. So far - I haven't had any vomitting and I've eaten some cheez-it's and peanute m&ms (? i don't knoow, they sounded good and were there?). Today, Friday, I'm dressed in a cute maternity outfit, actually  have make up on and worked a half day. Taking this ironically titled "Labor Day" weekend to do NOTHING!

thanks for your prayers, facebook posts, texts and calls during this week. I can use all the prayers and positive vibes you can send me! I'm thankful b/c i know things could be worse. By 8 weeks pregnant with claire i was at the hospital for dehydration for the first time and had to spend the following month of bedrest with a zofran pump. So comparatively, I'm doing really well. This baby is a trooper and I"m a fighter. Now I just can't wait to have this baby outside my body come March 2011!