Where I've been

Ok Ive got some time and a bit of energy. Here's the lowdown on what happened in August....

August 6th, I had my normal OB appt. Weighed in and discovered I gained 10 pounds in 3 weeks. (Not to mention ALL of me was pretty swollen) I was supposed to have bloodwork done anyways at the appt, but the lab was closed so my doc sent me to Southwest Hostpital since theirs was open. So I got there, sat down and they took one look at my feet and my chart and decided they needed me to stay the night for observation. So I call Zac and tell him he's spending the night at the hospital that night and to bring a change of clothes and that they said I'd go home the next day.

Soooo... the next day arrives and my blood pressure SOARED, swelling hadnt gone down and so they decided to hold me the weekend. They did a 24 hour urine protein analysis (fun.) and took more blood. By the time the 24 hours were up, my levels were high so they gave me one steroid shot in the butt, and another at 11:30pm the next day. (The steroid was to help the baby's lungs stregnthen) then we did another 24 hour urine analysis and by monday my protien levels were SOARING as well and my blood pressure kept going up, but my bloodwork was still normal. So by Monday, they decided I was definetly pre-eclamptic and they shipped me off to the biggest hospital in Oregon, St. Vincents because I would have to deliver early, and the facility I was at didnt deliver before 35 weeks. All this time Zac was being the BIGGEST help in the world!! I really still cant thank him enough.

So after a 30 minute ambulance ride, we got to St. V's and in a much more comfortable room. (this is Monday afternoon) Blood pressure ever rising, Urine protien ever rising, swelling waaaay more than I did when first admitted, and now a headache that Oxycodone (Percoset) didn't even touch... so they put me on a magnesium sulfate drip to keep the swelling down around my brain, which was why I had a headache. (I wouldnt wish magnesium sulfate on ANYONE. It feels like you took too much Niacin, a tall glass of whiskey and have the flu at the same time. But you are only nauseas if you stand up.) Oh ya, and I gained another 10 pounds since I was admitted. And so we continued all of this until Tuesday afternoon about 1 and the doc came in and said they were going to have to induce me at 33 weeks. The baby was absolutley fine, it was me they were worried about.

I was dialating by myself anyways, so the broke my water, (ohhhh yes I got the epidural. I didnt care at that point. Dialated to a 5 and being a zombie on Mag sulfate...) And at 11:50am on Wednesday they rolled me in to the operating room to deliver. I was in the operating room because the doors to the NICU (the preemie ward) was attached and it wouldnt be bad if I needed a C-section. I was so out of it, and trying to push and stuff, it felt like only 10 minutes. However I tore a level 4 (all the way through 5 mm into the rectum) and had to have an episiotomy, because the baby 's heartrate was dropping. (Praise the Lord for epidurals!! I didnt feel a thing.) I delivered a 4lbs 13oz, 19 1/4 inch long baby boy, he got whisked off to preemie world, Zac went in with him, and I layed on the delivery table for another 1.5 hours getting stitched up. The nurse I had was nice enough to wheel me into see Pierce after I was done, but I only got to hold him for 5 minutes. Apparently I needed to rest.

So Zac would go back and forth from my room to Pierce's isolet and bring me back pictures and video. It was Friday when they finally let me go home. As of last friday my blood pressure is back to normal, stitches dont hurt at all and I have no swelling. As of yesterday (YAY!! MILESTONE!) I fit back into my pre-prego jeans :) Pierce is still up at the NICU until next week. That would be his "36th" week and thats when they like to send them home.

Its a little hard to give birth, know you're parents, but the only thing that has changed at home is there is a crib in the corner now. But he is getting the best care, I certainly couldnt have done that for him. Im pumping and bringing him milk and he is doing just fine. Just waiting for him to put on a few more ounces. He is also the biggest baby in the preemie ward.

My parents are here this week helping us out, and Zac's will be here next week. I hate hospital food, and the only part of the hospital I really like is the NICU, beacuse I can leave whenever I want. So thats the scoop as to where I've been. Oh ya, not to mention Im on an every 3 hours pumping schedule, even through the night, so getting used to that schedule has exhausted me a bit, but I seem to be getting used to it. It'd be easier if Pierce was home cuz then I'd have a better excuse other than engorgement to wake up to at 2:30am.

Zac has been SO TOTALLY AWESOME BEYOND WORDS through this whole thing. I cant believe I ended up with such an amazing man. I still cant thank him enough.

All right, well, going back to bed.