HBR UPDATE

Here is a quick update on what is (and has been) going on with me while here at the hospital on strict bed rest.

On Thursday I had an FFN which I failed, it was positive which means my body is preparing for labor and within two weeks by body will try to go into labor. Here is the tricky part… its 50% accurate since I am having twins. I was hoping for a negative result because that is 95% accurate. The doctor then did a vaginal exam to measure my cervix and within two days it had shorten again. This is another bad sign. On Tuesday my cervix was 1.95cm after two days of laying on my side my cervix shorten to 1.4cm. Still no dilation or contractions.  Can read more about ffn test here http://www.marchofdimes.com/pregnancy/pretermlabor_fetalfibronectin.html

On Friday… I had a horrible day. I had special ordered pancakes and at 7:55am was counting down the minutes until they arrived when the doctors came in the room to tell me that I was going to receive an IV of Magnesium Sulfate over a 6 hour period. I was not allowed to eat! 

I received Magnesium Sulfate for the babies’ brain development it is supposed to help protect them against brain damage such as cerebral palsy if they were born early. It is also supposed to help relax the uterus and stop or slow contractions. It can also be used to lower blood pressure and is commonly used to treat preeclampsia. I am currently not having any problems with my blood pressure so this is not why I received the magnesium. You can read more about it… http://www.webmd.com/baby/magnesium-sulfate-for-preterm-labor

The Magnesium IV was horrible. The nurses told me it was going to make me feel like I had the flu, it was way worse than when I had the flu in college. As soon as they started the IV I could feel it. I asked the nurses “am I feeling it already?!?” and they said yes. Every part of my body got hot and ached. The nurses turned the a/c in the room all the way down. I broke out in to sweats, I was pouring sweat, and the nurses had to give me an ice bath (with wash cloths) to cool me down. The magnesium made my body so weak I could barely move. I couldn’t walk so I couldn’t get up to go the bathroom. Also the nurses had to measure my pee to make sure what was going in was coming out. So I had to use a bed pan. I was so weak I could not hold my body up. The nurses had to hold me from the hips while I peed in to a pan. It was horrible, I had pee all over my back, my legs and a nurse had to hold me and clean me up. I felt so helpless. I felt the affects of the magnesium hours after the IV was stopped. I had a killer headache for a whole 24 hours afterwards. I am so glad that is over.

Friday night the doctors started me on muscle relaxers which I am now taking every six hours. So I am pretty drugged and out of it.

I discovered my first bed sore yesterday and both the nurse and doctor confirmed that is indeed what it is.

Yesterday and today have so far been low key, no doctors here to treat me and/or run a bunch of test on me. I guess all of that will resume tomorrow on Monday.

How am I holding up?

This is my 6^th day here… and I am starting to have a little denial about this whole situation. I spent a good hour telling Mike this morning that I didn’t need to be here because I am fine!

Trying my best to be strong and keep my spirits up. I really miss my puppy dog, Lacey, and wish I could explain to her what was going on. For the past six years every time I have been sick in bed she has been glued to my side nursing me back to health. I wish she could be here with me.